Missions Stun Travs with Ninth Inning Comeback
Published on September 13, 2011 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
San Antonio, Texas - For eight and a half innings the Arkansas Travelers held the lead and played a nearly flawless game both on the mount and in the field. It all came crashing down in the bottom of the ninth inning as the San Antonio Missions staged a huge comeback scoring four runs to send the Travs to a shocking 5-4 defeat. The Missions only collected two base hits in the ninth inning, a two-run homer from Jaff Decker and a game-tying single from Sawyer Carroll, but three Travs relievers combined to walk four while hitting another batter. The Missions take a 1-0 lead in the best of five Texas League Championship Series.
Texas League Pitcher of the Year Matt Shoemaker cruised through eight innings allowing one run on four base hits. Only one runner made it to second base against Shoemaker, who added ten strikeouts. He retired the last nine batters he faced and set down 22 of 27 batters over his eight innings.
Missions starting pitcher Juan Oramas got into early trouble allowing a leadoff single in the first inning to Matt Long. With one out Roberto Lopez hit a hard liner deep off the left field fence which then ricocheted away from Decker towards centerfield. Long scored from first base and Lopez streaked around the bases for an inside-the-park homer (2) giving the Travs a 2-0 lead.
The only run Shoemaker allowed came in the third when Dean Anna hit a two-out double and scored when Blake Tekotte singled into right field. He then struck out Decker and set down the Missions in order in the fifth.
Oramas settled in for the second through the fourth innings retiring six of eight batters, but the Travs got to him again in the fifth inning. Chris Pettit worked a leadoff walk and advanced on a groundout. With two away Long, who finished 3-for-4, lined a base hit to right field bringing Pettit to the plate ahead of a wild throw from Carroll. Long took third on Carroll's throwing error and scored when Darwin Perez singled on an 0-2 pitch giving the Travs a 4-1 lead.
Oramas finished six innings allowing four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six.
Shoemaker issued his only walk to Cody Decker beginning the bottom of the fifth inning, but picked him off before striking out Carlos Sosa and Jason Hagerty. He again allowed the leadoff batter of the sixth inning to reach when Anna singled, but Shoemaker stranded him at first base retiring the next three batters. Shoemaker was perfect in the seventh and eighth handing the bullpen a 4-1 lead.
The Travs managed only one base hit over their last four innings as Colt Hynes worked 2.1 scoreless innings. He left in the ninth with one out and two runners on base as Jorge Reyes (2-0) struck out Dwayne Bailey and got Alberto Rosario to fly out.
David Carpenter was first out of the bullpen and entered the game with a 28.1 inning scoreless streak counting the first round series with NW Arkansas. He was ahead of leadoff batter Blake Tekotte 0-2 when he hit him with a pitch. Carpenter then got ahead 0-2 on Jaff Decker, who worked a full count before blasting a two-run homer just above the reach of right fielder Angel Castillo. Carpenter left the game without retiring a batter when he walked Jedd Gyorko to put the tying run on base. Robert Fish (0-1) was summoned from the pen and got the only out of the inning when Gabe Jacobo dove to stop a ground ball hit by Vince Belnome. Gyorko advanced to second base on the out putting the tying run in scoring position. Fish then got ahead of Carroll 0-2 who battled the count to 2-2 before lining a game-tying single to left field bringing Gyorko to the plate. Steven Geltz was next in relief and he walked Cody Decker, Sosa and Hagerty forcing in the winning run.
The TLCS continues on Wednesday night at Wolff Stadium with Christian Scholl taking the mound for the Travelers and Joe Wieland for San Antonio. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
Texas League Stories from September 13, 2011
- Missions Stun Travs with Ninth Inning Comeback - Arkansas Travelers
- Keuchel Corpus Christi's 2011 Pitcher of the Year - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Cardinals Win Field of the Year - Springfield Cardinals
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