Ninth-inning rally comes up short, Travs drop seventh straight
Published on May 23, 2009 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
NORTH LITTLE ROCK - With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Northwest Arkansas Natural centfielder Cody Strait cut off a Peter Bourjos basehit in deep right-centerfield and fired to second baseman Kurt Mertins, who relayed the throw to catcher Jeff Howell just in time to tag out the potential tying run Ivan Contreras at home and avoid squandering a six-run ninth inning lead. The Arkansas Travelers lost 8-7 to push their losing skid to seven games, the sixth one-run loss in eight days.
Facing an 8-2 deficit to start the final frame, the Travelers (15-26) got a leadoff single from Coby Smith off Naturals reliever Gilbert de la Vara. Nate Sutton reached on a fielder's choice, and then Ben Johnson reached on a fielding error by third baseman Josh Johnson. Mark Trumbo doubled to score Sutton and Johnson, putting Arkansas within four.
After a Wil Ortiz groundout, which should have been the third out, Patrick Breen reached on another Northwest Arkansas error, a misplayed grounder by first baseman Corey smith that allowed Trumbo to score. De la Vara then walked Flint Wipke and gave up a run-scoring single to second baseman Contreras, who making his Double-A debut after getting called up today to replace the injured Ryan Mount.
With two on and two out, Bourjos stepped to the plate and stroked a line drive to deep right-center, scoring Wipke and setting up the game-ending relay throw that nailed Contreras trying to score from first base.
"That's the one thing that was positive about this game was that comeback," Arkansas manager Bobby Magallanes said. "That was great by these guys, and hopefully we feel whatever they were feeling at that moment and carry that into tomorrow.
After the Travs mustered just two hits in 11 chances with runners in scoring position in last night's contest, Magallanes said he wasn't going to press their luck to get a fifth basehit in the final frame, two of which came with two outs.
"To me it was a no-brainer," Magallanes said. "It had to be a good relay throw, and we had a fast runner. Any time with two outs, and you think it's going to be a bang-bang play, you roll it. They've still got to play catch and have a good throw, and they did."
Contreras finished the game 2-for-2 in his Arkansas debut after flying in to North Little Rock earlier in the day. The 22-year-old Dominican infielder pinch hit for Hainley Statia in the bottom of the eighth inning in a six-run game and singled in his first Double-A at-bat.
"We just wanted to give him an at-bat, and he ends up getting two clutch hits and knocks in a run," Magallanes said. "He's probably tired right now, he took an early flight and got here and did a good job."
Northwest Arkansas (21-20) never trailed in the contest, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning that chased Travelers starter Trevor Reckling (3-1) out of the game in his first Double-A loss. Cody Strait scored on a Jeff Howell double, and then Reckling issued his first walk to Josh Johnson. Howell and Johnson both scored on a two-out Jordan Parraz single, who was picked off by Reckling to end the fifth inning with runners on the corners. Reckling threw five innings of six-hit ball, surrendering three runs while walking two and striking out three.
The Naturals padded their lead against the Arkansas bullpen. Ed Lucas doubled and scored off reliever Amalio Diaz (0-2) in the seventh, and then Northwest Arkansas put up four runs in the eighth on four hits and a walk from Diaz and Marco Albano (1-1). All five runs were charged to Diaz, two of which were unearned.
The Travs were held hitless through five innings by Naturals starter Dan Cortes (2-4), who picked up the win despite walking six, hitting one batter and only throwing 47 strikes in 99 pitches.
Arkansas got its first two runs in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, with Ben Johnson scored on a sacrifice fly by Wipke and Bourjos singling and scoring on a Sutton groundout. Bourjos was 2-for-6 on the day, extending his hit streak to 16 games.
The game finished in 3:21 in front of a crowd of 4,280 at Dickey-Stephens Park.
Righthander Jordan Walden (0-2, 6.89 ERA) goes to the mound for Arkansas on Sunday against righty Blake Johnson (2-3, 4.21 ERA) of the Naturals. Game three of the series is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
Texas League Stories from May 23, 2009
- Missions Outlast Frisco in Rain - Frisco RoughRiders
- Cards Hammer Drillers 11-4 - Springfield Cardinals
- Drillers Edge Cards 5-1 - Tulsa Drillers
- Ninth-inning rally comes up short, Travs drop seventh straight - Arkansas Travelers
- Mount placed on disabled list - Arkansas Travelers
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