TL1 Arkansas Travelers

Reckling improves to 3-0 in Travs win

Published on May 12, 2009 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release


NORTH LITTLE ROCK -Traveler 19-year-old lefty Trevor Reckling was solid again in his fourth Double-A start, earning his third win and holding the Cardinal offense to one run in the Travs 3-1 victory Tuesday night at Dickey-Stephens Park. But it was speedy centerfielder Peter Bourjos who stole the show in front of what was left of the 4,773 in attendance who endured the rainy series finale between the Cards and Travs in North Little Rock.

In the fifth inning, Bourjos legged out a double to the rightfielder and then scored on a Hank Conger single and throwing error by the Springfield second baseman. In the top of the seventh inning, with runners on second and third in a one-run ballgame, Bourjos caught a Jim Rapaport flyout and then threw out Andrew Brown at the plate to preserve the Traveler lead. In the bottom of the frame, Bourjos stepped in the box and stroked a Pete Parise delivery to the gap in right-center field and recorded an easy stand-up triple. Bourjos then scored on a Hank Conger chopper to a drawn-in shortstop, sliding around the tag at home plate.

"I was actually just hoping they were going to make a bad throw because it was so wet," Bourjos said. "I know I was having problems with it, so I was just trying to put pressure on them."

Bourjos, tied with teammate Coby Smith for second place in the Texas League with 10 stolen bases, finished 2-for-4 Tuesday with two runs scored on two extra-base hits, and saved a run at the plate on the seventh-inning outfield assist to catcher Hank Conger.

Arkansas pitching shut down the potent Springfield offense again with a fourth straight quality start from Reckling (3-0), who scattered seven hits across 6.2 innings pitched, walking one and striking out three.

"He finds a way to make pitches," Traveler manager Bobby Magallanes said. "He got himself in trouble a couple times, walking some guys (Reckling also hit one Cardinal batter with a pitch), but it's all about attitude. I've been talking about attitude for a while now, and it's just your attitude on that mound, and that's what he's got."

The Arkansas offense struck first with a two-out rally in the second inning off Cardinals starter Tyler Herron (1-3). Ben Johnson doubled down the leftfield line, Wil Ortiz walked and Nate Sutton collected his 11th RBI of the year on a single to left, scoring Johnson. Bourjos' two runs in the fifth and seventh innings were all the Travs would need to end a rough homestand with back-to-back wins.

"It's nice. Real nice. Springfield's a good team, and we just hope we can get it rolling against Tulsa," Bourjos said.

Herron took the loss after five innings pitched, two runs (one earned) and six hits against five strikeouts. He also walked three, bringing the Springfield pitching staff's series total to 24 walks in four games.

The Cardinals' only run came in the fifth inning when Brown doubled in the fifth inning to lead off the inning, advanced to third on a Pete Kozma flyout to right and scored on a Rapaport single.

Trav reliever David Herndon earned his sixth save of the season, pitching 2.1 stellar innings of relief, allowing just one hit and no runs for his second seven-out appearance of the year.

Arkansas earned a series split with Springfield in easily the shortest game of the series, just 2:34. The Travelers start an eight-game road trip Wednesday at Tulsa, where lefty Michael Anton (0-2, 5.40 ERA) will take the mound for the Travs against the Drillers' Jhoulys Chacin (2-3, 3.94), with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.

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