Smith Drives In Three, Travs Beat Cards Again
Published on September 6, 2009 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI - Coby Smith homered (8) and drove in three runs as the Arkansas Travelers won their second straight with a 5-3 victory over the Springfield Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. Amongst Smith's two base hits included the game-winning base hit and a two-run homer that gave the Travs breathing room after the Cards drew within one run. Marco Albano (W, 6-6) pitched five innings to earn his fourth straight victory. Ryan Aldridge and David Herndon (Sv, 11) each pitched two shutout innings to close the game.
The victory clinches at least a tie for third place for the Travelers during the second half. They hold the best record in the Texas League since July at 21-15.
Springfield grabbed an early lead on Sunday when Daryl Jones led off the first inning with a home run (3).
Scott Gorgen came in with a 2-0 record in two starts against the Travelers, and held them without a base hit for two innings. Brian Walker keyed a five-hit rally with a third-inning leadoff single. Hainley Statia, who finished 2-for-3, followed with a single to left-center sending Walker to third base. Peter Bourjos found a gap through the right side driving in Walker with an RBI single to tie the game. After failing to get a sacrifice bunt down, Smith made it four consecutive base hits with a single to right field knocking in Statia for a 2-1 Travs edge. Two batters later with Mark Trumbo batting, Smith was picked off first base by Gorgen but Trumbo singled to knock in Bourjos giving the Travs a 3-1 lead.
The Cards got within a run after Albano retired the first two batters of the fourth inning. Colt Sedbrook grounded a double past first base and scored when Mike Folli lined an RBI single to center. Folli got the tying run to second base with a steal, but Albano left him on base when Aaron Luna flied out.
Gorgen threw a perfect fourth inning, but Statia led off the fifth with a double. After Bourjos laid a sacrifice bunt down, Smith powered a 1-1 pitch over the left-field fence for a 5-2 lead.
Leading off the bottom of the fifth inning, Jones popped up towards the foul line in shallow right field. Second baseman Ryan Mount dropped the ball for a two-base error. Jones advanced to third on a groundout by Donovan Solano, and scored when Andrew Brown's slow grounder was handled by third baseman Wil Ortiz for the second out.
Down 5-3 the Cardinals never got another runner past second base. Aldridge only allowed one baserunner in his two innings adding two strikeouts. Herndon closed the game for the second day in a row going the last two innings and allowing just one base hit with one strikeout.
Time of game was 2:51 and the paid attendance was 6,748.
The Travs and Cardinals close out the 2009 regular season on Monday with a special 12:10 p.m. start for the Labor Day holiday. Amalio Diaz (3-7, 3.81) will pitch for the Travelers while Springfield sends Nick Additon (2-3, 3.60).
Texas League Stories from September 6, 2009
- Three former Naturals headed to the Majors - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Naturals vanquish Drillers, clinch spot - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Drillers Lose Game, Title To Naturals - Tulsa Drillers
- Frisco Defeats Midland, 6-2 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Missions Belt Hooks - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Smith Drives In Three, Travs Beat Cards Again - Arkansas Travelers
- One Regular Season Game to Go - Springfield Cardinals
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