Springfield wins 10-9 after blowing eight-run lead
Published on May 10, 2009 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
NORTH LITTLE ROCK - Despite overcoming an early eight-run deficit with a nine-run sixth inning, the Arkansas Travelers fell 10-9 to the Springfield Cardinals on Sunday at Dickey-Stephens Park. The Travs lost their fifth straight game after allowing 17 hits to the Cards and committing four errors.
Springfield (17-12) scored two runs in the eighth inning to top the Travs late on consecutive nights. Brett Wallace started the inning with a single off Arkansas reliever Ryan Brasier (2-1). Brasier walked catcher Steven Hill, then allowed a game-tying RBI single to Daniel Descalo, who finished the day 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs, one of six Cardinals who had multiple hits in the game. Springfield took the lead on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Andrew Brown, scoring Hill, who turned out to be the game-winning run. David Herndon came on for the Travs and recorded the final five outs without giving a run. Brasier blew the save and took the loss.
"You're doing everything you can to win, and we just can't close the game out. Guys have to step it up in the bullpen," Arkansas manager Bobby Magallanes said. "It's wide open, whoever wants to win a spot."
Last night Trav reliever Barret Browning gave up three runs (one earned) in the top of the tenth inning. Closer David Herndon (1-2, 5 S) blew his last save opportunity on May 7, allowing four runs on four hits over two innings against the Tulsa Drillers.
"We don't know who to throw out there. It's just a broken record. It's the same thing every single night - we have leads and blow it. Right now, someone's got to step up," Magallanes said.
Magallanes said no one's job is safe, in the lineup or the bullpen, and anyone who pitches well or hits well now will get the ball or at-bats this season.
The Travs (12-17) were getting blown out by the Cardinals halfway through the game, with Springfield starter Lance Lynn (1-0) stifling the Arkansas offense through five innings, not allowing a single Traveler to reach second base. But a sixth-inning blow-up keyed by a Cardinal fielding error let the Travs back in the game.
Lynn, the 21-year-old supplemental first round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008, issued his first walk of the day to Pat Breen to start the sixth inning. After a Hainley Statia fielder's choice, Peter Bourjos singled and Nate Sutton reached on an Andrew Brown error, scoring Statia for the Travs' first run of the day. Lynn walked Hank Conger and then hit Ben Johnson with the bases loaded, scoring Bourjos.
Mark Trumbo flied out to make the second out of the sixth, but back-to-back two-out singles by Ryan Mount and Wil Ortiz chased Lynn out of the game, scoring Sutton, Conger and Mount. Lynn finished with 5.2 innings pitched, six hits and seven runs allowed, but just two earned. He struck out three, walked two and received a no-decision in his second double-A start.
Eddie Degerman (1-1) took over for Lynn with two outs and gave free passes to four straight Arkansas hitters, walking in three runs without recording an out. Brad Furnish relieved Degerman and walked the first batter he faced, giving the Travelers their first lead of the game at 9-8, before inducing a fielder's choice to the end inning with the bases loaded.
The Cardinals' pitching staff leads the Texas League with 165 walks surrendered in 31 games (5.3 walks per game). Furnish (2-0) gave up one hit in 1.1 innings to pick up the win. Tyler Norrick came on to pitch the final two innings, a perfect six-out save (3).
Springfield jumped out to a big lead by pounding four home runs in the first five innings, including three in the fifth inning off Arkansas starter Amalio Diaz (0-2). Designated hitter Mark Hamilton hit a pair of homers (4), in the third and fifth innings, and Hill (8) and Descalso (3) hit back-to-back dingers in the fifth.
Diaz pitched 4.2 innings, allowing 10 hits and eight runs (five earned). He allowed all four Cardinal home runs, walked two and struck out two.
Springfield's other scoring instances were cued by Traveler errors. Antone DeJesus singled and advanced to second on a throwing error in the third inning, scoring on a Daryl Jones RBI-single. Brett Wallace reached on a fielding error by Statia to start the fourth inning, then three straight hits scored Wallace and then Hill. Descalso scored on a Pete Kozma sacrifice fly to center.
Seven Cardinals reached base to lead off innings, and Springfield churned out 10 runs despite leaving 12 runners on base.
A crowd of 4,112 watched the Travs don pink jerseys on Mother's Day in support of breast cancer research. The game lasted 3:25, the longest 9-inning game of the season.
Arkansas will send Trevor Bell (2-1, 2.40 ERA) to the hill Monday on a special 11:00 a.m. start against Springfield's Brandon Dickson (2-1, 4.13 ERA). Tomorrow is "Anti-Tobacco School Kids Day for area school children.
Texas League Stories from May 10, 2009
- Springfield wins 10-9 after blowing eight-run lead - Arkansas Travelers
- Third-inning Barrage Beats Hooks - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Drillers Win Streak Ends - Tulsa Drillers
- Cards Win Second Straight, 10-9 Over Travs - Springfield Cardinals
- Naturals slow down Drillers offense - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Frisco Bats Too Much for Midland - Frisco RoughRiders
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
