Three Home Runs Power Travs Over Nats
Published on May 16, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock, Arkansas - Home runs by Michael Collins (3), Nate Sutton (2) and Adam Morrissey (4) lifted the Arkansas Travelers over the NW Arkansas Naturals 11-4. The Travelers once again had to play from behind but like last night, they mounted the comeback early in the game. After both teams scored in the first, the Naturals scored three in the top of the second. The Travs rallied to score five in the bottom of the inning and never looked back.
Both starters were rusty after not appearing in a game in quite awhile. Nats right-hander Paul Mildren (1-3) had not pitched this month and lasted only two innings. He allowed six runs on six hits, inflating his ERA from 2.53 to 6.39.
Butcher hadn't pitched since May 8th and fared better than Mildren, but not great. Butcher lasted only four innings so he could not be credited with the win. He permitted four runs on seven hits and three walks.
Doug Brandt (1-1) earned his first Double-A win, pitching 2 innings in relief of Butcher.
Jordan Czarniecki and Corey Smith reached base on a walk and single respectively to start the second. Tim Duff plated Czarniecki from third on his sac fly and the next batter, Nate Sutton, lifted a ball to deep right field for his second homer of the year to tie the game. After an Adam Greenberg strikeout, Hainley Statia reached with a double, the second of his two extra-base hits. Michael Collins then drilled a 3-1 offering to left for his third home run of the season, giving the Travs a 6-4 lead.
Statia finished the game 2-for-3 with a double and a triple. He also scored two runs.
Collins was a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI and three runs scored. He raised his average to .277 for the season.
The Travs tacked on two more runs in the sixth on RBI singles by Collins and Czarniecki. They put the game out of reach in the eighth on Morrissey's three-run homer to left.
Stephen Marek made things interesting loading the bases in the ninth on two walks and a single but managed to work out of it preserving the Travs sixth consecutive win. Arkansas has also won 11 of its past 12 home games.
Naturals' DH Juan Richardson and Manager Brian Poldberg were ejected in the top of the seventh for arguing about a play at the plate involving Richardson. Richardson tried to score from first on a double to the right-field corner but was thrown out at the plate on a great relay throw by Nate Sutton.
On a great night for baseball and midget wrestling before the game, the Travs set a season high record for attendance in a night game with 8,840. Time of game was 3:06.
Texas League Stories from May 16, 2008
- Three Home Runs Power Travs Over Nats - Arkansas Travelers
- Drillers Win In 11 - Tulsa Drillers
- Cards Fall in 11, Home Saturday for Fireworks! - Springfield Cardinals
- Missions' comeback halts win streak - Frisco RoughRiders
- Cody Clark Moves to AAA, Mildren Returns to NW Arkansas - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
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