Travs Beat Cards To End Streak
Published on August 31, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock, Arkansas - For the first time in a long time, the Arkansas Travelers (25-44, 61-78) scored a run in the first inning. It had been since August 22 that the Travs accomplished that feat. Starting pitcher David Austen (2-3) appreciated the help and held the Springfield Cardinals (40-29, 76-63) to three runs in six innings to earn his second win of the year. The 5-3 win for the Travs snapped their season-worst, eight-game losing streak.
The game started on a bad note for the Cards when the first batter of the game, Nate Sutton hit a ball to 3B Brett Wallace that he fumbled for an error. The extra out proved to be costly for starter Kyle Mura (3-5) who let three unearned runs score in the inning to give the Travs a 3-0 lead after one inning. Wil Ortiz and Brian Stavisky followed Sutton with singles to load the bases for Corey Smith. Smith popped up to the first baseman but Adam Morrissey came through with a sac fly to center to score Sutton. Mark Trumbo then provided the Travs with a pair of two-out RBI, something else the Travs had struggled with lately. Trumbo lifted a high fly ball to center field that got over the head of the fielder and scored two runs. Not content with a double, Trumbo motored around second base for his first Double-A triple.
Austen, who had allowed just one hit in the first three innings, allowed two singles to start the fourth but managed to escape the inning unscathed thanks to a fine double play started by Smith at third. He couldn't work out of the trouble he got himself into in the fifth however, allowing three runs to score on six base hits to tie the game 3-3. The inning could have been worse had he not induced a ground out to end the inning with the bases loaded.
In the bottom of the inning, the Travs sent eight men to the plate and score two of them to retake the lead 5-2. Coby Smith led off the inning with a double and scored on Wil Ortiz' two-bagger. Ortiz moved up to third on Corey Smith's single and then scored on Adam Morrissey's 1,000th career base hit. Morrissey went 2-for-3 with two RBI in the game.
Austen worked out of trouble again in the top of the sixth, permitting a single and a double to start the inning but a fielder's choice ground out, a strike out and another fielder's choice got him out of the inning with the lead still intact 5-3.
Francisco Rodriguez relieved Austen and pitched two perfect innings, retiring all six men he faced, striking out two. He has not allowed an earned run in his last 13.1 innings pitched, reaching back to August 13. His ERA on August 12 stood at 4.65 but he has lowered it now to 3.82.
Rafael Rodriguez pitched the ninth and recorded his 11th save of the season, allowing one hit and striking out two. He has nailed down seven of the last eight Travs' victories dating back to August 7.
Time of game was 2:50 and the paid attendance of 4,775 moved the Travs' season total to 373,602 to break last year's mark of 372,475.
Texas League Stories from August 31, 2008
- Frisco falls, Midland stays alive - Frisco RoughRiders
- Travs Beat Cards To End Streak - Arkansas Travelers
- Cards Wrap Season on Monday at 1:30PM - Springfield Cardinals
- Drillers Beat Naturals 9-5 - Tulsa Drillers
- Playoff-Bound Naturals Fall to Drillers - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
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