Travs Drop Heartbreaker To Midland 5-4
Published on April 11, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
Citibank Ballpark, Midland, TX - Brian Snyder's two-out ninth inning RBI single capped a three-run come-from-behind 5-4 victory for the Midland RockHounds (8-0) over the Arkansas Travelers (0-7). The Travs held a 4-1 lead in the eighth, but errors, poor base running and walks did them in losing for the seventh straight game to open the season.
Neither team pushed home a run in the first two innings, but Midland took advantage of three walks in the third to bring home a run. Brok Butcher walked Adam Klein and Cliff Pennington with no outs. Klein advanced to third base on a flyout by Snyder, then Jesus Guzman cashed in with a first-pitch RBI single to center. Butcher walked another batter to load the bases, but rebounded to strike out Myron Leslie and Anthony Recker to strand three Midland runners.
Midland starter RHP Andrew Bailey retired the first nine Arkansas hitters, but Coby Smith led off the fourth with a dying quail that fell into left field between three fielders. Smith chugged into second with a stand-up double and took third base on Hainley Statia's broken-bat grounder. Ben Johnson's sacrifice fly to shallow right field brought Smith home to tie the game, at 1-1.
Butcher was pulled in the fourth inning after three consecutive walks and was replaced by RHP Bill Edwards. Edwards struck out Guzman after falling behind in the count to leave three more RockHounds runners on base.
The Travs had six consecutive batters reach base in the fifth inning against Bailey, starting with a fine at-bat from Mike Collins. After fouling off five pitches Collins was plunked on the shoulder to reach first. With Aaron Peel batting, Collins stole second base and scored when Peel lined a base hit to center. Peel was thrown out at second on the play, but Corey Smith followed with another single to right field. Then Smith was thrown out at third base on a single by Tim Duff, but Duff advanced to second base behind the play. Nate Sutton put Arkansas in front 3-1 with a double down the first-base line bringing Duff home. Sutton was chased to the plate when Coby Smith lined a single to left field for a 4-1 Travs lead.
RHP Francisco Rodriguez delivered two scoreless innings before giving way to Brandt in the eighth, and things began to fall apart quickly. Justin Sellers reached first base to start the inning when Sutton mishandled his hard grounder. Brandt then walked Klein and allowed a single to Cliff Pennington to load the bases with no outs. Marek came in for relief in his first save situation and went full on Snyder before allowing an RBI single. Guzman's sacrifice fly scored Klein, then Tommy Everidge tied the game with a single to right field.
The Travs got the go-ahead run on base when Corey Smith singled to begin the ninth. Duff moved Smith to second with a sacrifice bunt, but Midland C Anthony Recker picked him off second base for the final out of the inning.
Marek returned for the ninth and got two quick outs before Klein hit a chopper to the left side of the infield. Corey Smith cut the ball off from third base, but double clutched the throw allowing Klein to reach first on a single. Pennington worked a walk from Marek and Snyder delivered the game-winning hit, a deep fly ball over the drawn-up outfield.
The game was played in 3:32 and the paid attendance was 3,953.
Arkansas and Midland wrap up their three-game series on Saturday night. The Travs send RHP Anthony Ortega (0-1, 1.80 ERA) to the hill against Midland LHP Danny Borrell (1-0, 3.60 ERA). First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
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