Travs Drop Sixth Straight to End Home Stand
Published on July 8, 2014 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
LITTLE ROCK - The Midland RockHounds finished a three-game sweep of the Arkansas Travelers on Monday night leading from the first inning in a 6-3 victory. Nine RockHounds batters came up in the first inning during a three-run frame that included just two infield singles and four walks. Beau Taylor and Conner Crumbliss each drove in two runs to help send the Travs to their sixth straight loss.
A home stand that began with the Travs on a five-game winning streak ended with their second-half record at 8-10.
Orangel Arenas was mostly ineffective over a 2.2 inning start, but was also a bit unlucky. The first batter of the game, Billy Burns, was credited with a single when third baseman Brian Hernandez bounced a throw after fielding his high chopper. Shortstop Eric Stamets made an error on another high chopper that took him a few steps to his right allowing D'Arby Myers to reach base. Burns advanced to third on a fly out by Max Muncy, then Burns scored on a sacrifice fly by Jefry Marte. Midland loaded the bases when Arenas walked Hiro Nakajima and allowed a swinging-bunt single by Kent Matthes. He got ahead of Crumbliss with two strikes, but the RockHounds right fielder fouled off six pitches and eventually worked a walk to force home Myers. Arenas then walked Dusty Coleman on four pitches for his third base on balls of the inning to fall behind 3-0.
Alex Yarbrough led the Travs with a pair of doubles giving him 30 for the season. He hit a one-out double in the first inning, advanced on an errant pickoff throw and scored when Matt Long grounded out to cut the RockHounds' lead to 3-1. However Haviland reeled off 14 consecutive outs starting with Long's roller.
Arenas opened the third inning by hitting Marte with an 0-2 pitch then walked Nakajima for a second time. Matthes again loaded the bases with a line drive single. A sacrifice fly by Crumbliss and a two-run double by Beau Taylor increased the RockHounds' lead to 6-1.
Arenas (5-6) was charged with six runs, three earned, on four hits and four walks to take his fifth straight losing decision.
The Travs bullpen though was outstanding as Kramer Sneed pitched 4.1 innings and retired 13 of 15 batters in his second relief outing of the year. R.J. Alvarez and Danny Reynolds each tossed one inning without allowing a base hit.
Adam Melker broke up Haviland's lengthy string of outs with a home run (3) to begin the sixth inning. Back-to-back doubles by Maikol Gonzalez and Yarbrough cut the deficit in half at 6-3.
However the RockHounds relief corps slammed the door never allowing the tying run to bat. Murphy Smith fired 1.1 innings of scoreless relief on two base hits. Frank Gailey struck out both batters he faced in the eighth inning. Jose Florez (2) earned the save with a scoreless ninth inning allowing one base hit.
Time of game was 3:05 and the paid attendance was 3,844.
The Travs now head into their last off day of July before traveling to Tulsa on Wednesday to begin a four-game series with the Drillers.
Texas League Stories from July 8, 2014
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- BIG Country Bash to Feature Canaan Smith on August 9 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Drillers Back Home Tomorrow - Tulsa Drillers
- Role Reversal - Midland RockHounds
- Travs Drop Sixth Straight to End Home Stand - Arkansas Travelers
- Hooks Walk off with Sweep - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Boosted by the Long Ball - Frisco RoughRiders
- Walk-Off Hit Spoils Tulsa Rally - Tulsa Drillers
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