Travs Drop The Ball Saturday Afternoon
September 2, 2006 - Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
Ray Winder Field, Little Rock, AR - The Springfield Cardinals (27-42, 66-71) collected 18 base hits in a 17-2 drubbing of the Arkansas Travelers (26-41, 50-87). Led by three hits apiece from LF Nick Stavinoha and 2B Jarrett Hoffpauir, all nine Springfield starters collected a base hit and scored a run. Cards RHP Blake Hawksworth (4-2) earned the win with a seven-inning start allowing two runs on eight hits and a walk with eight strikeouts in seven innings. Travs RHP Chris Hunter (4-14) gave up eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits and five walks in just 2.2 innings for the loss. The Travs didn't help out in the field with a Angels affiliation-high seven errors in their second 17-2 loss of the season. Springfield belted three home runs by Hoffpauir (7), 3B Juan Richardson (17) and a grand slam by 1B Gabe Johnson.
Hunter's troubles began immediately when SS Mike McCoy hit a one-out double in the first and moved to third on a single by Stavinoha. Richardson followed with a tailor-made double play ball to second base, but 2B Eric Rodland muffed the grounder and McCoy scored. LF Cody Haerther followed with an RBI double and scored when C Iker Franco tripled off the centerfield light pole. Hunter then uncorked a wild pitch to bring Franco home for a 4-0 Cards lead.
The Travs managed a run in the first inning against Hawksworth. SS Sean Rodriguez reached second base with one out when his single was mishandled in left by Haerther. A two-out single by DH Bobby Wilson brought Rodriguez home to get the Travs within 4-1.
After Hunter kept the Cardinals at bay in the second, he loaded the bases in the third on two walks and an infield hit by Hoffpauir. Then Johnson leaned into a fastball and ripped his second grand slam of the year to centerfield to put Springfield on top 8-1.
RHP Bob Zimmermann replaced Hunter with two outs in the third inning and came back for the fourth with a leadoff walk to Haerther. Franco singled him to second and a classic Ray Winder Field bad-hop single over first base for Hoffpauir scored Haerther for a 9-1 Springfield lead.
Hawksworth took over in the middle innings and retired nine of ten batters with a double play thrown in during the sixth inning.
Zimmermann threw two shutout innings before RHP Kyle Edens took over for the seventh. Edens allowed just a couple of base hits until a disastrous ninth inning where the Cardinals exploded for eight runs on six base hits and a double error plus the homers by Richardson and Hoffpauir. 1B/LHP Matt Pali completed the inning with a strikeout of Johnson, the eleventh batter to come to the plate.
Time of game was 2:53 and the paid attendance was 2,893.
Ray Winder Field hosts its last game Sunday afternoon after 74 years of baseball. The Travelers probable pitcher is RHP Jesse Smith (7-13, 5.25 ERA) and the Cardinals counter with RHP Mike Parisi (9-7, 4.35 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and the gates open at 12:00 noon.
Please call (501) 664-1555 or visit www.travs.com for game information.
Texas League Stories from September 2, 2006
- Missions rebound with 7-2 win - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Charity Game Tomorrow! - Wichita Wranglers
- Hochevar Joins Wranglers - Wichita Wranglers
- Travs Drop The Ball Saturday Afternoon - Arkansas Travelers
- Cards Bomb Travs on Saturday - Springfield Cardinals
- Hooks, Astros' affiliates in playoffs - Corpus Christi Hooks
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