Travs Four Homers Not Enough In 8-6 Loss
April 19, 2006 - Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
Ray Winder Field, Little Rock, AR - Joe Koshansky smacked two home runs (4) and finished 4-for-4 with five RBI to lead the Tulsa Drillers (9-4) to an 8-6 victory over the Arkansas Travelers (6-7). Although the Travs dropped their fourth straight game to Tulsa, they hit a season-high four home runs with SS Brandon Wood connecting on two home runs (4) that reached Interstate-630. Dwaine Bacon (1) and Matt Brown (4) also hit solo home runs, but the Travs struggled defensively committing four errors including two miscues by Wood. Tulsa scored twice in the first inning and led for the entire game, but the Travs had the tying runs on base with two outs in the ninth inning when RHP Judd Songster struck out Wood to end the game. Tulsa RHP Marc Kaiser (1-1) earned the win by tossing six innings and allowing three runs on solo homers. Travs RHP James Holcomb (0-2) wasn't sharp and was knocked from the game in the fourth inning.
Drillers SS Troy Tulowitzky started the game with a double to right field. Travs 1B Greg Porter then misplayed a hard groundball by Seth Smith into an error that put Tulowitzky. After the first out, Holcomb hit Jud Thigpen to load the bases and Koshansky followed with a two-run double to right field.
Wood and Brown reached with two out singles, but Kaiser stranded them by getting Eric Rodland to bounce out.
Koshansky began a rally in the third inning with a one-out double. Christian Colonel then hit a sharp groundball that Wood tried to backhand but missed for an error putting Koshansky at third base. Matt Macri put the Drillers in front 3-0 with a sacrifice fly to left scoring Koshansky. Then Colonel stole second base and went to third when Bobby Wilson threw the ball into centerfield. Chris Ianetta and Doug Bernier then hit back-to-back RBI doubles to give Tulsa a 5-0 lead.
Trailing 5-0 in the fourth inning, Wood hit Kaiser's first pitch to right field for a home run. Brown then yanked the next pitch over the left-center field wall to bring the Travs within 5-2.
Arkansas had RHP Allen Buckley replace Holcomb with one out in the fourth. He set down seven batters in a row before Thigpen blooped a two-out single in the sixth followed by a mammoth two-run homer by Koshansky for a 7-2 Tulsa lead.
Leading off the sixth inning, Wood hit a high fly ball over the dead center field wall to bring the Travs within four runs. Bacon's home runs came in the seventh inning off LHP Josh Newman to get the Travs within three runs.
However Koshansky began the ninth with another home run to center off RHP Aaron Pullin.
With the Drillers leading 8-4 at the start of the bottom of the ninth, Newman remained in the game and allowed a leadoff double to Wilson. After striking out Aspito and Porter, Newman was relieved by Songster. Casey Smith then doubled inside third bas to plate Wilson. Bacon then jacked a double to right-center to score Bacon. Songster walked Peel to put the tying run on base, but Wood struck out on a pitch in the dirt to end the game. Wood and Travs manager Tyrone Boykin argued with the plate umpire that Wood foul tipped the ball, but to no avail.
Time of game was 2:42 and the paid attendance was 3,022.
NOTES: Travs 2B Eric Rodland extended hit hitting streak to eight games with a sixth inning double...Travs 1B Greg Porter finished 0-for-4 to end a six-game hitting streak...Tulsa has allowed a Texas League high 27 home runs...
The Travs and Drillers wrap up the series on Thursday night. Arkansas has RHP Chris Hunter (1-0, 6.35 ERA) taking the hill against Tulsa RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (0-1, 11.57 ERA) with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. Gates will open at 6:10 p.m.
Please call (501) 664-1555 or visit www.travs.com for game information.
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