Travs Grind out 10-7 Win to Even the Series
Published on April 21, 2018 under Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release
North Little Rock, AR - The Arkansas Travelers claimed a grueling 10-7 win against the Springfield Cardinals before 7,075 fans at Dickey-Stephens Park on Friday night.
The two teams combined to score in 11 of the 17 half-innings in the back-and-forth battle. Springfield's winning streak came to an end at four games, though they have still won six of their last eight and seven of their last 10.
STRIKING FIRST
For the third straight game, the Cardinals (7-7) dealt the first blow, this time plating a pair with an RBI groundout from C Andrew Knizner and 1B John Nogowski in the top of the 1st. As both sides exchanged runs early, an RBI single from Knizner in the 3rd lifted Springfield into the 4-3 lead. It was part of a three-hit, three-RBI day for Knizner, who has gone 12x23 through his last six games and is now hitting .421 on the year.
THE GAME TURNED WHEN
After Knizner's third RBI of the night in the 5th inning made it a 5-3 lead for Springfield, the Travs (7-7) rallied with three tallies in the bottom of the 5th against RHP Ramon Santos (L, 0-1). Two one-out walks and a base hit loaded the bases, before a run-scoring error, an RBI walk and an RBI sacrifice fly catapulted the Travs ahead, 6-5.
LIFT FROM HEALY
Rehabbing Seattle Mariners INF Ryon Healy went 2x4 with an RBI single in the 1st inning and a big three-run shot in the 7th that changed a narrow 7-6 Travs lead to a 10-6 advantage for Arkansas. Healy is rehabbing an ankle injury that has kept him out of the Mariners lineup since April 7.
A NEAR MISS
After Healy's 7th-inning blast made it 10-6, the Cardinals had one last rally attempt in the 8th against RHP Matt Festa. 2B Luke Dykstra was hit by a pitch to open the inning, followed by a LF Thomas Spitz walk and a bunt single from SS Tommy Edman, his third hit of the night. After a strikeout, CF Lane Thomas forced in Dysktra with an RBI walk that brought the Cards within three runs and kept the bases loaded. However, RHP Art Warren (S, 2) took over and retired the next two Cardinals in order before tossing a scoreless ninth, ending the threat and closing the Travs win, 10-7.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
-CF Lane Thomas went 1x3 with an RBI, a run and two walks, extending his league-best 14-game on-base streak to start the season
-RF Victor Roache also extended his 11-game on-base streak with a triple in the second inning
-RHP Estarlin Arias tossed 2.1 scoreless relief innings and has started his Double-A career with 8.0 shutout innings across four outings early this year
-Veteran RHP Andrew Morales joined Springfield from AAA-Memphis and tossed 1.1 innings out of the bullpen tonight. He had gone 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA through four outings with the Redbirds to start the season.
Texas League Stories from April 21, 2018
- Saturday's Travs-Cards Game Postponed - Arkansas Travelers
- Naturals, Drillers Postponed in Tulsa - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Drillers Rained out Saturday Night - Tulsa Drillers
- Travs Grind out 10-7 Win to Even the Series - Springfield Cardinals
- Hooks Wreck Riders - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Wild Friday Game Goes to Travs, 10-7 - Arkansas Travelers
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