Travs Knocked out of Contention in 13 Inning Loss
June 16, 2013 - Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
North Little Rock, Arkansas - The Northwest Arkansas Naturals knocked the Arkansas Travelers from pennant contention on Sunday night at Dickey-Stephens Park with a 3-2 victory in 13 innings. Rey Navarro had his first two-homer game of the season hitting solo shots in the fourth and 13th innings. The Naturals used two position players to pitch the last three innings. Mitch Canham (1-0) went two innings for his first career win. Whit Merrifield earned the save in his first professional pitching appearance with a scoreless inning.
The Travs dropped their eighth of 11 games to fall to 33-35 one game behind the Tulsa Drillers and tied with the Springfield Cardinals for second place with one to play. The Drillers and Cardinals play a doubleheader on Monday to make up Sunday's doubleheader making it impossible for the Travs to win the divison.
The Naturals grabbed the lead against Brandon Hynick when Navarro hit his first pitch of the fourth inning for a home run (4) to right field.
Northwest Arkansas's lead increased to 2-0 in the fifth inning when Manny Pina (5) went deep to left field.
Hynick left the game with one out in the sixth inning after giving up singles to Brett Eibner and Brian Fletcher. Elvin Ramirez relieved and quickly induced Yem Prades to third baseman Kaleb Cowart, who started a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Hynick only allowed the two runs on five hits in 5.1 innings adding two strikeouts. Ramirez was perfect over 2.2 innings while Kevin Johnson and Ryan Chaffee tossed two shutout frames each.
The Naturals, who played six games in the previous four days including a Saturday doubleheader against Springfield, pieced the game together using their bullpen. Sam Runion went 3.2 innings allowing three hits and no runs. Left hander Jon Keck replaced Runion in the fourth inning and lasted 2.1 scoreless frames. J.C. Sulburan entered in the seventh inning and found quick trouble with a walk to C.J. Cron followed by a Robbie Widlansky single. A sacrifice bunt by Travis Witherspoon set up Drew Heid for an RBI single scoring Cron. Jett Bandy brought Widlansky in from third base with a line drive sacrifice fly to tie the game, at 2-2.
Sulburan then fired outs against 11 of 12 batters over a four-inning stint before giving the ball to Canham in the 11th inning. He allowed just a double by Cron in the 11th inning then got Widlansky to pop up for the third out.
Canham walked Witherspoon to start the 12th inning on four pitches and Heid sacrificed him to second base. Jett Bandy walked putting two men on base for Rolando Gomez, who lined softly to first baseman Matt Fields. Fields then beat Bandy to first base resulting in an inning-ending double play.
Josh Judy (L, 1-1) came out for the 13th inning and retired Fields on a high drive to center. Then Judy got ahead of Navarro 0-2 before allowing the go-ahead home run to right field, his fourth against the Travs this season.
Merrifield allowed just one runner in his inning when Randal Grichuk's grounder went through third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert for an error. Taylor Lindsey popped out and Cron grounded to shortstop to end the game.
The Travs and Naturals are set to close the first half of the season on Monday night. Michael Roth (1-1, 3.38) pitches for the Travelers against NW Arkansas's Jason Adam (1-8).
Texas League Stories from June 16, 2013
- Travs Knocked out of Contention in 13 Inning Loss - Arkansas Travelers
- Navarro's Home Run Gives Naturals Extra-Inning Victory - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Drillers Rained Out, Need 1 Win Monday for Title - Tulsa Drillers
- Sunday's Game Postponed; Doubleheader on Monday - Springfield Cardinals
- RockHounds Romp on Father's Day - Frisco RoughRiders
- Kevin Fowler to Headline Ziegfest - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Riders Avoid Sweep with Shutout - Corpus Christi Hooks
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
