Travs Make It Five Straight Tuesday
Published on May 14, 2013 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
North Little Rock, Arkansas - Five pitchers combined on a two-hitter on Tuesday night as the Arkansas Travelers earned their fifth straight win with a 4-1 victory over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals at Dickey-Stephens Park. Ryan Chaffee (1-0) earned the win with two scoreless relief innings while Caleb Graham, Josh Judy and Michael Cisco each dealt one inning. Mike Piazza went four frames allowing one run in a starting role.
Arkansas shortstop Rolando Gomez had a hand in three runs finishing the game 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a run batted in. Three Northwest Arkansas errors factored into three Travs runs while Arkansas fielders were perfect.
The win pushes the Travs to a season-best record of 20-17, remaining half a game behind Springfield for the Texas League North lead. The Travelers have also pulled out wins in four of six games against the Naturals, who fall to a league-worst 13-23.
Early in the game though Piazza struggled with command issuing walks to two of the first three Naturals batters. A two-out single by Manny Pina chased Ray Navarro home from second base for the lead.
Gomez got aboard quickly to start the first inning with a single. After an out, C.J. Cron lined a hard single to center sending Gomez to third base. NW Arkansas shortstop Orlando Calixte received the ball from the outfield and faked a throw to first base as Cron rounded the bag. The ball slipped out of Calixte's hand and rolled into right field allowing Gomez to score. Cron was called out for making contact with his first base coach.
One night after hitting the game winning home run in the ninth inning, Travis Witherspoon scored the winning run in the second inning. He reached with a one-out single and stole second base. Drew Heid and Jett Bandy each walked to load the bases for Gomez, who delivered a sacrifice fly knocking in Witherspoon for a 2-1 Travs lead.
The score remained 2-1 until the eighth inning when Gomez reached with a two-out infield single deep to shortstop. When Kaleb Cowart's blooper fell between Calixste and Alex Llanos in left field, Gomez advanced to third base. As Cowart ran for second base, Llanos threw the ball wildly towards second base for another error that scored Gomez for a 3-1 lead.
Drew Heid increased the lead with an RBI single in the eighth inning for a 4-1 advantage.
Piazza walked four batters in his four innings but surrendered just one base hit while whiffing five batters.
The last Natural to reach base was Navarro, who singled in the fifth inning off Chaffee. He bounced back and struck out Calixste and Navarro was caught stealing second base by Jett Bandy for an inning-ending double play.
The last 13 Naturals batters were retired in order with Cisco earning his first save of the year.
NW Arkansas righty Jason Adam (0-4) suffered a tough-luck loss allowing just two runs on two hits over six innings.
Texas League Stories from May 14, 2013
- Travs Make It Five Straight Tuesday - Arkansas Travelers
- Naturals' Bats Quieted in Loss - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Cardinals Swing Past Drillers, 4-2 - Springfield Cardinals
- Cards Outscore Drillers 4-2 - Tulsa Drillers
- Frisco Unable to Hang on in Late Game Rally - Frisco RoughRiders
- Naturals to Host BeerFest at May 31st Game - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Burgess Bombs Missions - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Tufts Shuts Down Hounds - Midland RockHounds
- Witherspoon Provides Walkoff Homer Monday - Arkansas Travelers
- Cardinals Knock 17 Hits for 10-4 Win in Tulsa - Springfield Cardinals
- Cards Strike Early to Beat Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
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