Sports stats



TL1 Arkansas Travelers

Travs Open Series With 6-5 Win Over NWA

September 1, 2009 - Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release


NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS - The Arkansas Travelers carried a five-run lead into the ninth inning then withstood a rally to earn a 6-5 victory over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Tuesday night. Right hander Marco Albano (W, 5-6) finished seven innings and gave up just one run on four base hits to win his third consecutive start. Mark Trumbo led with three base hits including a double and a run batted in, while Hainley Statia contributed two RBI.

The Travs' fifth win in seven games moves them within four games of first place with six left in the regular season. With Tulsa defeating Springfield on Tuesday 10-2, the Naturals fall back into a tie for first place with the Drillers.

Albano began the game with a shaky first inning giving up a run on two extra base hits and a walk. Jarrod Dyson tripled to begin the game and scored when Jeff Bianchi doubled to left field. Albano then walked Lucas before David Lough came to the plate. With Lough batting, Bianchi was caught stealing third base by Hank Conger. Then Lucas broke too early for second base and Albano ran him down for the third out.

Naturals starter Matt Kniginyzky (L, 5-10) issued a walk to Peter Bourjos starting the bottom of the first inning. Coby Smith singled to move Bourjos to second base and he advanced to third when Conger bounced into a double play. Trumbo's first base hit, a line drive double to right-center, knocked Bourjos in with the tying run.

Leading off the top of the second for the Naturals, David Lough doubled to center field and took third base on a ground out by Corey Smith. Lough attempted to score on Vance Wilson's grounder to third base, but Wil Ortiz threw to Conger for the tag out of Lough. Smith's groundout was the first of 15 consecutive batters retired by Albano. He also set down 18 of the last 19 Naturals batters he faced.

With the score tied 1-1 in the fourth inning, Ryan Mount rapped a base hit to right-center and beat the throw to second base for a double extending his hitting streak to 12 games. Branden Florence, activated from the disabled list this afternoon, lined a hard single to right field to knock home Mount. Florence advanced to second base on the throw home and scored when Ortiz grounded an RBI single to center giving Arkansas a 3-1 lead.

The Travs loaded the bases in the sixth inning on singles by Trumbo and Mount plus a one-out walk to Ortiz. Statia drove in two runs with a single punched through the right side for a 5-1 lead.

Kniginyzky gave way to Blake Wood for the seventh inning, and Bourjos greeted him with a bunt single and a steal of second base. Smith singled to center and Bourjos scored for a 6-1 lead.

Right hander Bobby Cassevah pitched a perfect eighth inning against the Naturals and came back for the ninth. Dyson drew a leadoff walk, then Duarte hit a routine grounder that Mount mishandled at second base for an error. Jeff Bianchi grounded to shortstop for a fielder's choice that forced Duarte at second base. The Naturals then got a pair of run-scoring singles from Lucas and Lough to cut the deficit to 6-3.

Fernando Rodriguez (Sv, 4) replaced Cassevah but allowed a two-run double to Corey Smith which brought the Naturals within a 6-5 score and placed the tying run at second base. Rodriguez buckled down and struck out Wilson on three pitchers before saving the game when Jeff Howell popped out.

Time of game was 2:28 and the paid attendance was 3,799.

The Travs and Naturals come back to Dickey-Stephens Park on Wednesday night for a 7:10 p.m. tile. Right hander Amalio Diaz (3-6, 3.81) is set to pitch for the Travs while Northwest Arkansas plans on throwing right hander Anthony Lerew (0-6, 4.19).

Check out the Arkansas Travelers Statistics



Texas League Stories from September 1, 2009


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.

Other Recent Arkansas Travelers Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central