TL1 Arkansas Travelers

Travs Ride Richards & Four Dingers To Victory

Published on July 25, 2011 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release


Tulsa, Oklahoma - The Arkansas Travelers belted four home runs to earn their second win in a row with a 5-2 victory over the Tulsa Drillers on Monday night at ONEOK Field. Garrett Richards (11-1) took over the Texas League and Double-A lead in victories throwing his second career nine-inning complete game allowing two runs on six base hits. Roberto Lopez totaled ten bases with two home runs (5) and a double, while Matt Cusick added three base hits including a solo home run (4).

With a 15-15 second half record (51-46 overall) the Travs tie the Drillers in the second half standings. Depending on the outcome of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and Springfield Cardinals series finale, the Travs will be either tied for first with Tulsa and NWA or one game out on Tuesday.

Richards didn't go to three balls on a batter until there were two outs in the ninth inning. He tossed his third complete game of the season on 100 pitches and retired 12 of the last 14 Tulsa batters. He fell behind in the third inning when Drillers centerfielder Tim Wheeler hit his league-leading 29th home run over the right field fence.

Lopez got the Travs even though when he led off the fifth inning with a high drive over the left field wall off Cory Riordan.

Hector Gomez led off Tulsa's fifth inning with a line drive to the top of the left-field wall that originally was ruled a home run. The umpires investigated further and then ruled the ball was lodged in the fence awarding Gomez a book-rule double. He scored when Brian Rike lifted a bloop single to left field for a 2-1 Drillers lead.

Riordan had left runners at second and third base in the fifth inning, then retired the first two men of the sixth. Then Chris Pettit hit a hard ground ball single to left field, and Lopez lined his second dinger of the night over the left field fence for a 3-2 Travs lead. Riordan (1-10) took the loss allowing three runs on nine base hits in six innings pitched.

The Drillers threatened Richards in the sixth with a leadoff double by Wheeler, but Richards induced a routine groundout from Tommy Field, a pop up from Ben Paulsen then struck out Wilin Rosario to get out of the inning.

The last two runs of the game were scored on leadoff home runs from Darwin Perez (2) in the eighth and Cusick (4) in the ninth.

Time of game was 2:30 and the paid attendance was 4,119.

The Travs look for their third straight win on Tuesday night at Hammons Field when they open a three-game series with the Springfield Cardinals. Orangel Arenas (8-5, 3.98) will take the ball for the Travs while Joe Kelly (1-1, 6.50) pitches for the Cards. First pitch is set for 7:07 p.m.

Check out the Arkansas Travelers Statistics

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Texas League Stories from July 25, 2011


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