Travs Snap Two-Game Skid
Published on July 5, 2011 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
Frisco, Texas - The Travelers snapped a two-game losing streak, defeating the Frisco Roughriders 8-3 on Tuesday, July 5, in front of an announced crowd of 3,687 at Dr Pepper Ballpark. The Travs went up two games on the Tulsa Drillers for first place in the Texas League North.
Frisco got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when left fielder Michael Bianucci hit his 18th homerun of the year, a two-run shot to left-centerfield with two outs to give the Roughriders a 2-0 lead.
The Travs (8-4) tied it 2-2 in the top of the third inning when designated hitter Mike Trout reached on a one-out, infield single. After Darwin Perez flew out to right field for the second out, third baseman Luis Jimenez took the Texas League RBI lead with No.s 64 and 65 with his 12th homerun of the year to left field.
With one out in the top of the fourth inning, centerfielder Clay Fuller homered to left field off of Frisco starter Ben Snyder to give the Travs a 3-2 lead. Catcher Orlando Mercado singled the next at bat and later scored on Perez' sacrifice fly to centerfield, giving Arkansas a two-run lead.
Snyder (6-2, 4.08) took the loss giving up six runs on nine hits in four and two-third innings. He struck out five and walked two.
The Travs scored in their third consecutive inning when Mercado doubled in two runs in the top of the fifth to make it a 6-2 Travs' advantage. First baseman Gabe Jacobo reached on a one-out walk and right fielder Angel Castillo's single to left field put runners at first and second before both runs scored on Mercado's double.
The Roughriders (6-6) picked up an unearned run off of Travs' starter Trevor Reckling in the bottom of the fifth on an error by Jimenez, his 10th of the year, but Jimenez got the run back in the top of the sixth.
Trout tripled on Frisco reliever Richard Bleier's second pitch of the sixth inning and scored when Jimenez singled to center with one out for his third RBI of the game and 66th of the year.
The lefty Reckling came out after the fifth inning with cramps in both legs. Throwing 76 pitches, Reckling (4-6, 3.65) got the win and gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits in five innings, striking out three without a walk.
Jimenez picked up his first four-hit game of his minor-league career and picked up his fourth RBI of the game in the top of the eighth inning. Perez hit a two-out triple to right field and scored on Jimenez' RBI single to centerfield to give the Travs an 8-3 lead.
Righty Christian Scholl relieved for Reckling in the sixth and struck out six in three scoreless innings, surrendering two hits. Righty David Carpenter pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Travs giving up a single while striking out two.
Jimenez led the way with a 4 for 5 night with four RBIs in the Travs' 15-hit attack. Trout and Perez each went 2 for 4 with Trout adding two runs and Perez scoring a run with and RBI. Mercado contributed two RBIs and a run while batting 2 for 5 and Castillo also contributed a 2 for 5 night.
For the Roughriders, second baseman Renny Osuna and right fielder Jonathan Greene each went 2 for 4 to top Frisco's eight-hit output.
The Travs are off on Wednesday before welcoming the Midland Rockhounds to Dickey-Stephens Park on Thursday, July 7. Lefty Andrew Taylor (2-4, 4.81) will start for the Travs and righty A.J. Griffin (1-0, 4.76) will start for the Rockhounds. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 and gates open at 6:10.
Texas League Stories from July 5, 2011
- Perez' Walkoff Hit Clinches Series - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- San Antonio Powers Its Way Over Tulsa - Tulsa Drillers
- Travs Snap Two-Game Skid - Arkansas Travelers
- Travelers Avoid Sweep with 8-3 Win - Frisco RoughRiders
- Cardinals Beat Midland 5-3 - Springfield Cardinals
- Game Notes, July 5 - Corpus Christi at NW Arkansas - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Quick Six Thursday-Tuesday - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Record Crowd Sees Missions Rally Past Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
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