TL1 Arkansas Travelers

Travs Stage Comeback But Lose 5-4

Published on April 21, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release


Drillers Stadium, Tulsa, OK - The Travs didn't go quietly, but in the end their five-game winning streak came to a close with a 5-4 loss to the Tulsa Drillers. With Tulsa leading 4-2, the Travs staged a two-run comeback in the ninth inning and had the bases loaded, but couldn't get the go-ahead run home. Tulsa 3B Corey Wimberly, whose fielding error allowed the Travs to score the tying run, scored the winning run when LHP Doug Brandt (0-1) walked Jeff Kindel with the bases loaded. Tulsa broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning with a three-run rally against RHP Fernando Rodriguez. Jeff Dragicevich led off with a first-pitch double to left then Wimberly laid down a sacrifice bunt to third base. Travs 3B Corey Smith made a wild throw allowing Wimberly to reach base. C Neil Wilson put Tulsa up with an RBI double to left-center scoring Dragicevich, and Eric Young, Jr. whacked a single to center bringing Wimberly to the plate. Rodriguez induced Dexter Fowler to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play and Wilson scored from third for a 3-0 Tulsa lead.

The Travs managed only one hit against Tulsa starter RHP Brandon Hynick over five innings, but CF Cody Fuller led off the sixth with a single then was bunted to second by Coby Smith. Mike Collins drove in the Travs' first run with a double to right-center getting within a 3-1 score. Tulsa stuck the Travs in a 4-1 hole after Daniel Carte slugged a leadoff homer (5) in the sixth inning against Rodriguez. Rodriguez finished six innings and allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits and only one walk with four strikeouts.

Hynick recorded two quick outs in the seventh inning, but Adam Morrissey singled and scored when Jordan Czarniecki hit a double to left field bringing the Travs within a 4-2 score.

Arkansas reliever RHP David Austen kept Tulsa at bay over two scoreless innings, while Tulsa used RHP Ryan Mattheus for a shutout eighth inning although not without a controversial play. Coby Smith led off the eighth inning with a drive to the left-center wall. Fowler and LF Matt Miller converged to the gap as the ball came toward the fence. Fowler lunged for the ball and appeared to play it off a white billboard. Third base umpire Jason Kaminsky ruled that Fowler caught the ball and upheld the ruling after conferring with the rest of his crew.

The Drillers turned to RHP Casey Weathers, Colorado's first-round pick in the 2007 draft, for the ninth inning. Travs C Ben Johnson started the rally with a double to the left-field corner. Then DH Nate Sutton singled him to third base, and Morrissey drove him in with a single to right to cut the deficit to one run. Czarniecki followed with a double play chopper to Wimberly, who bobbled the ball and didn't get an out anywhere. Sutton scored from third base to tie the game, at 4-4. Weathers issued a two-out walk to Coby Smith to load the bases, and the Drillers changed pitchers bringing RHP Eduardo Valdez (1-0) from the pen. He went 3-1 on Hainley Statia before getting a borderline call on the outside corner to run a full count. Statia then bounced to the mound to end the inning.

Wimberly whacked Brandt's second pitch of the ninth for a double to right field. A sacrifice bunt by Wilson moved the winning run to third base. Brandt then intentionally walked Young and Fowler to load the bases and set up a lefty vs. lefty spot for the Travs' only southpaw reliever. Brandt missed badly with all four pitches to walked in the winning run.

Time of game was 2:28 and the paid attendance was 2,112.

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Texas League Stories from April 21, 2008


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