TL1 Arkansas Travelers

Travs Throttle Cards 12-3 With Three Homers

August 6, 2009 - Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release


SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI - The Arkansas Travelers won for the fifth time in six games on their current road trip bashing three home runs in a 12-3 victory over the Springfield Cardinals on Wednesday night at Hammons Field. Peter Bourjos began the game with a long ball (5), then Jay Caligiuri (2) and Mark Trumbo (12) added the other bombs. Trumbo, making his first career start in the outfield, also singled and finished with four RBI. Tim Kiely (W, 4-1) held the Cardinals to four base hits over seven innings to win for the second time on the current trip.

Coby Smith led the Travs 11-hit attack with a 3-for-5 night while scoring twice and knocking one run home. Second baseman Nate Sutton added two doubles and two RBI and is batting .486 during a nine game hitting streak.

The Travs scored in five of the first six innings including all of the first four frames against Ryan Kulik (L, 4-8). Bourjos began the game with a shot over the left-field bullpen for a 1-0 lead.

Caligiuri reached second base to leadoff the second inning on a throwing error by third baseman Colt Sedbrook. He moved to third base on a groundout by Chris Gutierrez and scored when Wil Ortiz lined a single to center for a 2-0 lead.

Springfield first baseman Andrew Brown misplayed Sutton's groundball to begin the third inning allowing him to reach base. After two outs, Flint Wipke worked a walk from Kulik and Caliguiri followed with a long ball to left field for a three-run homer giving the Travs a 5-0 lead.

Arkansas increased the lead to six runs in the fourth inning after Kulik got two outs. Smith lined a single to center and Sutton whacked the next pitch past first base for a run-scoring double and a 6-0 lead.

Kiely retired all of two of the Cardinals first 14 hitters. He came out a little rusty in the fifth inning walking the first two batters, then a throwing error on Wil Ortiz as he slipped before throwing for a force play at second base allowing Springfield to load the bases with no outs. Kiely kept the damage to a minimum allowing just two runs on a pair of fielder's choices. Hank Conge caught Jim Rapoport stealing second base for the third out.

The Travs also got a bases-loaded chance with no outs the next inning against Cards reliever Marco Gonzalez on a single by Gutierrez, a hit batter and a walk. Smith lined an RBI single to center to score Gutierrez and Sutton drove in Ortiz with a sacrifice fly. With runners at second and third base the Cards played the infield up, and Trumbo took advantage by chopping a single over the head of the shortstop to score two runs for a 10-2 lead.

Trumbo followed a double by Sutton in the ninth with a long home run to center field to cap the Travs scoring with a 12-2 lead.

Aaron Luna homered off David Herndon in the bottom of the ninth for the game's final run.

Time of game was 2:47 and the paid attendance was 5,077.

The Travs try for the three-game sweep on Thursday night sending Marco Albano (2-5, 3.54) to the hill against Springfield's right hander Scott Gorgen (2-3 4.56). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m.

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