Travs weekly report
Published on July 2, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
The Arkansas Travelers (4-8, 40-42) have still yet to win a series in the second half, losing the last two against the South Division and splitting the four-game series with the NW Arkansas Naturals. The Travs also lost the first two games of the half to the Springfield Cardinals. The Travelers lost four out of the six games in the home stand in the interdivision games against the Midland RockHounds and the Frisco RoughRiders. Arkansas batted just .214 in the two series. The Travs started the first half of the season playing the same two teams at home and went 0-5 so there is some room for optimism.
Midland Series: The Midland RockHounds again puzzled the Travelers in the three game series, beating the Travs in two out of the three games. Arkansas is now just 2-7 against Midland on the season. The Travs couldn't seem to get much offense going, batting .222 in the three games. The Travelers were able to win game three to avoid the sweep. The Travs were also affected by a number of roster moves by the Angels before game one of the series. The Travs lost 1B Mike Collins and LHP Doug Brandt to injury while Jordan Czarniecki was sent to Salt Lake City. Arkansas got back OF Chris Pettit after he missed the first half of the season with a broken foot. Two relievers came to the Arkansas bullpen from Rancho Cucamonga; right-hander Aaron Cook and lefty Barret Browning. C Tim Duff and IF Adam Morrissey rejoined the Travs from Salt Lake and outfielder Drew Toussaint was sent back to Rancho Cucamonga.
The Travelers had a tough time solving Midland lefty Brett Anderson who was making his Double-A debut. Anderson struck out 12 batters in his six innings. After Midland scored two runs in the fourth inning, the Travs answered with a solo home run by Brian Stavisky in the bottom of the inning and another solo shot by Corey Smith in the fifth to tie the game, 2-2. Starter Bobby Mosebach ran into trouble in the fifth inning and allowed three runs to score for a 5-2 Midland lead. The Travs tried to come back in the ninth, scoring a run on an RBI single by Ben Johnson but the rally fell short and they lost 5-3.
The Travs fell 7-3 to the RockHounds for their fourth consecutive loss in game two of the series. Starter Dan Denham was ineffective and lasted just four innings while surrendering five earned runs, throwing 93 pitches. Arkansas made the game close in the fourth inning, scoring three runs, two on a home run from Ben Johnson. Midland scored two more runs in the seventh inning against reliever Daniel Davidson to cap the scoring and the Travs were unable to answer back.
After a rain delay of over an hour before the game, the Travelers were able to beat the RockHounds 4-3 to avoid being swept. In his second game back with the team, Adam Morrissey collected two RBI and finished 2-for-4. His RBI single in the bottom of the eighth put the Travs on top 4-3. Arkansas battled back from a 3-1 deficit to win the game and snap a four-game losing streak. Rafael Rodriguez pitched the eighth inning and picked up his first win of the year. Ryan Aldridge earned his first Double-A save of the season.
Frisco Series: Not much went well for the Travs in the series with the RoughRiders. The pitchers allowed 28 runs in three games and the offense hit just .206 against the RoughRiders' pitching staff. The Travelers were able to win game two of the series, a slugfest, to avoid being swept. The only starting pitcher to pitch more innings than earned runs he allowed was Brok Butcher in game two. He allowed five runs in six innings. Fernando Rodriguez allowed seven runs in three innings in game one and Bobby Mosebach allowed eight runs in seven innings in game two. SS Hainley Statia was activated from the disabled list and Wil Ortiz was sent back down to Rancho Cucamonga.
The Travs jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning but things quickly went downhill from there in game one. After retiring the entire Frisco lineup in order in the first three innings, starter Fernando Rodriguez ran into big trouble in the fourth. Frisco sent 13 batters to the plate, one more than the first, second, third and fifth innings combined. The RoughRiders scored seven runs in the inning and went through the entire lineup once before hitting into an out. The Travs tried to battle back, scoring two runs in the fifth and one in the eighth but three Frisco runs in the ninth sealed the win for the RoughRiders 10-4.
Game two was a slugfest between the Travs and âRiders with the final score 9-8. Starter Brok Butcher was touched for four runs in the second inning after the Travs had handed him a 1-0 lead after one inning. Arkansas responded well, scoring five runs to retake the lead. Three of the runs came on Adam Morrissey's three-run double. After the RoughRiders scored a run against Butcher in the third, Adam Greenberg hit his first home run of the year to get the lead back to two runs, 7-5. The âRiders closed the gap on the Travs again, scoring a run in the top of the fifth only to watch the Travs score two in the bottom of the inning to make the score 9-6. Ryan Aldridge pitched the ninth and allowed two runs on a two-run home run by Jose Vallejo to cut the lead to one run with the score 9-8. Aldridge retired the next two batters to earn his second save of the year.
Frisco starter Michael Schlact and the RoughRiders' offense dominated the Travs in game three. Schlact took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning until Adam Morrissey got a two-out base hit. Starter Bobby Mosebach was lit up by the âRiders, allowing eight runs in seven innings. The bullpen also was touched for two runs and the RoughRiders went on to win 10-1. The Travs lone run came on a solo home run by Ben Johnson. Johnson's 19th homer gave him the lead in the Texas League.
Texas League Stories from July 2, 2008
- Travs weekly report - Arkansas Travelers
- Drillers To Aid Flood Victims - Tulsa Drillers
- World War II Veteran to Throw First Pitch Thursday - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Naturals Back Home, Ready for "Big Top" Weekend - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
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