Two Run Ninth Completes 7-6 Comeback Win
June 9, 2005 - Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
Ray Winder Field, Little Rock, AR â Trailing by a run in the ninth inning the Arkansas Travelers (30-29) rallied for two runs completing a 7-6 victory over the Tulsa Drillers (36-23). With the Drillers leading 6-5 after scoring a run in the top of the ninth inning the Travelers got back-to-back doubles from 3B Greg Porter and LF David Gates to tie the game. 1B Mike Eylward came through with the game winning single to break a five-game losing streak against Tulsa. The victory brings the Travs within six games of Tulsa with 11 games left in the first half. The Drillers magic number to clinch the division remains at six. Gates finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored. Travs C Mike Napoli knocked in two runs with a single and double. RHP Von Stertzbach (2-3) earned the win with 0.2 innings pitched, while Tulsa RHP P.J. Bevis (0-3) blew his second straight save to suffer the loss.
For the third consecutive time the Travs came from behind when trailing in the ninth inning. Porter sliced a one-out double to left-center field and then advanced to third base on a balk. Gates hammered his double to left-center to bring Porter home and then went to third on a wild pitch. Eylward's game winning hit went over the mound and past a drawn-up infield.
It seemed the Travs would go into the bottom of the ninth inning tied at 6-6, but the Drillers tallied an unearned run in the top half of the inning. Tony Miller walked and went to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Stertzbach relieved RHP Matt Wilhite and induced a groundout that sent Miller to third base. Tulsa RF Sean Barker then hit a ball that hugged the third base line and bounced off Porter for a run-scoring error.
Arkansas struck first off Tulsa RHP Sandy Nin in the opening frame. SS Erick Aybar tripled with two outs and scored when Napoli pulled a double to left field.
Travs starting pitcher LHP Tim Bittner walked the bases loaded in the third inning and gave up the lead on a two-run single to Barker.
Arkansas rebounded immediately in the bottom of the third inning when Alberto Callaspo led off with a single and went to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Nin balked Callaspo to third base and then Napoli tied the game with a line drive single to right field.
Gates doubled to left off the fourth inning and went to third on Eylward's groundout. Then Reggie Willits hit an apparent double-play grounder that bounced off SS Doug Bernier for a run-scoring error and a 3-2 Travs lead.
Miller, who finished the game 2-for-3 with two walks, homered (9) to right field off Bittner in the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3. Bittner left the game after the fifth inning with a no-decision and a line of five hits, three runs (all earned), five walks and three strikeouts.
The Drillers broke the tie in the sixth inning off LHP Willie Collazo. 1B Corey Slavik drew a leadoff walk followed by a single from DH Dan Conway. On Gustavo Escobar's attempted sacrifice bunt, Porter handled the ball and forced out Slavik at third base. However Miller came through again with a two-out triple to the right field fence for a 5-3 Tulsa lead.
The Travs answered with a run off RHP Gerrit Simpson in the sixth inning. Eylward led off with a double then a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Leahy moved him up. Willits flied out to center field to bring Eylward home.
Napoli reached first base to start the seventh inning when Escobar threw wild to first base for an error. Then Tommy Murphy lined a single to left-center with Napoli running on the pitch for third base. Porter bounced to second base and beat a relay throw to bring home Napoli with the tying run.
Game time was 3:10 and the paid attendance was 2,493.
The third game of the series is set for Thursday night. The Travelers have LHP Clayton Andrews (0-0, 0.00 ERA) making his first start with the ballclub against Tulsa RHP Jon Asahina (7-2, 2.59 ERA). First pitch will be thrown at 7:10 p.m. and the gates open at 6:10 p.m.
Please call (501) 664-1555 or visit www.travs.com for game information.
Texas League Stories from June 9, 2005
- McClaskey, Rodriguez carry Hooks - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Wranglers Contain Cards - Springfield Cardinals
- Travs blank Tulsa - Tulsa Drillers
- Andrews and Pullin Combine On Two Hitter - Arkansas Travelers
- Two Run Ninth Completes 7-6 Comeback Win - Arkansas Travelers
- Crazy Night Results in Cards Win - Springfield Cardinals
- Nine Fun-Filled Games to Finish the First Half - Wichita Wranglers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
