Welz Earns #1 on SC Top 10 in Travs Win

August 25, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release

Tulsa, OK - The Arkansas Travelers utilized early runs to beat the Tulsa Drillers 8-4 on Wednesday night at ONEOK Field.

Facing Texas League wins and ERA leader RHP Chase De Jong (L, 13-5), the Travs scored three runs in both the first and second innings to jump out to a 6-0 lead.

Travs 2B Sean Coyle led off the game with a home run, his third of the season and second time beginning a game with a longball.

De Jong was pulled after 1.2 innings, tying the shortest start of his career. The 22-year-old allowed the six runs on eight hits with no walks and one strikeout.

Arkansas 1B Alex Yarbrough and LF Anthony Phillips both finished with three hits.

Yarbrough went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored, and Phillips finished 3-for-4 with an RBI.

LHP Chris O'Grady (W, 6-1) pitched five innings in the start for the Travs and allowed the four runs on seven hits with no walks and one strikeout. The southpaw is 6-0 over his last seven appearances.

RHP DJ Johnson and LHP Kevin Grendell both threw two innings of relief after O'Grady and did not allow a run.

Every Travs starter reached base at least once in the victory, and eight of the nine produced at least one hit.

With the score 8-4 and runner on first with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Arkansas RF Zach Welz made a spectacular, home run-saving catch that earned the #1 spot on ESPN's Sportscenter Top Plays.

With the win and a Northwest Arkansas victory, the Travs remain 1.5 games behind the Naturals for first place in the Texas League North division second half standings.

The Travs and Drillers are scheduled to play game three of the four-game series on Thursday night at ONEOK Field. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

Texas League Stories from August 25, 2016

• San Antonio Rallies from Early Hole and Walks Off - San Antonio Missions
• Adams and Travs Beat Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
• Staton Slays Naturals in Extras, 4-3 Loss at Springfield - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
• Midland Outlasts Corpus Christi - Corpus Christi Hooks
• Adams Just Misses Cycle, Travs Win Again - Arkansas Travelers
• Riders Game Notes - 7:05 p.m. at San Antonio - August 25, 2016 - Frisco RoughRiders
• Grant Hufford Named TL Top Athletic Trainer of 2016 - Corpus Christi Hooks
• Gold-Medal Gymnast Madison Kocian to Visit Dr Pepper Ballpark Sunday, September 4 - Frisco RoughRiders
• Welz Earns #1 on SC Top 10 in Travs Win - Arkansas Travelers
• Cy Sneed Young - Midland RockHounds

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