Wood Shines As Travs Win Opener 5-4
April 6, 2006 - Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
Hammons Field, Springfield, MO - SS Brandon Wood knocked in three runs with a home run (1) and a double to help the Arkansas Travelers (1-0) to a 5-4 victory over the Springfield Cardinals (0-1) on opening day. Wood knocked a two-run homer in the third inning to break a tie game and then delivered the game-winning hit with an RBI double in the seventh inning. Travs CF Dwaine Bacon chipped in with three hits, including a triple and two runs scored. The Travs' bullpen fought through the last four innings with RHP Bill Edwards (1-0) going 1.2 innings for the win and RHP Rich Thompson earning the save with two innings of shutout work. Springfield RHP Chris Russ (0-1) allowed two runs in 0.2 innings of work to absorb the loss. The Travelers turned four double plays in the win.
The Cards jumped ahead of Travs LHP Daniel Davidson in the second inning as Bryan Martin was hit by a pitch and took third base on a double by Cody Haerther. Jarrett Hoffpauir's sacrifice fly brought Martin home and Davidson walked two more batters to load the bases with two outs. However, Davidson got Reid Gorecki to pop-up to end the threat.
The Travs answered right back against RHP Jordan Pals with one out in the third inning. Bacon singled to center field followed by a line drive base hit to right-center by Aaron Peel. Gorecki bobbled the ball in the gap allowing Bacon to score the tying run, while Peel advanced to second base. Wood then crushed the next pitch over the centerfield fence to give the Travs a 3-1 lead.
Springfield would get within a run in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by Nick Stavinoha. Davidson left the game after walking back-to-back hitters in the sixth and Edwards replaced him. Springfield C Iker Franco then hit a hard chopper off 3B Matt Brown's glove to bring in the tying run. Edwards then got Mike McCoy to bounced into an inning-ending double play.
Bacon started the Travs' seventh inning rally with a triple to right-center field. Russ then hit Peel with a pitch before Wood laced the go-ahead double inside third base. Peel would score from third base when McCoy bobbled a groundball to shortstop off Brown's bat.
Brown made his presence felt in the field in the bottom of the eighth inning as Springfield tried to rally back. With two runners on base and two outs, Brown dove to stop a hard ground ball and then dove into third base for the final force out.
Thompson would allow a run in the ninth inning, but also induced a double and stranded the tying run at first.
Time of game was 2:49 and the paid attendance was 6,792
The second game of the season will be played Friday night at Hammons Field. The Travelers will send RHP Steven Shell (10-8, 4.57 ERA w/ Arkansas last year) while RHP Chris Lambert (3-8, 6.35 ERA w/Springfield last year) will pitch for the S-Cards. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m.
Please call (501) 664-1555 or visit www.travs.com for game information.
Texas League Stories from April 6, 2006
- Wood Shines As Travs Win Opener 5-4 - Arkansas Travelers
- Missions prevail 4-3 on opening day - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Opening Night Tonight at Hammons - Springfield Cardinals
- Mark Redman to Start Season Opener - Wichita Wranglers
- Drillers open season tonight - Tulsa Drillers
- Game on - Corpus Christi Hooks
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