North Little Rock -- Springfield's five-run seventh inning was too much to overcome for the Arkansas Travelers Thursday night as their ninth-inning rally fell short in a 6-4 loss.
The Cardinals (7-6) busted a 1-1 tie scoring five times in the seventh on a bases loaded walk from Andrew Knizner and a grand slam by John Nogowski. Arkansas (6-7) rallied in the ninth with five straight batters reaching reaching base with one out to put three runs on the board and bring the winning run to the plate.
Jacob Evans came out of the Cardinal bullpen to squash the threat and record the final two outs. Both starting pitchers, Conner Greene of Springfield and Johendi Jiminian for Arkansas, worked six innings and allowed just one run.
Arkansas tied the score in the 5th inning when Seth Mejias-Brean and catcher Joseph Odom singled preceding a sacrifice fly from second baseman Adam Law.
Reliever Stephen Perakslis was on the verge of getting out of the seventh unscathed, but back-to-back walks forced in a run to break the deadlock and set up Nogowski's homer.
Odom hit an RBI double and Law drove in two on a double to close the gap in the ninth. Evans got a fly out from Andrew Aplin and a strikeout of left fielder Chuck Taylor to end the game.
Odam was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Law was hit by a pitch and batted 1-for-2 for three RBIs. Jiminian allowed six hits, struck out six batters and issued two walks.
Right-hander Nathan Bannister (1-0, 6.52) was scheduled for the start Friday at Dickey-Stephens Park against Springfield right-hander Sam Tewes (0-2, 7.56). The teams are scheduled for another game tonight at 6:10 p.m. before they close the series on Sunday at 2:10 p.m.
The loss came after the Travelers salvaged a 6-3 win in the final game of a three-game series Tuesday at Corpus Christi (7-6).
Chase De Jong pitched shutout ball for the first six innings, matching zeros with Corpus Christi starter Josh James. De Jong allowed three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
Arkansas' offense awoke in the sixth facing reliever Framber Valdez and scored two runs in each of three consecutive innings to take control of the game.
Reliever Art Warren worked out of trouble in the seventh, preserving the lead, before working a scoreless eighth. Matt Festa finished the game off with a perfect ninth.
Every Arkansas batter had at least one hit with shortstop Chris Mariscal, Taylor, Odom and Adam Law all putting up multi-hit games.
Center fielder Beau Amaral, Taylor and first baseman Joey Curletta greeted Hooks' reliever Framber Valdez with three singles within the lefty's first four pitches to break the ice on the scoring. Braden Bishop roped a double into the right field corner to score a pair in the seventh.
With the tying run at third base and go-ahead run at second, Art Warren struck out the final two Hooks hitters in the seventh inning to preserve the lead.
Mariscal lined a triple just over the glove of the center fielder in the eighth inning and drive in an insurance run. Mariscal then scored on a groundout by Mejias-Brean. He finished 3-for-4.
Taylor hit 2-for-5, Odom was 2-for-4 and Law was 2-for-4, each scoring one run. Warren struck out four batters and walked two in two innings pitched.
Three Corpus Christi pitchers combined on a shutout while the Hooks' offense broke out early in a 9-0 win over Arkansas on Monday. The Travelers were held to just five hits in being shutout for the first time this season.
Nick Tanielu hit a two-run home run in the first for the Hooks, who later added five runs in the third inning. Arkansas had early chances, but failed to get a key hit and left six runners on base over the opening three innings.
After missing two-out opportunities in the first two innings, Amaral hit a leadoff double in the third inning and moved to third base on a wild pitch with one out, but the Travs were again kept off the board.
Corpus Christi answered in the bottom of the third by having their first six hitters reach on four hits, a walk and an error. Five eventually scored as the Hooks took control of the game.
Amaral finished 1-for-4. Taylor was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles.
Arkansas squandered a come-from-behind performance on Sunday to lose in the bottom of the 11th inning to open the series in Corpus Christi. Yordan Alvarez hit a 3-run walk-off home run to give the Hooks the 10-7 win.
The Travelers rallied from a four-run deficit to tie the game in the eighth inning. Both teams tallied once in the 10th before Arkansas retook the lead in the top of the 11th before Corpus Christi put together the winning rally in the bottom half of the frame.
Neither team's starter was able to go five innings with Andrew Moore for the Travelers lasting 4 2/3 innings, while striking out nine.
Arkansas had opportunities to add extra runs throughout the game, but hit just 9-for-24 with runners in scoring position and stranded 14 men on base. The Travelers left the bases loaded three times.
Dario Pizzano's RBI double and Joseph Odom's RBI single tied the game at five in the eighth inning. Pizzano lined out to end the top of the ninth with the bases loaded.
After scoring in the 10th on an RBI hit from Odom, the Travelers again left the bases loaded.
Mariscal knocked home another go-ahead run in the 11th, but a double play ball ended the threat for more.
In the bottom of the 11th, Corpus Christi was left with a runner at first base and two outs when back-to-back singles got the runner around to tie the score. They were the first hits for the Hooks since the fifth inning and allowed Alvarez to hit the game-winner.
Curletta, Mariscal, Law, Odom and shortstop Yonathan Mendoza were all 2-for-4 at the plate. Curletta had two walks, two doubles and scored a run. Mariscal was also walked twice and had two RBIs. Odom drove in two runs and scored another, while Mendoza had on run scored and one RBI.
Sports on 04/21/2018