FRISCO, Texas -- The Arkansas Travelers wrapped up their third sweep of the season -- and first on the road -- Thursday night, 7-5, against the Frisco RoughRiders.
Down two runs early, the Travelers (63-59) battled back to tie the game in the sixth inning before taking the lead and control of the game in the eighth. Frisco (52-71) scored three times in the bottom of the ninth and got the winning run to the plate with two outs.
Left fielder Dario Pizzano tied the game in the sixth inning with a two-out infield single to score third baseman Chuck Taylor, who doubled earlier in the frame. Pizzano scored a run and had an RBI on 3-for-4 hitting to improve his batting average to .296 this season. First baseman Joey Curletta leads the team with a .298 average, along with Texas League-leading 23 home runs and 88 RBIs.
Center fielder Kyle Lewis hit a bases-clearing double into right-center field in the eighth inning to give Arkansas its first lead of the game. Catcher Ryan Scott added a two-run double later in the inning.
Matt Festa earned his 18th save of the season when he induced a pop-up from Juremi Profar to end the game.
Anthony Misiewicz (2-10, 5.67 ERA) delivered a quality start of six innings and two runs allowed while striking out a season-best eight with no walks. David McKay (5-1, 2.82) picked up the win with three strikeouts, no walks and no runs allowed in two innings of relief.
Second baseman Donnie Walton was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Scott was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
Arkansas jumped out with a four-run first inning in the second game of the series and rode a strong outing by Williams Perez (5-1, 2.44) to a 6-1 victory on Wednesday night in Frisco. The visitors had the lead just seven pitches into the game and were never threatened.
Left fielder Chuck Taylor and shortstop Yonathan Mendoza each singled to open the game. Right fielder Eric Filia, hitting .282, followed with a two-run triple to right-center field to open the scoring. The next two batters reached base on errors and the Travelers were able to add another pair of runs in the opening inning.
Profar hit a home run to lead off the bottom of the second inning. The Riders loaded the bases with two outs in the inning, but Jose Cardona popped out to end the threat. They loaded the bases again with two outs in the sixth, but Perez induced a groundout from Michael O'Neill, his final batter of the night.
Perez struck out two batters and walked two with one run allowed on six hits in six innings.
Chuck Taylor was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a walk and a hit by pitch, while scoring three times. Filia was 3-for-4 with a run and four RBIs on a sacrifice fly, a double and a triple, falling a home run shy of the cycle.
Logan Taylor belted a three-run home run to the opposite field in the second inning of the series opener for the only runs of a 3-0 win on Tuesday. Taylor's home run carried 373 feet to right field and came on a 2-2 pitch with one out. Curletta walked and Pizzano singled to open the inning.
Ashton Goudeau (2-3, 3.34) pitched seven shutout innings for the second consecutive start and led three Arkansas pitchers in a combined four-hit shutout. It was the fourth shutout of the season for Arkansas and second in the last week. Wyatt Mills and Festa followed Goudeau and closed it out with a scoreless inning each.
Frisco had their leadoff batter reach in three of the first four innings,but Goudeau immediately induced a double play ball to erase the runners each time.
Chuck Taylor was also 3-for-4 with a double.
Arkansas began a three-game series on the road against Midland (54-68) on Friday. The Travelers will be off on Monday before a seven-game home stand with four games against Tulsa (62-58) and three against Northwest Arkansas (59-63).
Sports on 08/18/2018