SPRINGFIELD — The Arkansas Travelers claimed the series opener from the 1st-Half North Division Champion Springfield Cardinals, 4-0, before 5,747 fans at Hammons Field on Friday night.
Cardinals RHP J.C. Sulbaran (L, 0-1) and Travelers RHP Tyler Carpenter (W, 4-3) dueled back and forth through five scoreless innings to start. Sulbaran scattered just three hits while striking out seven batters through his first five, but the Travs broke through in the top of the sixth. With one on and one away, DH Jabari Henry struck with a two-run shot to open the 2-0 lead for Arkansas (1-2, 33-40).
After Carpenter retired the first 12 batters that he faced through four perfect innings and added a fifth scoreless stanza, he gave way to LHP Jose Molina in the bottom of the sixth. Molina picked up where Carpenter had left off, tossing a 1-2-3 sixth inning to keep it a 2-0 lead for the Travs.
Arkansas then padded the lead in the top of the seventh against RHP Heath Wyatt. With one away, CF Forrestt Allday reached with a single. RF Caleb Adams then followed with a two-run homer to left field, doubling the Travs lead to 4-0.
Wyatt kept the Cardinals (0-3, 41-32) within striking distance with scoreless work in the eighth and ninth, but Arkansas countered with scoreless late relief of their own. RHP Josh Roenicke dealt 1.1 innings without a run, before RHP Alan Busenitz tossed a scoreless ninth to close the 4-0 win for the Travelers.
