Springfield, MO – The Arkansas Travelers took the opener against the 1st-Half North Division Champion Springfield Cardinals, 7-4, before 4,544 fans at Hammons Field on Sunday evening.
The Cardinals (9-13, 50-42) cracked the scoreless tie with one big swing in the bottom of the second against RHP Troy Scribner (W, 7-3). With two down and the bases empty, C Jesse Jenner launched his first Double-A home run to left-center field, a solo shot to lift the Cardinals into the 1-0 lead.
The Travs (8-13, 40-51) countered right away in the top of the third against RHP Johnny Walter (L, 0-2). Arkansas opened the frame with consecutive singles from 3B Andrew Daniel and DH Eric Aguilera. RF Jabari Henry then came through with an RBI single to plate Daniel and tie the game, 1-1.
Walter and Scribner both exchanged a scoreless fourth inning, but the Travelers rallied for six runs in the top of the fifth. Daniel led off with a double, followed by a single from Aguilera. With runners at the corners, Henry brought in Daniel with an RBI fielder's choice. He grounded the ball to third, which led to 3B Paul DeJong firing home, but the ball popped out of C Jesse Jenner's glove as Daniel slid home, with everyone safe on the play and Arkansas ahead, 2-1. After a sacrifice bunt moved Aguilera to third and Henry to second, Walter intentionally walked C Anthony Bemboom to load the bases with one down. LF Caleb Adams brought in Aguilera with an RBI sacrifice fly, which also advanced Henry to third and Bemboom to second. After Walter walked 2B Tim Arakawa to load the bases, RHP Chris Perry took over on the mound. However, SS Anthony Phillips worked an RBI walk, forcing home Henry to make it 4-1. CF Forrestt Allday followed with a two-run double, plating Bemboom and Arakawa, before Phillips darted home on a passed ball to cap the rally in make it a 7-1 lead for the Travs.
After Perry settled it down with a scoreless top of the sixth, the Cardinals started chipping away in the bottom of the sixth. RF Anthony Garcia singled to start the inning, followed by 1B Luke Voit being hit by a pitch to put two runners on. 3B Paul DeJong then squibbed a grounder just inside the third base line that 3B Andrew Daniel waited back on to see if it would roll foul. While the Travelers were watching the ball, Garcia took off from third and beat C Anthony Bemboom back to the plate to score while Voit went to third and DeJong took second on an RBI infield double. DH Jonathan Rodriguez then brought in both Voit and DeJong with a two-run single up the middle, slicing the Cardinals deficit to 7-4.
Perry dealt a perfect seventh inning as well, retiring the final seven batters of his outing in a row. LHP Justin Wright continued the perfect relief in the eighth, before a scoreless ninth from RHP Kevin Herget to keep Springfield within striking distance.
However, Scribner concluded his outing with a scoreless seventh, followed by a scoreless eighth from RHP Josh Roenicke out of the Travs bullpen. LHP Chris O'Grady came on for the bottom of the ninth and dealt a 1-2-3 inning, closing the 7-4 win for Arkansas.
