SPRINGFIELD — The Arkansas Travelers avoided being swept by the Springfield Cardinals with a 7-0 win before 4,082 fans at Hammons Field on Sunday afternoon.
Arkansas (2-4, 34-42) broke through in the top of the third inning against RHP Chris Ellis (L, 0-3). With two on and two down, DH Dario Pizzano cracked the scoreless tie with an RBI single. 1B Kyle Waldrop then slugged a three-run home run to right field, opening the lead to 4-0.
LHP Ian McKinney got the Cardinals (3-3, 38-38) out of the third frame, but the Travs added to their lead in the fourth. With one down, 2B Nelson Ward singled himself on. After moving to second on a sacrifice bunt, Ward came racing home on an RBI single by SS Joey Wong to increase the lead to 5-0.
Arkansas tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth inning. Facing RHP Blake McKnight, C Marcus Littlewood started the inning with a walk, before McKnight induced a pop out. Ward and CF Ian Miller, though, followed with back-to-back base hits to load the bases with one down. Wong then battled out an RBI walk to force in Littlewood, before an RBI sacrifice fly by LF Chuck Taylor to make it 7-0.
Springfield RHP Pedro Echemendia retired the final out in the sixth and dealt 3.1 scoreless frames to keep Arkansas from adding to the lead.
After six scoreless innings from Travs RHP Tyler Herb, Arkansas received two scoreless stanzas from RHP Darin Gillies and one from RHP Thyago Vieira to close the 7-0 win.
After the All-Star Break, the Cardinals begin the road trip in Midland on Thursday at 7pm.
