LITTLE ROCK — Hand this to the Arkansas Travelers - they haven’t lost their sense of humor.
The Travelers opened the second half of Texas League play with a 12-inning 3-2 victory over the Springfield Cardinals before an announced crowd of 3,837 at Dickey-Stephens Park on Wednesday night in North Little Rock.
“All right, first place Travs!” said Arkansas Manager Bobby Magallanes with a laugh as he entered the clubhouse. Given the week the Travelers have had to endure, it was good to hear some levity.
Arkansas ended the first half with a Texas League worst record of 26-44. Injuries had decimated the roster, with Ivan Contreras, Ryan Mount and Andrew Romine all on the shelf entering Wednesday.
The Travelers had lost the first two games of the two game series with Springfield before Clay Fuller scored the game-winning run from third after Cardinals reliever Blake King threw a slider in the dirt.
“He had a good, sharp slider, so I looked for it to be in the dirt,” Fuller said. “I got a good jump.”
Fuller led off the inning with a single, appropriate considering he was penciled in as Arkansas’ leadoff batter at the last minute. Magallanes’ lineup initially had Fuller batting ninth, but Fuller said that with all the recent injuries, players have come to expect the unexpected.
Fuller may have been the hero, but it was starter Ryan Brasier who found some redemption. Brasier entered Wednesday with a 6.54 ERA, but lowered it to 5.90 after giving up 1 run and 3 hits and striking out 8 over 7 innings.
It was an emergency start for Brasier, who had been told he’d be moving to the bullpen. Magallanes said that’s still the plan, but Wednesday was a much-needed confidence boost for the right-hander.
“Tonight, it all clicked,” Brasier said. “The ball was down for the most part. I felt good with where I was throwing the ball.”
Staying in first place throughout the first half might be a long shot, but Magallanes said he envisions better times ahead providing the Travelers get some roster stability.
For now, things remain unsettled.
“I really believe something good is going to happen, just with everything we’ve gone through ” Magallanes said.
Travelers glance
WHO Arkansas vs. Springfield WHEN 7:10 p.m. today WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock PITCHERS Travelers: Tommy Mendoza (right-hander, 0-1, 4.85 ERA); Cardinals: Gary Daley (right-hander, 4-3, 6.93 ERA) RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in Little Rock WEBSITE travs.com TICKETS Gates open one hour before first pitch. Tickets are $12 box seats, $8 reserved, $7 military, $3 children.
PROMOTIONS Fitted Travelers batting practice cap to first 1,500 adults. Contest to win scholarship to Pulaski Technical College. Travelers broadcasters Phil Elson and R.J. Hawk will do the game broadcast from the first row of the bleachers in Hookslide Corner. Former Arkansas Razorback and current Dallas Cowboy Felix Jones will throw out the first pitch and sign autographs.
Sports, Pages 21 on 06/24/2010