LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Travelers got a victory and a loss at Dickey-Stephens in North Little Rock on Saturday.
The Travelers scored a 3-1 victory over the Tulsa Drillers behind a complete-game, one run effort from starting pitcher Orangel Arenas, but they lost starting shortstop Jean Segura when he was promoted to the Los Angeles Angels in the top of the seventh inning.
Segura took the field in the top of the seventh before being beckoned back to the dugout. Darwin Perez took his place in the field.
“When they waved me over, I thought, ‘Either I’ve been traded or promoted,’ ” Segura said. “When they told me I was getting called up, I was just so excited.”
Angels starting shortstop Erick Aybar, a former Traveler, left Saturday night’s 9-2 loss to the Texas Rangers after fouling a pitch off the side of his right foot in the bottom of the seventh inning. Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said he will be evaluated today.
But a call was quickly made to Little Rock.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever been pulled out of a game like that,” Segura said.
It was a night of firsts for the Travelers as Arenas had his first complete-game victory pitching in the United States. His last complete-game victory came while he was pitching in the Dominican Republic summer leagues two years ago.
“I was trying to stay down with my pitches and things just went really well,” Arenas said through a translator. “I was trying to do one here in the United States and, thank God, things went my way.” Drillers lead off hitter Corey Dickerson broke up Arena’s no-hit bid with a long home run to right to break a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning.
It didn’t take long for the Travelers to respond, though, as Renny Osuna started off the bottom of the fourth with a single to right before being driven in by a home run to right field by Ryan Mount. It was the second of four consecutive hits by the Travelers to start the inning.
Roberto Lopez and Casey Haerther both singled to right and advanced on a sacrifice bunt to third by Brian Hernandez. Carlos Ramirez made it 3-1 with a single to left field, but was thrown out on a relay by third baseman Nolan Arenado after making too big of a turn at first base.
The Travelers did strand two runners on third base, though, something Manager Mike Micucci said could have cost them.
“You throw in the base running error in there and we could have had three more runs,” Micucci said. “That’s something that we’ll need to get cleaned up, but overall, I’ll take it.”
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Arkansas 3, Tulsa 1
Springfield 4, NW Arkansas 1
Corpus Christi 3, Frisco 0
Midland 8, San Antonio 3
TODAY’S GAMES All times Central
Tulsa at Arkansas, 6 p.m.
Frisco at Corpus Christi, 6:05 p.m.
Midland at San Antonio, 6:05 p.m.
NW Arkansas at Springfield, 6:08 p.m.
At a glance TULSA AT ARKANSAS WHEN 6 p.m. Central today WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas WEBSITE travs.com
PITCHERS Travelers: RHP Matt Oye (2-5, 4.46 ERA); Drillers: LHP Josh Outman (1-1, 3.38) PROMOTIONS Pregame kids baseball clinic. Kids run the bases after the game.
THE WEEK AHEAD TODAY vs. Tulsa, 6 p.m.
MONDAY vs. Tulsa, 7:10 p.m.
TUESDAY at Springfield, 7:08 p.m.
WEDNESDAY at Springfield, 7:08 p.m.
THURSDAY at Springfield, 7:08 p.m.
FRIDAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
SATURDAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
Sports, Pages 27 on 07/22/2012