LITTLE ROCK — Jimmy Swift’s sixth-inning home run gave the Arkansas Travelers a lead and was among his season-high four hits as the Travs beat the Springfield Cardinals 8-4 on Thursday night at Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo.
Swift, who has hit .314 in July to raise his season batting average to .250, singled in the second and fifth innings, and his two-run home run, his second of the season, gave the Travs a 5-4 lead. He added an RBI single in the seventh that made it 8-4.
Swift was hitting .211 with the Travs on July 13, but has hit safely in nine of his past 10 games.
His two-run home run and his RBI single each capped three-run innings for the Travs, who have won eight of their past 11.
Renny Osuna singled and scored on a wild pitch in the sixth before Swift’s home run, and Roberto Lopez hit a tworun single in the seventh.
Ryan Mount, Renny Osuna and Paul McAnulty each had two hits to help the Travs get 14 for their second highest total in a game this season.
McAnulty also homered for Arkansas, his first since being sent from Class AAA Salt Lake last week, where he hit 15 home runs. His home run to lead off the second came off Springfield starter Seth Maness to give the Travs a 1-0 lead.
Mannes (8-2) had won five consecutive starts and had a 2.10 ERA before giving up 5 runs on 8 hits in 6 innings Thursday.
Arkansas starter Orangel Arenas gave up 4 runs on 4 hits and walked 6 in 4 1/3 innings, but relievers Mike Piazza (2-3), Buddy Boshers, Caleb Graham and Kevin Johnson held Springfield to no runs on four hits.
Sports, Pages 23 on 07/27/2012