Manager Phillip Wellman said last week that he likes to see how a team reacts when things don’t go so well at the beginning of a season.
That moment has arrived for the Arkansas Travelers.
Frisco’s Jordan Brown hit a two-run home run in the first inning and Arkansas was held to four hits in a 3-0 loss Tuesday in front of an announced crowd of 2,547 at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
After racing to a 6-2 record to start the season, the Travs ended their first home stand with four consecutive losses and, after a day off today, start a string of 20 consecutive days with games.
“I don’t wish adversity upon anybody, but that’s how you get tougher and better,” Wellman said. “Right now, I think we’re doing that a little bit.”
Travs starter Michael Roth settled in after giving up the home run to Brown, which cleared the bullpen in right field. He gave up a run to Trever Adams in the second that put Frisco ahead 3-0 before retiring 13 of the last 15 batters he faced.
Roth (0-2) was stuck with the loss when the Travelers couldn’t solve RoughRiders’ starter Luke Jackson.
Mixing a fastball and a curve ball, Jackson, the Texas Rangers’ No. 7 prospect,struck out eight and held Arkansas to three hits, all singles that came in separate innings. Kyle Hudson walked and advanced to third base before Kaleb Cowart flew out to end the third, and the Travs put runners on second and third in the fifth before Jackson struck out Alex Yarbrough looking.
“We’re making a lot of routine outs,” Wellman said. “When you go through this, guys tend to get anxious a little bit. They need to get back to doing what they do best and using their strengths and not missing the pitch when they get it.
After winning both games in Monday’s doubleheader, Frisco left Dickey-Stephens with a three-game sweep after limiting what had been Arkansas’ biggest offensive strength. The Travs stole 20 bases through the season’s first seven games - they stole seven alone in an April 7 victory at Frisco - but have been held to four stolen bases since and stole three in this series.
Frisco Manager Jason Wood said there was no secret to slowing the Travs.
“Coming into the series we knew they were an aggressive team on the base paths,” Wood said. “We did our best to keep them off the bases. When they did get on, we just mixed the pitches and our holds as best we could and did a good job.”
Wellman said today’s day off comes at a good time considering the losing streak and how the Travs looked offensively in the three-game series. A rest before the start of a four-game series at Springfield on Thursday could give them a chance to regroup following a series in which they hit .160 (13 of 81).
Perhaps most in need of a break is left fielder Zach Borenstein, the Los Angeles Angels’ No. 9 prospect who struck out three times Tuesday and has struck out 12 times in his past 15 plate appearances.
“That throws up a little bit of a red flag,” Wellman said. “He’s too good of a hitter and he’s got too good of a track record to be doing that. Hopefully he snaps out of it and he drives a ball and the light comes back on.”
Thursday’s game
ARKANSAS AT SPRINGFIELD WHEN 7:10 p.m.
WHERE Hammons Field, Springfield, Mo. RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas WEBSITE travs.com PITCHERS Travelers: Drew Rucinski (RHP, 2-0, 1.80 ERA); Cardinals: Seth Blair (RHP, 1-0, 4.22)
TRAVS WEEK AHEAD
TODAY Off
THURSDAY at Springfield, 7:10 p.m.
FRIDAY at Springfield, 7:10 p.m.
SATURDAY at Springfield, 6:10 p.m.
SUNDAY at Springfield, 2:10 p.m.
MONDAY Tulsa, 7:10 p.m.
TUESDAY Tulsa, 7:10 p.m.
Sports, Pages 25 on 04/16/2014