The Arkansas Travelers scored all six of their runs over the final three innings in a 6-2 victory over Springfield on Thursday night
The game was the first in a four-game series with the Cardinals and came in front of an announced crowd of 5,195 at Hammons Stadium in Springfield, Mo.
Arkansas found itself trailing 2-0 when the Cardinals scored their runs in the bottom of the fourth. Breyvic Valera's one-out single to center off Arkansas starter Orangel Arenas scored Cody Stanley with the first run. Jonathan Rodriguez stole home on a double-steal attempt with Valera for the 2-0 advantage.
The Travelers could do nothing against Springfield starter Jonathan Cornelius, who shut down Arkansas on four hits over the first six innings. Jett Bandy led off the seventh with a walk before Michael Snyder touched Cornelius with a two-run home run over the left-field bullpen to tie the score 2-2.
Ryan Sheriff relieved Cornelius and retired three consecutive Travelers to end the seventh before striking out Alex Yarbrough to start the eighth. He was relieved by Seth Blair (4-7), who promptly walked Brian Hernandez. Mike Bianucci then tripled in Hernandez with the go-ahead run to make it 3-2.
The Travelers got their final three runs in the top of the ninth off Springfield reliever Samuel Tuiavailala. Eric Stamets had a one-out double and scored on a single by Adam Melker, who went to second on right-fielder Rafael Ortega's error. Yarbrough walked before Hernandez's groundout moved up both runners. Kaleb Cowart's two-run single made it 6-2.
Three Travelers combined to pitch three scoreless innings in relief of Arenas. Kevin Johnson (3-3) pitched the seventh after the Travelers went ahead 3-2. Cam Bedrosian struck out two in the eighth, and Trevor Gott had a strikeout in a hitless ninth.
Sports on 08/01/2014