TRAVELERS 2, ROUGHRIDERS 0
Arkansas Travelers right-handed starter Troy Scribner said he was concerned he might have to battle mental rustiness after three vacation days for the Texas League All-Star game.
His worries were in vain.
Today’s game
FRISCO AT ARKANSAS
WHEN 7:10 p.m.
WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock
RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas
WEBSITE travs.com
PITCHERS Travelers: Jordan Kipper (RHP, 6-3, 3.29 ERA); RoughRiders: Connor Sadzeck (RHP 6-2, 3.51)
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY Frisco, 7:10 p.m.
SATURDAY Frisco, 7:10 p.m.
SUNDAY Midland, 7:10 p.m.
MONDAY Midland, 5:30 p.m.
TUESDAY Midland, 7:10 p.m.
WEDNESDAY at Frisco, 7:05 p.m.
THURSDAY at Frisco, 7:05 p.m.
Scribner held the Frisco RoughRiders scoreless on three hits through six innings in the Travelers' 2-0 victory at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock on Thursday night.
"I really had to come in high energy," Scribner said.
A sterling performance by Scribner (6-3) was necessary thanks to Frisco left-hander Frank Lopez (4-2), who limited Arkansas to 5 hits and 2 runs through 5 2/3 innings.
Fatigue early in the season led Frisco to keep Lopez off the field from May 10-June 11. Frisco batting coach Jason Hart, who served as manager for vacationing Joe Mikulik, said Lopez has returned to form.
"He gave us solid innings," Hart said. "I thought Scribner looked very good for them. He really has nice off-speed stuff. He mixes his curve and his cutter well, and he has good control of his fastball."
"Scribner's pitched well for us all season," Arkansas Manager Mark Parent said. "I think the break helped him. It helped everyone. I know it helped me."
Lopez struck out four and held Arkansas without a baserunner through two innings, but the Travelers found all the offense they would need in the third. Third baseman Angel Rosa walked to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by shortstop Anthony Phillips, and scored on a soft single to left field by center fielder Bo Way.
Way credited Scribner for getting the Travs a victory.
"He didn't give them anything," he said. "All we had to do was play good defense behind him."
Way and Phillips were instrumental in the Travelers final run. Phillips singled with one out in the fifth inning, moved to third on Way's single, and scored on left fielder Caleb Adams' groundout to give Arkansas a 2-0 lead.
Frisco was not without opportunities, but Scribner's two strikeouts with runners at first and second ended the third inning, and he struck out left fielder Joe Jackson with a runner at third to finish the sixth.
"I got a fastball by him," Scribner said. "I think it caught him by surprise."
Arkansas closer Austin Adams put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but an infield popup by catcher Kellin Deglan and designated hitter Luis Mendez's strikeout ended the game.
"It's good to start the second half this way," Parent said. "I think everyone feels good about it."
Sports on 07/01/2016