The Arkansas Travelers jumped out to a good start on Sunday. It wasn't nearly enough against the Midland RockHounds at Security Bank Ballpark.
The Travs scored five runs in the top of the first inning, but were held to one run the rest of the game, and the RockHounds battered the Travs for runs in six innings -- including nine in the seventh -- in a 17-6 victory.
Midland scored 3 in the first off starter Troy Scribner, then scored 4 off Travs' reliever Chris O'Grady, 5 off Eduardo Paredes and 2 off D.J. Johnson. Every RockHound got at least 1 hit, while first baseman Viosergy Rosa had 2 home runs, 2 doubles and a single while driving in 4 runs.
Matt Chapman hit his Texas League-leading 22nd home run, while J.P. Sportman went 3 for 6 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored for the RockHounds, who beat the Travs 9-3 in Saturday's series opener. The three-game series finale is at 6:30 tonight.
The Travs took an early lead when they jumped on Midland starter Raul Alcantara, the Oakland Athletics' No. 15 prospect, for five runs in the first inning. Eric Aguilera drove in two runs with a double to right field, then scored on Jabari Henry's single to right. Henry then scored on Jose Briceno's double to center, and Briceno scored on Anthony Phillips' single to make it 5-0.
Alcantara settled after that, though, giving up just one hit through the next three innings and a run in the fifth.
Meanwhile, the RockHounds scored three in the first and one each in the third and fourth off Scribner, one in the sixth off O'Grady and nine in the seventh off O'Grady and Paredes.
The first six RockHounds to bat hit safely in the seventh, including an RBI double from Yairo Munoz, an RBI single by Danny Oh and a two-run double by Sportman. Beau Taylor hit a sacrifice fly, before Chapman's three-run home run and Rosa's solo home run to cap the scoring.
Sports on 07/11/2016