TEXAS LEAGUE

Travs turn rest into run to first

Northwest Arkansas Naturals shortstop Humberto Arteaga throws - over Arkansas Travelers baserunner Jabari Henry to complete. a double play during Tuesday night’s game at Dickey-Stephens C Park in North Little Rock. The Travelers won 2-1.
Northwest Arkansas Naturals shortstop Humberto Arteaga throws - over Arkansas Travelers baserunner Jabari Henry to complete. a double play during Tuesday night’s game at Dickey-Stephens C Park in North Little Rock. The Travelers won 2-1.

Rain in July has heated up the Arkansas Travelers.

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Arkansas Travelers baserunner Bo Way (right) successfully steals second base as Northwest Arkansas Naturals second baseman Carlos Garcia waits for the throw during Tuesday night’s game.

The Travs beat the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 2-1 at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock on Tuesday night, extending an 11-3 streak amassed after back-to-back rainouts July 14-15.

In the Texas League, missed games are made up via seven-inning doubleheaders.

"I'll take those and a night off any day," Arkansas Manager Mark Parent said. "I think everyone feels that way. We were in a stretch there where we weren't going to have any time off, and it worked out great. It helps everybody, because those seven-inning games just fly."

The Travelers moved into a tie for first place in the second half of the Texas League North Division standings. They are even with Northwest Arkansas at 17-15. Before the rainouts, Arkansas was 6-12 in the second half.

On Tuesday, the Travelers took the lead for good when designated hitter Eric Aguilera's one-out double in the sixth inning scored third baseman Andrew Daniel from first.

"The first couple at-bats, I was a little late getting started," Aguilera said. "I just focused on starting up a little earlier and seeing the ball out of his hand. I was just looking for a pitch that I could put some bat on."

In this case, he saw it in a change-up from Naturals starter Ashton Goudeau.

"It kind of hung up there, and I stayed back on it and was able to drive it," Aguilera said.

He said the days off in July always help.

"We are getting down to the dog days of summer, and I think any time you can get a couple of days off, it's good," he said. "It gives the legs a little rest. It gives us some rest and helps guys who are aching a little bit."

Parent likes to talk about discipline at the plate and an ability to adjust as the season progresses. Aguilera has learned at least one of his manager's lessons.

"For a lot of guys, this is their first taste of double-A, and it is a bit of a jump," he said. "The pitching is good here. It takes some adjustments, and I think everyone is learning how to hit a little better. We've progressed as hitters, and it's showing."

"We're starting to do the little things," Parent said. "They're making adjustments and starting to feel when they're taking a step back, and they're doing it during an at-bat rather than the next day."

Travelers right-handed starter Alex Blackford held the Naturals to 4 hits, 1 walk and 1 unearned run through 7 innings.

"He's funky, you know," Northwest Arkansas Manager Vance Wilson said. "He hides the ball. He moves the ball well, and it's tough to pick up his off speed."

Northwest Arkansas struck first when third baseman Mauricio Ramos led off the fourth inning with a single, advanced to third on a throwing error by Daniel, and scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by left fielder Alfredo Escalera.

Arkansas pulled even in the fifth after right fielder Jabari Henry was hit by a pitch, moved to third on center fielder Bo Way's single to right, and scored on shortstop Anthony Phillips' safety squeeze.

"I was waiting for that," Phillips said. "I thought Mark would probably call it, and I was fortunate enough to get the job done. I have to execute that, because it's my job."

"Things like that are usually what decides it," Wilson said. "It's who executes the fundamentals in a tight game."

Today’s game

ARKANSAS VS. NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

WHEN 7:10 p.m.

WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock

RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas; KQSM-FM, 92.1, in Northwest Arkansas

WEBSITE travs.com; nwanaturals.com

PITCHERS Travelers: Tyler Carpenter (RHP, 4-7, 5.60 ERA); Naturals: Josh Staumont (RHP, 1-0, 1.69)

TICKETS Gates open 1 hour before first pitch. Box $13, reserved $9 ($6 children), general admission $7 ($5 children)

THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY NW Arkansas, 7:10 p.m.

THURSDAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.

FRIDAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.

SATURDAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.

SUNDAY at Tulsa, 1:05 p.m.

MONDAY at NW Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.

TUESDAY at NW Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.

Sports on 07/27/2016

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