The Arkansas Travelers stranded a runner in the bottom of the 11th inning as three batters struck out consecutively in a 2-1 loss to the Frisco RoughRiders on Wednesday night at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
Chuck Taylor led off the 11th with a single to left but could not advance any further as Seth Mejias-Brean, Tyler Marlette and Ryan Casteel all went down swinging.
Frisco first baseman Eric Aguilera drove in the game-winning run with a single to center field before an announced crowd of 2,462. Aguilera played for the Travs last season, when the team was an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.
The Travs scored in the third inning, when left fielder Chuck Taylor drove in center fielder Braden Bishop with a single to center field. Bishop, who has hit .353 since being called up from Modesto on July 22, reached base by hitting a double to left field.
Frisco right-handed reliever Nick Gardewine (1-1, 2.08 ERA) earned the victory after allowing 2h 2 hits in 2 innings to go with 5 strikeouts.
Gardewine helped shut down a Travs offense that had scored 19 runs in the last two games.
Travs right-handed starter Lindsey Caughel (8-9, 3.96 ERA) pitched 6 innings with 6 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk and 7 strikeouts. The strikeout total matched a season-high from a July 25 victory over Northwest Arkansas.
The Mariners signed Caughel on April 4 away from the independent Venezuela Winter League where he pitched after the Los Angeles Dodgers released him on March 29, 2016. In his first 10 starts, Caughel was 3-7 with a 6.13 ERA. Since then, he is 5-2 with a 1.80 ERA in his last 9 starts.
Right-fielder Willie Ardo went 0 for 4 in his Travs debut.
The Travs were left with just two outfielders on the roster when right fielder Kyle Waldrop was called up to Class AAA Tacoma on Monday, while third baseman Jeff Kobernus played left field in Tuesday’s 11-2 victory. Argo was called up Wednesday from Class High-A Modesto, where he was hitting .234 in 54 games.