The Arkansas Travelers' starting pitching unraveled in the first innings of consecutive games.
A 10-batter, six-run first inning doomed the Travs in Thursday night's 6-3 loss to the San Antonio Missions. On Friday, Travs right-hander Brett Ash gave up three runs before the Missions' Stephen McGee grounded into an inning-ending double play.
The Travs eventually lost 6-4 to San Antonio at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock -- the latest loss in a season where the Travs have had a hard time keeping opponents off the scoreboard during the first inning.
Travs pitching has a 7.82 ERA during in the first inning this season, and the Travs have a 10-23 (.303) record when an opponent scores during the first inning. At home, the Travs pitching has a 7.09 ERA in the first inning and a 5-10 (.333) record when an opponent scores.
The numbers are higher than the overall team ERA of 4.37, which ranks seventh out of eight teams in the Texas League.
"It hasn't been good -- it's that simple," Travs Manager Daren Brown said. "Playing from behind right off the get-go is not really what we're looking to do. Our starters just need to do a better job being ready to pitch when they get out there."
Ash (5-7, 6.12 ERA) pitched 4⅔ innings with 9 hits, 5 earned runs, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts before an announced crowd of 8,051.
"It's hard to give your offense a chance to get momentum when you're digging a pretty good hole in the first inning," said Ash, who has lost his past three decisions. "It takes a lot to get the momentum back, and you just got to really pitch lights out the rest of the game to keep you in there. We just need to do a better job in the first inning, not digging such big holes, and we're going to put ourselves in a better chance to win when we do that."
Missions right-hander Kyle Lloyd (7-4, 3.46 ERA) earned the victory after 5⅓ innings with 7 hits, 4 earned runs, 2 walks and 9 strikeouts. Lloyd, whose 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings pitched ratio ranks fourth in the league, struck out five Travs by the end of the second inning.
The Travs nearly overcame the early deficit.
In the third, Travs left-fielder Chuck Taylor hit a 2-run, 385-foot home run to right field two batters after center fielder Ian Miller singled. Then, Taylor and second baseman Adam Law each hit RBI doubles in the fifth and sixth, respectively. By then, the Missions' lead had been extended by designated hitter Nick Torres' fifth-inning two-run double.
Travs right-handed reliever Thyago Vieira (2-2, 3.62) pitched 2 innings with 2 hits, 1 earned run and 2 strikeouts. Vieira, whose fastball reached 101 mph Friday, was selected Thursday to play in the MLB Futures Game on July 9 during All-Star weekend in Miami. The Seattle Mariners' No. 10 prospect, according to MLB.com, will play for the World Team and is trying to become the fourth Brazilian to play in the majors.
Today’s game
TRAVELERS VS. MISSIONS
WHEN 6:10 p.m.
WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock
RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas
WEBSITE travs.com
PITCHERS Travelers: RHP Dylan Unsworth (5-6, 4.14 ERA); Missions: RHP Brett Kennedy (7-3, 3.42 ERA)
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY vs. San Antonio, 6:10 p.m.
SUNDAY vs. Corpus Christi, 2:10 p.m.
MONDAY vs. Corpus Christi, 7:10 p.m.
TUESDAY vs. Corpus Christi, 5:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY at San Antonio, 7:05 p.m.
THURSDAY at San Antonio, 7:05 p.m.
FRIDAY at San Antonio, 7:05 p.m.
Sports on 07/01/2017