Dylan Unsworth is on a hot streak from the mound.
Unsworth, a right-hander from South Africa, pitched seven shutout innings and Kyle Waldrop slapped a late two-run home run to help send the Arkansas Travelers to a 5-2 victory over the Springfield Cardinals on Wednesday night in front of 3,076 fans at Dickey-Stephens Park.
Springfield managed only 2 singles off Unsworth, who struck out 4, walked 2 and hit a batter in winning his third consecutive decision. In his last 7 starts, Unsworth (8-6) is 5-1 while compiling a 1.74 earned run average.
"[Unsworth] has been really working hard on hitting the corners," said Travs catcher Tyler Marlette, who was 2 for 4 and scored on Waldrop's 377-foot drive over the right-field wall in the eighth inning. "He's been using his off-speed pitches more in his last three starts. The way he's pitching right now, you know, that's insane."
"He threw really well tonight and basically it's because he threw all of his pitches for strikes," Travs Manager Darin Brown said. "He's in the strike zone when he needs to be. He's out of the strike zone when he wants to be. I think that's just a little bit of what he does."
Despite having Springfield's lead-off batters reach base five times in seven innings, Unsworth faced no more than four batters in any one inning.
"His bullpen sessions have been great," Marlette said. "We've been setting a cone up in the middle of the plate and telling him 'don't hit the cone.' He's been doing it and he's doing a really good job for us."
Unsworth outdueled Dakota Hudson (7-4) to improve to 3-0 in the second half of the Texas League season. Hudson, who started the Texas League All-Star Game and was a first-round draft pick by the Cardinals in 2016, lost his first game since June 12. Hudson pitched 4 scoreless innings Wednesday but could not survive 3 hits and 2 walks in the fifth.
Arkansas held a 3-0 lead after five innings, scoring runs on a passed ball, a ground out by Chuck Taylor and when Dario Pizzano was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
"A run is a run and you'll take them any way you can get them," Marlette said. "Especially when you've got a guy throwing like Dylan was today."
Right-handed reliever Shae Simmons, who is on a rehab assignment for the Seattle Mariners, allowed three consecutive hits to start the eighth inning. But the Cardinals' rally was cut short when Simmons induced a run-scoring double-play grounder by Darren Seferina. Springfield did cut the Travs' lead to 3-2 on a wild pitch by Simmons.
The Travs, however, got the two runs back when Marlette singled and Waldrop followed with his 10th home run.
"That made it a lot easier for me," Brown said of Waldrop's home run. "I felt a lot better."
Zac Curtis pitched a scoreless ninth inning for hit 10th save.
NATURALS 7, DRILLERS 4
Jack Lopez doubled and singled, scoring three runs as the Northwest Arkansas Naturals beat the Tulsa Drillers on Wednesday in front of 3,903 fans at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.
Samir Duenez homered and singled with four RBI and scored two runs for Northwest Arkansas.
Tulsa took a 4-1 lead in the second after Quincy Latimore and Tim Locastro hit two-run home runs.
After Northwest Arkansas added two runs in the third, the Naturals took the lead for good in the fourth inning when Logan Moon and Lopez scored on a fielder’s choice.
The Naturals added to their lead in the eighth when Duenez hit a two-run home run.
Starter Foster Griffin (7-1) got the victory while Andrew Thurman (0-1) took the loss in relief. Jake Newberry pitched two scoreless innings for his 14th save of the season.
With the victory, Northwest Arkansas improved to 14-7 against Tulsa this season.
Today’s game
TRAVELERS VS. CARDINALS
WHEN 7:10 p.m. WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas WEBSITE travs.com PITCHERS Travs: LHP Anthony Misiewicz (1-0, 1.38 ERA); Cardinals: RHP Sandy Alcantara (3-5, 5.76). TICKETS $13 box, $9 reserved ($6 kids). $7 general admission ($5 kids). Gates open one hour before the start of the game. PROMOTIONS 70s Theme Night, including trivia and a costume contest.
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY vs. Springfield, 7:10 p.m. FRIDAY vs. Springfield, 7:10 p.m. SATURDAY vs. Springfield, 6:10 p.m. SUNDAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m. MONDAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m. TUESDAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m. WEDNESDAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
Sports on 07/13/2017