Travs trip Cards for fourth in a row

Arkansas starter Justin DeFratus earned his third victory of the season Thursday after allowing 1 earned run on 6 hits with 2 strikeouts over 61/3 innings to lead the Travelers to a 6-3 victory over the Springfield Cardinals at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
Arkansas starter Justin DeFratus earned his third victory of the season Thursday after allowing 1 earned run on 6 hits with 2 strikeouts over 61/3 innings to lead the Travelers to a 6-3 victory over the Springfield Cardinals at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.

The Arkansas Travelers gave all their manager could ask for.

First baseman Ryan Casteel had 2 runs, 2 hits, and 4 RBI to lead an 11-hit attack and right-handed starter Justin DeFratus held the Springfield Cardinals to 6 hits and 3 runs through 6 1/3 innings as the Travelers took a 6-3 victory at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock on Thursday night.

"We've played good defense all year," said Arkansas Manager Daren Brown, whose team extended its winning streak to four games, matching their longest of the season. "We're pitching well right now, and we've started swinging the bat a little bit. When you do all those things, it gives you a chance."

The Travelers, who also had a four-game winning streak May 26-30, used the second and third innings to hit left-handed starter Austin Gomber for all the runs they needed before an announced crowd of 8,049.

Right fielder Kyle Waldrop started Arkansas' onslaught in the second inning with a one-out double that bounced into right off the glove of Cardinals first baseman John Nogowski. Waldrop then scored on Casteel's single. Center fielder Ian Miller's single gave the Travs a 2-0 lead.

Casteel's three-run home run in the third inning -- after catcher Tyler Marlette and Waldrop each singled with two outs -- pushed the Travs' advantage to 5-0.

"I was just trying to get a good pitch and hit it," Casteel said. "He just left the pitch up, and I executed."

DeFratus held Springfield to three hits through six innings but gave up three to the first four batters in the seventh. Catcher Andrew Knizner's single drove in the Cardinals' first run and Brown called on right-handed reliever Tyler Knigge.

DeFratus's start was his third consecutive notable performance after he struggled through much of the first half of the season. In his past two starts, he has held Springfield to a total of 7 hits and 4 runs through 13 1/3 innings.

"DeFratus did a nice job," Casteel said. "He kept us right there. We just needed to score some runs."

DeFratus is in the 11th season of his professional career, which includes 49 mound appearances over five seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. His manager and teammates said they have known to expect his recent performances.

"He's a veteran pitcher," Casteel said. "He was having some bad luck, and now it's starting to turn good. I'm not surprised at all."

"He's getting back to who he is, using all his pitches," Brown said. "He knows himself. He's had a good career, and he knows what to do. It's just a matter of getting it done."

Springfield Manager Johnny Rodriguez joined the praise for DeFratus.

"He never gives in," Rodriguez said.

Knigge gave up a single and walked two to load the bases in the eighth before being replaced by right-handed newcomer Ryan Kelly. In his first appearance with the Travelers, Kelly walked Bruce Caldwell and threw a wild pitch to surrender two runs as Springfield pulled within 6-3.

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Arkansas center fielder Ian Miller went 1 for 5 Thursday, but his one hit was an RBI double in the bottom of the second inning as the Travelers beat the Springfi eld Cardinals.

Kelly struck out two in the ninth inning for the save.

Sports on 07/21/2017

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