A month into his first season in the Seattle Mariners farm system, first baseman Kyle Waldrop hit a walkoff home run to give the Arkansas Travelers a 6-5 victory over the Tulsa Drillers (10-15) on Tuesday night at Dickey-Stephens Park.
The 6-2 lefty was the first batter of the ninth inning, and he drove a 1-2 pitch over the right-field wall, where a cluster of the 3,148 in attendance chased after the seconds-old memorabilia. The home run was Waldrop's third of the season and gave the Travelers (11-13) a victory to start their four-game home stand.
Tulsa left-hander Colt Hynes (2-1) took the loss.
"I was just trying to get on base for the team and start something there," Waldrop said. "Fortunately, I got a slider up, put a good swing on it and got it out of the ballpark."
The Travs overcame a 4-0 Tulsa lead, which the Drillers amassed after first baseman Edwin Rios hit a grand slam off starter Tyler Herb in the first inning. It was the fourth time in five games that the Travs starting pitching had given up four or more runs during the first four innings.
Herb pitched five scoreless innings from there on for the no decision.
"It's kind of just like, 'It's whatever, I can't do anything about it now,' " Herb said. "I just had to continue to battle and get through as many innings as possible."
The Travs scored one run in the second inning, when designated hitter Kyle Petty drove in catcher Marcus Littlewood on a sacrifice fly to center field. They didn't score again until the fifth inning, going 0 for 3 with runners in scoring position.
Center fielder Ian Miller led off the fifth inning by stretching an apparent single into a double, a move that allowed for the second run when left fielder Chuck Taylor drove him in with a double. Waldrop then tied the game with a two-run single to right field, and Littlewood gave the Travelers a 5-4 lead with an RBI single to right field.
Herb was relieved by right-hander Brett Ash to start the seventh inning, and he surrendered a game-tying home run to Tulsa catcher Paul Hoenecke two batters into the inning. Ash (2-2) pitched the remainder of the game and earned the victory thanks to Waldrop's home run.
Ash's two strikeouts in the ninth inning gave the Travs another shot to win after they failed to capitalize on Ian Miller's leadoff single in the eighth inning. Miller stole second, but he was caught stealing third.
"He's got the green light," Travs Manager Daren Brown said. "Obviously, running to third is probably something he'd like to have back. Luckily, we came out in the end."
Today’s game
TRAVELERS VS. DRILLERS
WHEN 11 a.m. WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas WEBSITE travs.com PITCHERS Travs: RHP Lindsey Caughel (1-2, 5.31 ERA); Drillers: RHP Ivan Vieitez (1-1, 3.57 ERA) PROMOTIONS $3 discount coupons available at central Arkansas AT&T stores.
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY Tulsa, 11 a.m. THURSDAY Tulsa, 7:10 p.m. FRIDAY Tulsa, 7:10 p.m. SATURDAY at NW Arkansas, 6:35 p.m. SUNDAY at NW Arkansas, 5:35 p.m. MONDAY at NW Arkansas, 7:05 p.m. TUESDAY at NW Arkansas, 11:05 a.m.
Sports on 05/03/2017