Chuck Taylor had 4 hits and scored 2 runs, and Chris Mazza allowed 5 hits over 7 innings to lead the Arkansas Travelers to a 9-3 victory over the Springfield Cardinals on Tuesday in front of 4,386 at Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo.
Mazza (1-0) allowed 2 runs with 4 strikeouts and 1 walk to pick up the victory.
Already ahead 2-0 on Taylor's RBI single in the first inning and a passed ball in the second inning that allowed Donnie Walton to score, Arkansas took a 5-0 lead in the third on Kyle Lewis' fourth home run of the season.
The Travelers added two runs in both the fourth and seventh innings. Eric Filia hit a two-run single in the fourth, while Yonathan Mendoza and Chris Mariscal drove in runs in the seventh. Springfield got two runs in the fifth inning on RBI singles by Evan Mendoza and Jose Martinez, while Andrew Knizner made up for two passed balls with a solo home run -- his seventh of the season -- on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the ninth.
The Travelers finished with 12 hits and left 11 on base. Filia was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI, while Lewis was 2 for 5 for Arkansas, which went 4 for 17 with runners in scoring position. The Cardinals finished with seven hits -- nobody had more than one -- and left six runners on base.
Michael Wacha (0-1), who was on a rehab assignment, took the loss for Springfield after allowing 5 runs on 6 hits over 2 1/3 innings. He also struck out three and walked one.
Arkansas improved to 20-9 against Springfield this season.
Sports on 08/29/2018