The Arkansas Travelers built a six-run lead within the first four innings against the Tulsa Drillers on Friday night and held on for an 8-6 victory at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
The Travs (31-29) won four games during its five-game series with the Drillers (27-33). The first-place Travs will host Northwest Arkansas (29-31) during the next four games.
Arkansas is now a full game ahead of the Springfield Cardinals (30-30) in the Texas League North standings with 10 games left in the season's first half. Springfield lost 7-6 to Northwest Arkansas to give the Travs the lead.
Friday night, Travs' right-handed starter Nathan Bannister (4-4) earned the victory, pitching 6 innings with 6 hits, 3 earned runs, 3 walks and a season-high 7 strikeouts.
The Travs jumped ahead with a four-run second inning. Left fielder Chuck Taylor hit a three-run double in the inning.
First baseman Joey Curletta extended the lead to 6-0 in the fourth with a 378-foot home run to right field off Drillers right-handed starter, and former Traveler, Justin DeFratus (2-2, 3.90), who earned the loss after pitching 5⅓ with 10 hits, 8 earned runs, 4 walks and 6 strikeouts.
Tulsa trailed 8-3 going into the ninth, when Drillers first baseman Connor Joe hit a two-out, three-run home run on the 11th pitch of a duel with Travs righty reliever Matt Festa.
The Travs have averaged 7.2 runs during their past 13 games, and they've gone 9-4 during that stretch.
Today’s game
ARKANSAS TRAVELERS
VS. NW ARKANSAS NATURALS
WHEN 6:10 p.m.
WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock
RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas
WEBSITE travs.com
PITCHERS Travs: RHP Johendi Jiminian (2-3, 3.79 ERA); Naturals: LHP Emilio Ogando (3-3, 6.09 ERA)
TICKETS $12 box, $8 reserved ($5 kids), $6 general admission ($4 kids). Gates open one hour before first pitch.
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY vs. NW Arkansas, 6:10 p.m.
SUNDAY vs. NW Arkansas, 2:10 p.m.
MONDAY vs. NW Arkansas, 7:10 p.m.
TUESDAY vs. NW Arkansas, 7:10 p.m.
WEDNESDAY at Springfield, 6:30 p.m.
THURSDAY at Springfield, 7:10 p.m.
FRIDAY at Springfield, 7:10 p.m.
Sports on 06/09/2018