TEXAS LEAGUE

Travelers build big lead, then hold on

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

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