The Arkansas Travelers were no match for the Texas League's best lineup -- especially when the victory was complemented by one of the league's hottest pitchers.
A day after the Travs outhit Tulsa in the opening game of the Texas League North Division Series, they were held to four singles as the Drillers clubbed their way to a 5-0 Game 2 victory at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
Tied 1-1, the best-of-five series now moves to Tulsa, where the teams will play at 7:05 tonight and Saturday with a deciding Game 5 on Sunday if necessary.
The Travs missed a chance to take a commanding lead in their first Texas League playoff series in three years when Drillers left-hander Ben Holmes held them to one hit over 6 2/3 innings, and Cael Brockmeyer and Jacob Scavuzzo each hit home runs.
"There's no secret to what we do," said Tulsa Manager Scott Hennessey, whose team set a club record with 184 home runs in the regular season. "We're going to try to outscore you."
The Drillers did that when Travs starter Anthony Misiewicz struggled with his command before being pulled in the fourth inning.
Brockmeyer's two-out home run in the first gave Tulsa 1-0 lead and Keibert Ruiz singled and scored in the second before Brockmeyer singled and scored and Scavuzzo doubled and scored in the third.
Misiewicz allowed 4 earned runs on 8 hits over 3 1/3 innings.
"He just wasn't real sharp tonight," said Arkansas Manager Darren Brown. "He got in some bad counts and didn't get away with it."
On a night when the Travs' bats were held in check, it cost them.
Chuck Taylor's two-out single to left field in the third inning was all they could muster off Holmes. They didn't fare much better off relievers Andre Scrubb and Shea Spitzbarth.
The Travs only real chance came in the eighth, when Taylor reached on an error, Eric Filia singled and Joey Curletta walked to load the bases. But Dario Pizzano grounded out to first base to end the threat, and Spitzbarth pitched around a one-out single to Logan Taylor in the ninth.
"It's baseball," Taylor said. "Sometimes you're swinging it and sometimes you're not. You just have to keep riding that roller coaster and just keep battling. Especially in the playoffs."
To get the two more victories needed to advance to the Texas League Championship Series for the first time since 2013, the Travs will now have to overcome a worn bullpen.
Arkansas relievers worked 7 1/3 innings in a Game 1 victory Wednesday when starter Williams Perez exited after a line drive hit him in the arm. On Thursday, the Travs bullpen pitched 5 2/3 because of Misiewicz's struggles.
Brown said he's confident in tonight's starter Chris Mazza, 1-0 with a 1.33 ERA in 4 starts, but also needs him to go as long as possible.
"He's been good," Brown said. "You never know in these situations. But, we do need him to go five or six innings, hopefully."
Sports on 09/07/2018