Left fielder Jake Smolinski did his job as Frisco’s cleanup hitter against Arkansas Travelers pitching Monday night.
Smolinski drove in three runs - one with a triple and two after bases-loaded walks - and the RoughRiders beat the Travs 5-4 in the first game of a doubleheader on a chilly night at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
Smolinski had another triple in the second game as the RoughRiders won 2-1 to sweep the doubleheader and extend their winning streak to six.
Tomas Telis’ two-run double in the second inning gave Frisco all the runs it would need in the second game.
All five games played at Dickey-Stephens Park this season have been decided by one run, with the Travs on the losing end of the past three.
Frisco overcame a 3-1 deficit to win the first game, which started with a gametime temperature of 49 degrees but fell into the low 40s.
The RoughRiders scored two runs in the fifth inning and two in the sixth to build a 5-3 lead in the first game, utilizing six of the eight walks issued by four Travelers pitchers.
“That really wasn’t the game plan,” Smolinski said of the walks. “If the pitch is not there, it’s not there. We were just fortunate and we took advantage of the situation.”
Phil Klein (1-0), the second of four Frisco pitchers, won.
The RoughRiders tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth without hitting the ball out of the infield.
Back-to-back bunt singles by Patrick Cantwell and Luis Sardinas put runners on first and second with no out. Travelers starter Yeiper Castillo struck out Rougned Odor, but Castillo walked Jordan Brown and Smolinski back to back, with Smolinski’s walk scoring Cantwell.
Castillo was replaced with Carmin Giardina (0-1), who threw a wild pitch on his third delivery, allowing the tying run to score.
Frisco took a 5-3 lead in the sixth following almost the same formula.
The RoughRiders loaded the bases on one-out singles by Cantwell and Sardinas and a two-out walk to Brown.
Giardin was replaced by Michael Brady, the third Travs pitcher, who gave up consecutive RBI walks to Smolinski and Drew Robinson and Frisco led 5-3.
Arkansas led 3-1 after four innings, knocking out Matt Harrison, who is on Frisco’s roster on a rehab assignment for the parent Texas Rangers.
Arkansas trailed by two when Alex Yarbrough, who was 2 for 4, made it 5-4 in the sixth with a fielder’s choice.
Frisco reliever Wilmer Font struck out Michael Snyder to end the threat with the potential tying run at third.
Matt West earned his first save, working around a one-out walk in the seventh.
Today’s game
ARKANSAS VS. FRISCO WHEN 7:10 p.m.
WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock
RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas
WEBSITE travs.com PITCHERS Travelers: Michael Roth (LHP, 0-1,7.71 ERA). RoughRiders: Kyle Lotzker (RHP, 0-1, 6.75)
TICKETS $12 box seats, $8 reserved ($5 children), $6 general admission ($4 children). Gates open 1 hour before game.
PROMOTIONS Arby’s Family Night. Find a $3 discount for a ticket to the game at Arby’s Restaurants in central Arkansas.
TRAVELERS WEEK AHEAD
TODAY Frisco, 7:10 p.m.
WEDNESDAY off
MONDAY’S GAMES Frisco 5-2, Arkansas 4-1 San Antonio 2, Tulsa 1 Springfield 2, Corpus Christi 1 Midland at MW Arkansas, ppd., rain
TODAY’S GAMES
Midland at NW Arkansas (2), 5:05 p.m.
Tulsa at San Antonio, 7:05 p.m.
Springfield at Corpus Christi, 7:10 p.m.
Frisco at Arkansas, 7:10 p.m.
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
NW Arkansas at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
Sports, Pages 23 on 04/15/2014