Shortstop Donnie Walton went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI from the leadoff spot Wednesday, including his 10th home run of the season, to lead the Arkansas Travelers to a 5-2 victory over the Midland RockHounds in front of 3,346 at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
Walton led off the bottom of the first inning with a double to center field, then scored on Evan White's double to give the Travs a 1-0 lead. White moved to third on a wild pitch by RockHounds starter Brian Howard and scored on Cal Raleigh's ground out for a 2-0 lead.
Midland tied the game when Chase Calabuig doubled to right-center field to start the sixth inning, then moved to third when Taylor Motter walked. Motter moved to second on a wild pitch from Arkansas starter Logan Gilbert, then he and Calabuig scored on Tyler Ramirez's double down the right-field line.
That set the stage for Walton and the Travs in the seventh inning. Logan Taylor led off with a single and moved to third on Jordan Cowan's double to left-center field. After Aaron Knapp struck out swinging for the first out of the inning, Walton hit a 2-2 pitch to right field to give Arkansas the lead for good.
Cowan was 3 for 3 and Raleigh was 2 for 4 for the Travelers, who finished with 9 hits and 4 runners left on base. Midland managed just three hits, coming from the first three batters in their lineup -- Calabuig, Motter and Ramirez.
Reliever Matt Tenuta (2-1, 2.76 ERA) earned the victory for Arkansas after allowing 1 hit with 3 strikeouts in his 21/3 innings of work. Wyatt Mills got his fifth save of the season after 11/3 scoreless innings with one strikeout. Howard (7-7, 2.97 ERA) took the loss for Midland after allowing all 5 Travs runs with 8 strikeouts in 61/3 innings.
Today's game
ARKANSAS TRAVELERSVS. MIDLAND ROCKHOUNDS
WHEN 7:10 p.m.
WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock
RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas
WEBSITE travs.com
PITCHERS Travs: RH Justin Dunn (5-3, 3.76 ERA); RockHounds: RH Grant Holmes (4-2, 3.43 ERA)
TICKETS $12 box, $8 reserved, $6 general admission. Add $1 to each price on game day. Gates open one hour before first pitch.
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY vs. Midland, 7:10 p.m.
FRIDAY vs. Frisco, 7:10 p.m.
SATURDAY vs. Frisco, 6:10 p.m.
SUNDAY vs. Frisco, 6:10 p.m.
MONDAY vs. Frisco, 7:10 p.m.
TUESDAY Off
WEDNESDAY at Midland, 6:30 p.m.
Sports on 07/18/2019