Angels' Scribner dazzles in season debut

Troy Scribner had waited a long time to make his season debut. He showed he was more than ready when the opportunity finally came Sunday.

"I've had a ton of preparation just working over the last two months trying to make a team," the 24-year-old right-hander said. "I had been waiting for my opportunity, refining my pitches and just waiting for a chance to go out and show what I can do for this new organization. I was ecstatic to make a start."

In his first outing of 2016 following a trade to the Angels organization on April 1, Scribner pitched five hitless innings in Double-A Arkansas' 6-1 win over Springfield in the second game of a doubleheader at Hammons Field. Scribner struck out seven but allowed one run on four walks.

"My command was pretty good," he said. "The fastball was going well for the most parts and that's all you can really ask for when you make a start. I was able to work off that and go to my changeup, which is usually my go-to off-speed pitch. I had a little trouble in the beginning throwing strikes and had to make some adjustments to get back in the zone, but once I did, everything just went well after that."

The only stumble for Scribner (1-0) came in the second inning. During that frame, he issued all of his walks -- including three consecutively on 18 pitches -- before Collin Radack's sacrifice fly brought home a run.

"I've been working on my stretch delivery a little bit, trying to sort out a few things," the Sacred Heart product said. "Once I walked the first guy, that started to give me some issues. I had to kind of just remind myself to not rush because I tend to do that sometimes and that made it a little harder to throw stirkes. But it happens and I was able to work through it and keep my composure out there."

Scribner cruised rest of the way and did not let Springfield put him back into the stretch again.

"I wasn't shying away from the stretch and I wasn't scared to throw from the stretch," he said. "I know I can throw just as well from windup, but things just clicked for me after that."

Scribner's outing was his first at the Double-A level since making two starts with Corpus Christi in late 2014. He spent all of last season with Class A Advanced Lancaster, going 2-6 with a 5.49 ERA in 29 appearances -- 13 starts -- before moving to his new organization.

"Obviously, it was a shock," Scribner said of the deal. "I never expect to get traded, but stuff like that happens in baseball. I'm just excited to have a new opportunity, a change of scenery and I took it as a positive step in my career."

Even so, it didn't take long for Scribner to notice the talents surrounding him, namely Sherman Johnson, who went 4-for-4 and homered for a second straight night to almost duplicate Saturday's perfect night at the plate while extending his hitting streak to 10 games.

"He's been really fun to watch," Scribner said of the 25-year-old second baseman. "I don't know anything about a lot of the guys because they are all pretty new to me, but I haven't seen someone get as hot as him the last few games. It seems like every time he is just crushing the baseball."

Angels' No. 9 prospect Chad Hinshaw also homered and drove in two runs, while Austin Wood, Tyler DeLoach and D.J. Johnson combined to close out the final two frames for the Travelers.

Breyvic Valera broke up Arkansas' no-hit bid with a bunt single leading off the sixth.