Wild Game Turns Bad For Hounds
The Arkansas Travelers came to town having been shut out in two consecutive ballgames, but Mother Nature was in the "line-up" and there would be no shortage of runs, hits … OR errors … Sunday afternoon and evening at Citibank Ballpark.
In just over three hours of "baseball daylight time," the Travs and 'Hounds put up 19 runs on 25 hits. The clubs made a combined seven errors, but also turned in at last two "web gem" caliber plays and throwing 298 pitches, all of it in a 20-30 mile-per-hour West Texas wind.
Perhaps it's fitting that the RockHounds (who did not "go gentle into that good night") scored the game's final two runs utilizing the time-honored combination of a walk, two bases taken on "defensive indifference," one between the wickets error and an RBI single.
Another "indicator" if a wild Sunday afternoon: Arkansas' Matt Oye allowed six runs (five earned) on 10 hits … bumping his ERA up by nearly four points … and he was the winning pitcher.
The clubs exchanged five-run second innings, with the RockHounds entering the frame trailing 6-0 and exiting with just a 6-5 deficit. The wild, 10-run second was highlighted by a two-run triple by Arkansas' Mark Fleury and a three-run home run off the bat of RockHounds left fielder D'Arby Myers.
Rolando Gomez' wind-blown homer to left in the third built the lead to 7-5, and the Travelers padded the lead with a run in the sixth and three more in the seventh (benefitting from two RockHounds errors in the latter inning).
Matt Long had a pair of ribbies for the Travelers, bringing his Texas League-leading total to 12, while Myers finished with a game-high four RBI.
Kibbles & Bits
- The 'Hounds and Corpus Christi fell on Sunday, while San Antonio and Frisco were victorious, so the Hooks (7-3) lead the division by one game over the other three clubs (all 6-4).
- Defense has been an issue, with the RockHounds committing four errors both Saturday and Sunday.
- The RockHounds are now 1-3 at home after opening the season with a 5-1 road trip (facing the same two clubs, Northwest Arkansas and Arkansas in that time). The 'Hounds and Travelers play Monday and Tuesday (6:30 both evenings) to conclude the series and home stand.
Line Score R H E LOB
Arkansas Travelers 11 13 3 7
RockHounds 8 12 4 8
WP Matt Oye (1-1, 5.56)
LP Murphy Smith (1-2, 3.31)
Sv None
HR RockHounds: D'Arby Myers (1) A 3-run HR in the 2nd (off Matt Oye)
Arkansas: Rolando Gomez (1) Solo in the 3rd (off Murphy Smith)
Next Game
vs. Arkansas Travelers (LA Angels' AA Affiliate)
Monday, April 15 6:30 p.m. Radio at 6:15 p.m.
At Citibank Ballpark
Probable Starters
Arkansas T B A
RockHounds (RH) Arnold Leon (1-1, 0.00)