Missions Win Game 2 in the 20th Inning
Just like in the series opener, Arkansas got on the board first. Left fielder Roberto Lopez drew a one out walk and later scored on an RBI single from third baseman Luis Jimenez.
In the San Antonio second, doubles by Vince Belnome, Sawyer Carroll, Cody Decker and Blake Tekotte resulted in three Missions runs off Travelers starter Christian Scholl for a 3-1 lead. Arkansas chipped away and scored a run in the fourth and again in the sixth off Joe Wieland to make it a 3-3 game.
Each team had multiple opportunities to take the lead. The Travelers left two runners on base in the top of the ninth, 13th and 16th, while the Missions stranded two runners in their half of the eighth, the 11th, the 12th and again in the 13th.
In the 14th inning, Arkansas left fielder Roberto Lopez homered to left off Missions reliever Pedro Hernandez to give his team a 4-3 lead. In the bottom of the frame, Dean Anna led off with a walk and Tekotte followed with a bloop single to right. Two batters later Jedd Gyorko singled to left to score Anna with the tying run as Tekotte advanced to third. Belnome then flied out to center and Tekotte tagged up but was thrown at home on a perfect throw from Travelers center fielder Matt Long.
The two teams combined for 43 strikeouts and 31 runners left on base.
Tonight's game took six hours and three minutes, making it the longest game in Texas League post-season history in terms of time. It also established the most innings ever played in a post- season game in the Texas League, eclipsing the 19 on September 14, 1942 between Shreveport and Ft. Worth.
The series shifts to Little Rock for game three on Friday, September 16. Right-hander Simon Castro will start for the Missions while fellow righty Orangel Arenas will go for the Travelers. Games four and five, if necessary, will be on Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18.