Travs Bomb Tulsa Monday Night 9-2

Tulsa, Okla - With their revamped offense clicking on all cylinders the Arkansas Travelers rapped three home runs en route to a 9-2 victory over the Tulsa Drillers on Monday night at ONEOK Field. Nick Gorneault (3) went deep for the third consecutive games and was joined by Jeremy Moore (8) and Andrew Romine (2) who each hit a two-run homer to right field. Eight Travs collected at least one base hit while five players had two hits. Even with the big night at the plate the Travs still needed a solid performance on the mound, and they got one from Tyler Chatwood (2-4) who allowed just two runs over seven innings for the win.

After losing five in a row, the Travs won back-to-back games to achieve a four-game split with the Drillers. Now heading home for the start of a seven-game home stand the Travs hold a 12-18 second half record (38-62 overall). The Drillers continue their home stand with a three game series with Northwest Arkansas at 18-12 in the second half (47-52 overall).

Chatwood put together his third consecutive quality start allowing just two runs on seven base hits and one walk. The 20-year old right hander struck out three batters and threw 61 strikes out of 93 total pitches to beat the Drillers for the second time in two weeks. He also defeated Greg Reynolds (4-4) again, as the former second overall pick in the 2006 draft gave up two home runs amongst ten base hits and seven runs during six innings.

For the first time in the series the Drillers struck first, scoring a run against Chatwood in the second inning on a two-out single from Matt Repec scoring Michael Mitchell.

The Travs tied the game in the third inning on back-to-back base hits from Tyson Auer and Romine, the start of a stretch where the Travs scored in four consecutive innings. Auer pulled a two-out book-rule double to left field and scored when Romine slashed a single to left.

Moore collected his first base hit with a one-out single to centerfield in the fourth. Gorneault came to the plate and worked a 2-0 count before powering an opposite-field home run over the right-field wall for a 3-1 lead. Ryan Mount hit Reynolds's next pitch into the right-field gap for a triple. With the infield drawn up, Efren Navarro bounced a pitch over Reynolds's head which was muffed by Tulsa shortstop Radames Nazario. Mount scored on the play giving the Travs a 4-1 lead.

Alexi Amarista, who finished 2-for-5, singled with one out in the fifth. Moore yanked a fastball over the right-field fence for the Travs' second home run of the night giving them a 5-1 lead. They continued the onslaught against Reynolds in the sixth inning as Navarro singled and scored on a one-out double by new catcher Jose Jiminez pushing the lead to 6-1.

Chatwood didn't cruise through his start, although he retired the last four Tulsa batters he faced. Two fine plays on the left side of the infield kept the Drillers off the scoreboard in the fifth inning. After allowing his only walk of the game, putting Repec leading off the fifth inning, Chatwood struck out Nazario. Then Mount made a sliding grab of a hard grounder hit by Anthony Jackson and fired to first for the second out. Charlie Blackmon then hit a hard liner that Romine caught in the air with a perfectly timed leap.

The Drillers last gasp came in the sixth inning as Bronson Sardinha hit a leadoff double. A bloop single by Lars Davis knocked him home to get the Drillers their last run.

Romine made it a three home run night for the club when he yanked a shot over the right-field fence in the eighth inning off Andy Graham.

Robert Fish and Matt Oye each threw one shutout inning to close out the game.

Time of game was 2:47 and the paid attendance was 4,527.

NOTE: Jose Jiminez made his first start at the class-AA level behind the dish. The 23-year old catcher from Hialeah, Florida joined the Travs from Cedar Rapids on Monday night replacing Anel De Los Santos on the active roster. De Los Santos was placed on the disabled list with a right rotator cuff strain.

The Travs return to Dickey-Stephens Park on Tuesday to begin the longest remaining home stand of the 2010 season, a seven-gamer that begins with three games against the Springfield Cardinals. On Tuesday the Travs have left hander Trevor Reckling (1-1, 3.21) starting the game against Redbirds lefty Nick Additon (5-6, 4.70). First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. and the game broadcast on Sports Animal 920 AM begins at 6:50 p.m.