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)