LITTLE ROCK — Limited offense didn’t help the Arkansas Travelers overcome an early deficit against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
First baseman Mario Lisson had a two-run single in the first inning and the Naturals limited the Travs to just five hits in a 5-1 victory Sunday night in front of an announced crowd of 3,052 at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
“Five hits and one run, you don’t win too many games like that,” Travelers Manager Mike Micucci said. “You’ve got to have a better offensive approach.”
The Naturals scored three runs in the first inning. After lead off hitter Yem Prades struck out, shortstop Christian Colon singled up the middle and advanced to third on a single by outfielder Brian Fletcher.
Colon was tagged at home for the second out on a fielder’s choice on a grounder from Paulo Orlando, but catcher Manny Pina walked to load the bases. Lisson then singled to right, and designated hitter Carlos Testa scored Pina on a single.
The Naturals might have added more, but Lisson was tagged out coming into third to end the inning.
The Travs rebounded with a run in the bottom of the first on a single from designated hitter Casey Haerther that scored second baseman Renny Osuna. But the Travs couldn’t muster much offense past that.
“They ended up battling back after we’d scored three runs.
After that they had a couple chances and we were fortunate they didn’t get a key hit in a key situation,” Naturals Manager Brian Poldberg said.
The Travs stranded three men on base and had two runners picked off over the next five scoreless innings.
“We had a couple opportunities, just couldn’t get a big hit,” Micucci said.
SATURDAY’S GAMES Arkansas 2, NW Arkansas 1 Tulsa 7, Springfield 3, 12 innings Corpus Christi 17, Midland 6 Frisco 6, San Antonio 1
SUNDAY’S GAMES Northwest Arkansas 5, Arkansas 1 Corpus Christi 6, Midland 4 San Antonio 5, Frisco 4, 10 innings Springfield 4, Tulsa 1
TODAY’S GAMES All times Central Corpus Christi at Midland, 6:30 p.m.
Frisco at San Antonio, 7:05 p.m.
Tulsa at Springfield, 7:08 p.m.
NW Arkansas at Arkansas, 7:10 p.m.
At a glance
ARKANSAS VS. NW ARKANSAS WHEN 7:10 p.m. Central today WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas INTERNET travs.com, nwanaturals.com PITCHERS Travelers: RHP Jarrett Grube (0-1, 9.00 ERA); Naturals: LHP Noel Arguelles (2-12, 7.74) TICKETS Gates open one hour before game. Tickets are $12 box, $8 reserved ($6 children), $6 general admission ($4 children).
PROMOTIONS Find a $3 coupon inside the sports section of today’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
SHORT HOPS Right-hander Jarrett Grube will start for the Travelers today in place of Matt Oye, a right-hander who will miss one to two starts with a sore right calf muscle.
TRAVELERS WEEK AHEAD TODAY vs. NW Arkansas, 7:10 p.m.
TUESDAY Off WEDNESDAY at Corpus Christi, 7:05 p.m.
THURSDAY at Corpus Christi, 7:05 p.m.
FRIDAY at Corpus Christi, 7:05 p.m.
SATURDAY at San Antonio, 7:05 p.m.
SUNDAY at San Antonio, 6:05 p.m.
Sports, Pages 17 on 08/06/2012