Bullpen keeps Travs in it, Bandy handles the rest

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/RICK MCFARLAND--07/24/14--    Travelers' Alex Yarbrough takes the throw from the catcher to tag out the Drillers' Jarod Simon (6) on a steal attempt in their game at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock Thursday.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/RICK MCFARLAND--07/24/14-- Travelers' Alex Yarbrough takes the throw from the catcher to tag out the Drillers' Jarod Simon (6) on a steal attempt in their game at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock Thursday.

Phillip Wellman entered the Arkansas Travelers' dugout Thursday night following an eighth inning that featured Alex Yarbrough's game-tying RBI single to center field with a message to those in the first-base side dugout.

"We're going to win this game," said Wellman, who had been coaching third base when Yarbrough scored Maikol Gonzalez.

It took three more innings, but Jett Bandy's RBI double down the left-field line scored Matt Long in the bottom of the 11th inning and the Travs beat the Tulsa Drillers 2-1 at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.

"I knew it was falling for sure," Bandy said. "You've got to stay positive. Everybody wants to do it. My teammates got on, and I was just the lucky guy tonight."

Bandy's double was his third hit of the game -- he celebrated by pumping his right first in the air as he approached second base -- and it gave the Travs a victory in a game when they were held scoreless through seven innings and went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position.

The Travs out-hit the Drillers 8-5 and failed to take advantage of two Drillers errors. On top of that, Arkansas put a runner on second base in the seventh, ninth and 10th innings but failed to score with a chance to tie or take the lead.

"Again, our nemesis was our lack of offensive execution," Wellman said. "It's either going to be the death of us or it's going to be what gets us over the hump."

In the seventh, Brian Hernandez reached on an error and Mike Bianucci singled with no outs. But Matt Long popped up a bunt, Bandy struck out and Michael Snyder grounded out. In the ninth, Bianucci singled and Bandy was walked intentionally with one out, but Kaleb Cowart and Drew Heid flew out.

In the 10th, Hernandez grounded into a double play to end a threat.

"It was a matter of execution," Long said. "I failed to execute three times, and that's how you win close games by completing those situations. Luckily Jett was there to pick up the team."

A bullpen that Wellman has touted all season was there, too.

Even without reliever R.J. Alvarez, who was traded last week in a deal that sent closer Huston Street to the Los Angeles Angels, Travs relievers combined to throw 3 2/3 shutout innings after Daniel Reynolds gave up an RBI single to Jayson Langfels.

Carmine Giardina picked up the final two outs of the eighth, then Cam Bedrosian pitched a perfect ninth after Yarbrough's RBI single tied it at 1-1. Trevor Gott, whom the Travs received from the San Diego Padres along with Street, struck out three over two innings to earn his first victory.

Gott struck out two in the top of the 11th to set up Bandy's game-winner. In the bottom of the inning, Adam Melker led off with a single but was called out at second base when Long's bunt was fielded by Tulsa pitcher Kraig Sitton. But with Long on first base, Bandy ripped the first pitch he saw down the left-field line.

It bounced once, then hit high off the wall to allow Long to score.

"Our bullpen is unbelievable," Bandy said. "Every guy in there has a plus-plus arm. We're just so confident when we have to go to the bullpen, because those guys work hard and it's a great thing to have on a team."

Sports on 07/25/2014

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