The Arkansas Travelers’ bats cooled off, and their season-long winning streak came to an end Friday night.
The Travs managed only single runs in the first and seventh innings off Tulsa starter Daniel Winkler, one of the top starters in the Texas League, and were held to just five hits in a 4-2 loss to the Drillers at ONEOK Field in Tulsa.
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak during which the Travs scored 31 runs.
Alex Yarbrough doubled in the first and scored on Zach Borenstein’s double to give the Travs a 1-0 lead, and Kaleb Cowart homered in the seventh, the first time in two Class AA seasons he’s homered in consecutive games.But that’s all the Travs could muster against Winkler.
Winkler, whose 0.9 0 ERA before Friday ranked second in the Texas League, held Arkansas to 1 hit while striking out 10 in a victory April 22 at Dickey-Stephens Park. The 24-year-old wasn’t as dominant Friday, but he was close.
After Yarbrough’s run in the first, the Travs didn’t get another hit until Cowart’s one-out home run in the seventh, which ended a string of 15 retired batters in a row for Winkler. After Cowart’s home run, Jett Bandy doubled to left, but Adam Melker flied out and Alex Albritton grounded out to end Winkler’s final inning.
Winkler (4-1) struck out 8 while giving up 2 runs on 4 hits.
Arkansas starter Drew Rucinski (2-2) gave up 4 runs on 6 hits and struck out 6 in 5 innings.
Today’s game
ARKANSAS AT NW ARKANSAS WHEN 7:05 p.m.
WHERE Arvest Ballpark, Springdale RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas, KQSM-FM, 92.1, in Northwest Arkansas WEBSITE travs.com or nwanaturals.com PITCHERS Travelers: Kramer Sneed (LHP, 3-2, 3.81 ERA) Naturals: Sam Selman (LHP, 1-2, 3.86) TICKETS $12 super premium, $10 premium, $8 reserved, $7 grass berm SHORT HOPS The Los Angeles Angels signed free-agent infielder Vance Albitz to a minor-league contract and assigned him to Class AA Arkansas on Friday. Albitz, 26, will take the place of shortstop Eric Stamets, who was placed on the seven-day disabled list with a lacerated finger. Albitz spent the past two seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals organization and hit .250 while spending most of last season at Class AA Springfield.
LOOKING AHEAD TODAY at NW Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.
SUNDAY at NW Arkansas, 2:05 p.m.
MONDAY at NW Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.
TUESDAY at NW Arkansas, 11:05 a.m.
WEDNESDAY off
FRIDAY’S GAMES Midland 8, Corpus Christi 6 Tulsa 4, Arkansas 2 San Antonio 8, Frisco 3 NW Arkansas 8, Springfield 5
TODAY’S GAMES All times Central
Tulsa at Springfield, 6:10 p.m.
Arkansas at NW Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.
Midland at Frisco, 7:05 p.m.
San Antonio at Corpus Christi, 7:10 p.m.
SUNDAY’S GAMES
San Antonio at Corpus Christi, 1:10 p.m.
Arkansas at NW Arkansas, 2:05 p.m.
Midland at Frisco, 2:05 p.m.
Tulsa at Springfield, 2:10 p.m.
Sports, Pages 23 on 05/03/2014