The Arkansas Travelers got help from everybody Thursday night in their season-opening victory over the Frisco RoughRiders.
Sherman Johnson and Kentrail Davis each hit two doubles, Brian Hernandez had three singles and every starter had at least one hit in the Travs' 8-4 victory at Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas.
The Travs, with six starters who were not a part of their Texas League playoff team a year ago, scored two runs in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. That proved plenty for left-hander Nate Smith (1-0), who gave up 3 runs on 6 hits and struck out 6 in 6 innings.
Johnson, a second baseman, led off the game with a double off the right-field wall and scored on Cal Towey's single to right field to give the Travs a 1-0 lead. Michael Snyder's single later scored Chad Hinshaw to make it 2-0, and the Travs added two runs in the fifth, three in the sixth and one in the seventh.
Johnson, Hinshaw, Snyder, Davis and Bemboom each had two hits for the Travs, while Towey and Anthony Bemboom drove in two runs each.
After lining into a double play in his first at-bat, Hernandez singled in the fourth, hit an RBI double in a two-run fifth, walked in the seventh and singled in the ninth.
The Travs led 4-3 when they pulled away with three runs in the sixth. Davis drew a leadoff walk, Wade Hinkle singled and Bemboom singled to drive in Davis. Eric Stamets then reached on a bunt single to load the bases and Johnson drew a bases-loaded walk to score Hinkle. The final run scored when Hinshaw grounded into a double play.
After Smith worked through a perfect sixth, he exited with a comfortable lead as Chris O'Grady and Michael Brady combined to allow 1 run on 4 hits in the final 3 innings.
ROCKHOUNDS 10, NATURALS 5
Left fielder Chad Oberacker went 2 for 3 with 3 RBI to lead Midland to a season-opening victory over Northwest Arkansas on Thursday at Security Bank Ballpark in Midland, Texas.
First baseman Matt Olsen went 2 for 3 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI for Midland, which jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the second inning, then added two runs each in the fourth and seventh innings and plated single runs in the sixth and eighth innings.
Miguel Almonte took the loss for Northwest Arkansas after allowing the 4 runs -- all earned -- in the first 2 innings on 4 hits with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts.
Designated hitter Mike Bianucci led the Naturals offensively, going 3 for 4 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Third baseman Hunter Dozier went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and right fielder Jorge Bonifacio went 2 for 5 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored.
Sports on 04/10/2015