Travs' veteran soaks in game-winner

Game-winning hits don't come every day.

Ten-year minor league veterans such as Arkansas Travelers shortstop Anthony Phillips understand this, so they are OK with a sports-drink bath among a mob of teammates when those moments arise.

Phillips got his game-winner with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday night at Dickey-Stephens Park. His hard-hit, slicing single dropped just inside the right-field foul line to give the Travelers a 5-4 victory over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.

After the Naturals tied the game 4-4 in the top of the ninth on a two-out, two-strike RBI single by third baseman Jack Lopez, Arkansas catcher Jose Briceno got the Travelers started with a one-out double off right-handed reliever Evan Beal in the bottom of the ninth.

Briceno took third on a wild pitch, prompting the Naturals to load the bases with intentional walks to center fielder Bo Way and third baseman Angel Rosa.

Phillips said he stepped to the plate ready to swing.

"I knew he couldn't walk me, so I just went up there looking for a pitch over the plate," said Phillips, a 26-year-old native of Bellville, South Africa.

Travelers Manager Mark Parent said he expected Phillips to take the first pitch.

"That was one of those deals where if he gets a base hit, you go, 'Great job. Good decision,' but if he's out, it's not good," Parent said. "But, right now, I have to say he figured right."

Phillips said his hit was in flight for a second or two before he was confident it would land fair.

"I was worried at first," he said.

"I couldn't tell, either," Parent said.

Naturals Manager Vance Wilson, who was ejected in the fifth inning after words with home-plate umpire Malachi Moore, had a clear view of Phillips' hit from deep right field, near the fence and dressing rooms. He said he knew it was a winner for the Travs.

"It was a good hit," he said. "I didn't have any doubt it would land fair."

The Naturals scored three runs in the first inning, two on a home run to left-center field by first baseman Ryan O'Hearn.

Right-handed starter Victor Alcantara gave up four hits and three runs in the first for the Travs, but he did not allow another hit until right fielder Logan Moon's two-out single in the fifth. In 6 innings, he allowed 5 hits and 7 baserunners.

"I was a little unfocused to start the game," Alcantara said. "But that first inning got me focused."

"Alcantara really did the job after the first," Wilson said. "He really settled in and showed some consistency."

The Travs worked their way back with a run in the first inning, on an RBI single by designated hitter Andrew Daniel, and another in the second after Rosa led off with a triple and scored on second baseman Alex Yarbrough's single.

Right fielder Jabari Henry's fourth-inning fly ball bounced to the wall between Naturals center fielder Bubba Starling and Moon, driving in two runs for a 4-3 Travs lead.

Yarbrough, first baseman Eric Aguilera, Daniel and Henry all contributed two hits to the Travs' 11-hit attack.

Sports on 06/12/2016

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