Troy Scribner made a good first impression on his Arkansas Travelers teammates.
Scribner, 24, was added to the Travs roster Saturday from extended spring training, didn't give up a hit and struck out 7 in 5 innings as the Travelers beat the Cardinals 6-1 on Sunday at Hammons Field.
The victory came after Springfield won the first game of a doubleheader 9-8.
Scribner, a 6-3 right-hander, walked four, three of which came in the second inning and led to Springfield's only run. Scribner walked Luke Voit, David Washington and Chris Jacobs and Collin Radack's sacrifice fly scored Voit. Scribner got the next two batters to pop out to begin a string of 11 retired batters.
Scribner was relieved after throwing 80 pitches by Austin Wood to start the sixth, who gave up a single to Breyvic Valera for the Cardinals' only hit.
Sherman Johnson had four hits, including his fourth home run, which put the Travs up 5-1 in the fifth. Chad Hinshaw hit a two-run home run in the first inning, his third home run of the season.
Johnson has hit in 10 consecutive games and is 10 for 14 in the series against the Cardinals to raise his Texas League-leading average to .393. He's also leading the Texas League in on-base percentage (.507) and slugging percentage (.721).
Hinshaw also homered in the first game, and Bo Way had three hits and drove in two runs for the Travelers. But Springfield scored in every inning, and Jordan Kipper gave up 8 runs on 10 hits in 41/3 innings while taking his first loss of the season.
Paul DeJong, Voit, Washington and C.J. McElroy each hit home runs for the Cardinals. DeJong also doubled and finished 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI.
The Travs led 7-5 heading into the bottom of the fourth, when Springfield scored two runs to tie it at 7-7, then added a run in the fifth and McElroy's home run in the sixth made it 9-7. Hinshaw's home run in the seventh got the Travs within one run but they didn't get another hit.
NATURALS 7, DRILLERS 5
TULSA -- Bubba Starling hit his fourth home run of the season and had three hits and the Naturals won their third game in a row on Sunday at ONEOK Field.
Starling's home run led off the seventh inning and gave the Naturals a 5-1 lead; he doubled and scored in the ninth and he also singled in the second for his second three-hit game of the season.
Matt Strahm held Tulsa to 1 run on 5 hits and struck out 8 over 5 innings to win for the first time this season. Kevin McCarthy gave up two runs in the ninth, but earned his fourth save.
Sports on 05/02/2016