Travs Win Opener

by Mike Lindskog

The Arkansas Travelers took advantage of four Springfield errors, en route to a 6-1 win over the Springfield Cardinals on Sunday evening at Hammons Field. 

Arkansas starter Kasey Olenberger pitched a season-best eight innings, picking up his fifth win of the year.  Olenberger allowed a home run to Juan Diaz in the second inning, but was dominating there-after.  He allowed just the one run on four hits, walking just two men on the night. 

Diaz’ 12th of the year gave the Cards a brief lead, but it was all Arkansas after that.  An unearned run tied the game in the third, as Howie Kendrick’s RBI double knotted the game at 1-1.  The Travs took the lead for good at 2-1 in the fourth, as Tommy Murphy, who had three hits on the night, scored from third on a David Gates sac fly.  Arkansas’ Brent Del Chiaro took Cards starter Randy Leek deep in the fifth to make it 3-1.  The Travs added two more in the fifth and one in the sixth, taking a commanding 6-1 lead.

Leek (10-6) allowed six runs on the night, but only two were earned, on seven total hits. 

Jeremy Cook came out of the bullpen and worked three innings of scoreless relief, giving his club a chance to rally.  The rally never came though, as Olenberger (5-5) shut down the offense, finally giving way to David Austen who worked a scoreless ninth. 

The Cardinals have now lost two straight and four of six on the current home stand.  Springfield now trails first-place Wichita by four games in the East Division.  The Cards send Chris Lambert (1-3) to the mound on Monday night, as he faces Arkansas’ Daniel Davidson (9-4).