Travelers drop second straight to Tulsa, 6-3
After Arkansas plated three runs on six hits through four innings Monday afternoon, their offense was completely shut down. After Tulsa pushed across a run in the sixth inning to tie it up at three, the Trav’s couldn’t manage even one hit, and the bullpen finally gave in during the 11th.
Second baseman Eric Rodland had a pair of singles and has now hit in six consecutive games. In four of those contests, he has had multiple hits.
Leadoff man Dwaine Bacon, who also had two singles, was the only other Traveler with multiple hits on the day. After reaching base in the second, Bacon was caught stealing for the first time this season. The centerfielder has a career success rate right at 80 percent.
Closer Bob Zimmermann gave up his first runs of the season to take the loss. In the 11th, he surrendered a pair of singles and two walks to allow the tie-breaking run. Michel Simard came on and gave up a single to score two more. The runs broke a six-plus inning streak of shutout work by Arkansas relievers.
Whitecaps end Kernels’ streak 5-3
The Cedar Rapids offense collected only six singles on the night, quietly dropping their series opener to West Michigan.
Tommy Mendoza, coming off six innings of shutout work in his last start, gave up three runs on eight hits for the Kernels, but the ‘Caps jumped on reliever Jim West for a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to clinch the game.
West has now given up four runs and taken a pair of losses in two innings at home, while he given up just one hit on the road.
Bradley Coon had a single and now has hit in nine of his last 10. Travis Schlichting, who was successful on 13 of 16 attempts last year, stole his second base of the season and scored the first run of the game.
The Bees’ game against Portland was postponed due to inclement weather. No make-up date has yet been set. The Quakes had a scheduled day off before opening their series at Lake Elsinore Tuesday night.