Today's Game Notes

LEADING OFF--The Travs go for a series win over Amarillo.

LAST TIME OUT--Arkansas and Amarillo split a doubleheader on Saturday with the Travs taking the second game by a 5-1 final after the Sod Poodles won the opener 4-2...in game one, Yilber Diaz worked five innings surrendering just a run on one hit while striking out five and earned the win for Amarillo...J.J. D’Orazio had two hits and two RBIs for Amarillo...in game two, Juan Mercedes went the distance for Arkansas in an 88 pitch, seven inning complete game victory earning his second win of the season...it was the longest start of the season for a Travs pitcher.

JUAN-DERFUL PITCHING--The Travelers pitching staff has been outstanding this week...last night Juan Mercedes dealt a seven inning complete game to close out the doubleheader...it was the first CG of the season for Arkansas and the first time a pitcher worked past six innings...earlier in the week, the pitching staff had a run of 20 consecutive scoreless innings that encompassed a shutout win on Wednesday...that marked the third shutout of the season for Arkansas pitchers...they have allowed only six earned runs and 25 hits over the first five games of this series.

PACK MAN--Spencer Packard was perfect at the plate Thursday night going 3-3 with a homer and two walks...is 10-19 (.526) over his past five contests... included in that time are three three-hit games, a double, two homers and nine runs batted in.

HOMER CENTRAL--Despite not homering in last night’s doubleheader....he Travelers have hits 14 homers over their past 11 games...have connected for three blasts in a game four times the past 14 contests including a three homer fourth inning Thursday night...Arkansas ranks fourth in the league with 43 long balls...16 of the 43 have come in home games.

RUNNING FREE--Arkansas stole five bases in last night’s twinbill...they have taken 27 bags over the last 11 games...the team’s 74 steals rank third in the Texas League...Jared Oliva leads the club with 15, tied for third most in the league while Harry Ford has 14 tied for fifth in the league.

TALE OF TWO HALVES--Arkansas has fared well early in games this season but struggled in the late innings...they have outscored the opposition in every inning from the 1st to the 5th, for a cumulative run differential of plus-53...from the 6th inning on though, they have been outscored by 27 runs.

PROSPECTING--The Travelers active roster is populated with eight of the Mariners top 30 prospects based on the mlb.com rankings...topping the list are INF Cole Young, top ranked in the system and #27 overall in baseball and C Harry Ford, second in the system and #28 overall...also among Seattle’s top 30 are INF Ben Williamson (15), RHP Logan Evans (19), RHP Jimmy Joyce (21), OF Alberto Rodriguez (22), RHP Troy Taylor (26) and LHP Reid VanScoter (29).

THE DIRT ON THE SOD POODLES--The Amarillo Sod Poodles (Arizona Diamondbacks) are in fourth place in the South Division...won their first series of the season last week taking five of six games at NW Arkansas...managed by former (2013) Travs skipper Tim Bogar...their pitching staff ranks last in the league in ERA with an offense that is seventh in runs...Arizona had the 16th ranked farm system in baseball in the preseason rankings from mlb.com...Amarillo’s roster has five of the Diamondbacks prospects from the same ratings service...among those ranked in Arizona’s top 30 list are INF Ivan Melendez (8), OF A.J. Vukovich (15), RHP Yilber Diaz (16), OF Kristian Robinson (17) and C/OF Caleb Roberts (27).

Starting Pitcher - RHP Blas Castano (0-2, 3.33 ERA)

Blas Castano makes his 11th appearance and eighth start of the season...today marks his sixth straight start...worked a season high five innings in each of his last two starts...hard luck loser in the series opener on Tuesday allowing only two unearned runs on three hits with five strikeouts...has not given up more than one earned run in his last 10 games since season debut...pitched five innings on 5/22 at Corpus Christi giving up just one run on three hits with a walk and four strike- outs...started on 5/10 in Wichita holding the Wind Surge scoreless on two hits while striking out four...started the second game of the doubleheader on 5/3 against San Antonio throwing two innings allowing a run on a hit and a walk with two Ks...fired 2.2 scoreless IP in relief on 4/16 vs. Frisco on two hits and two walks

Castano faced Amarillo in game two of the Championship Series last season allowing three runs on four hits including two homers over four IP (2 BB, 3 K)

Blas pitched for three clubs over two levels last year posting a combined 5-6 record and 4.37 ERA in 26 games (11 starts) over 78.1 innings...also started two postseason games for Arkansas...put up a 4.30 ERA with the Travs over 29.1 IP with 30 strikeouts and 10 walks...had spent most of season with Double-A Somerset going 4-3 with a 4.76 ERA in 45.1 innings...also made a pair of scoreless appearances with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (3.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K)

Worked as starter in 2022 pitching all but one game with High-A Hudson Valley...was 5-8 with a 3.49 ERA in 21 starts covering 105.2 IP...struck out 101, walked 33 and limited opponents to a .247 BA...finished 2nd in the South Atlantic League in ERA...made Double-A debut with one start for Somerset

Made only 10 appearances (eight starts) in the 2021 season...pitched eight time with Class-A Tampa striking out 43 and walking only eight over 38.1 innings

25-year old made stateside debut in 2019 with 11 outings for the Yankees club in the Gulf Coast League...opened 2019 pitching for their affiliate in the Dominican Summer League...made pro debut in his native Dominican Republic in 2018 after signing with the Yankees at the age of 17

Starting Pitcher - RHP Bryan Woo (2-2, 2.08 ERA)

Bryan Woo makes his 9th start of the season and at the Double-A level...started on Tuesday and took the loss despite allowing just two runs over five innings... did have a season high in walks (3) and a season low in strikeouts (4)...picked up his second straight win on 5/17 in Wichita dealing a strong six innings (7 H, R, BB, 10 K, HR)...threw a career-best seven innings (on only 74 pitches) in a shutout effort on 5/11 vs. NW Arkansas giving up just two hits while striking out seven and earning his first win of the season...retired the first 18 hitters of that game before an surrendering an infield hit to start the 7th inning...pitched on 5/5 at Springfield and was saddled with the loss (4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K, HR)...dominated Tulsa on 4/29 authoring five shutout innings with eight strikeouts while giving up just one hit...made Double-A debut in home opener on 4/11 throwing four shutout innings (H, BB, 7 K)
Woo also faced Frisco on 4/22 and took no decision after a solid four innings of work...gave up just one run on three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts
Bryan was named Texas League Pitcher of the Week for May 8-14...threw career best 7 IP in win vs. NWA (2 H, 7 K)...retired first 18 hitters of the game
Split last season between High-A Everett, Class-A Modesto and the Arizona Complex League...was held out of game action until June...pitched three times for the ACL Mariners (5.2 innings)...made six starts for Modesto going 0-1 with a 3.98 ERA over 20.1 innings with 29 strikeouts and six walks...made seven starts with Everett to close out regular season posting a 1-3 record with a 4.78 ERA...struck out 46 and walked 16 in 32 innings...earned first pro win on 8/2/22 with Everett vs. Hillsboro giving up just an unearned run on four hits over five innings with a walk and five strikeouts...struck out a career best 11 on 8/19/22 in a six inning start vs. Vancouver and earned Northwest League Pitcher of the Week honors for that performance
Closed his 2022 campaign by pitching in the Arizona Fall League making five starts for the Peoria Javelinas making up for lost innings during the season... allowed just one run over his 10.2 innings of work in the Fall League...took home an AFL Pitcher of the Week Award as well
Did not pitch in 2021 after being drafted...sat out while recovering from UCL replacement (Tommy John) surgery on his right elbow at the end of April
Started just six of 31 games in college over three years at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo with an cumulative ERA of 6.36
23-year old is a native of Alameda, California...went to Alameda High School and was named the West Alameda County Conference MVP

Travs Digital Scorecard

Arkansas Travelers vs. Amarillo Sod Poodles (ARI)

Record: 28-21

Record: 23-27

Today's Game Notes