Late Rally Can't Overcome Early Hole

Springdale, AR-A six-run deficit proved too much to overcome for the Arkansas Travelers in a 9-7 defeat at the hands of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Thursday. The Travs dropped the series by a count of three games to one. Trailing 9-3 after the fifth inning, Arkansas would not go away. They plated three runs in the seventh, then scored again as part of a two out rally in the top of the ninth and had the tying runs on base when Joey Curletta took Luis Vasquez to a full count before striking out. Braden Bishop led off the game with his third homer of the year and finished with a career best five hits. Beau Amaral also drove in four runs matching his career high for the third time and second this season. Starter Johendí Jiminian failed to get through the third inning and was charged with eight runs (five earned) on eight hits over just 2.2 innings. The bullpen (Scott Kuzminsky, Stephen Perakslis and Bryan Bonnell) covered the final 5.1 innings while surrendering just one run.
Moments That Mattered
* Northwest Arkansas responded to Bishop's lead-off homer with a four spot in the bottom of the first. Elier Hernandez hit a two-run double and Anderson Miller connected for a two-run homer.
* Down four in the third, Beau Amaral ripped a two-run single to cut it down to a two run game.
* The Travs were down to their final strike with the bases empty in the ninth before Bishop singled, Chuck Taylor walked and Amaral hit an RBI single to bring the go-ahead run to the plate.
Notable Travs Performances
* CF Braden Bishop: 5-5, 4 runs, HR, RBI
* RF Beau Amaral: 2-5, 4 RBI
Up Next
The Travs open a four game series in Tulsa against the Drillers Friday night. RH Nathan Bannister (3-2, 4.54) goes up against lefty Devin Smeltzer (0-3, 7.90). First pitch is at 7:05 and the game will be broadcast on the Sports Animal 920, the First Pitch App, TuneIn radio and milb.tv.