Travs Fend Off Naturals; Win Fourth Straight

Arkansas moves to a season-best 12 games over .500

Zac Grotz pitched 3.2 scoreless innings with six strikeouts to earn the win on Monday night. (Mark Wagner)

May 21, 2019

North Little Rock, AR-The Arkansas Travelers matched their season-high with a fourth straight win taking down the NW Arkansas Naturals, 4-3, on Monday night. Zac Grotz pitched 3.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen with six strikeouts to earn his first win of the season. Jordan Cowan had two hits

North Little Rock, AR-The Arkansas Travelers matched their season-high with a fourth straight win taking down the NW Arkansas Naturals, 4-3, on Monday night. Zac Grotz pitched 3.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen with six strikeouts to earn his first win of the season. Jordan Cowan had two hits and two RBIs to lead the offense. All four Travs runs scored with two out. Robinson Leyer got the final four outs to get his first save. Naturals starter Arnaldo Hernandez lasted only five innings and was charged with three unearned runs in the loss. The victory allows the Travs to maintain and 5.5 game lead over Tulsa in the division race.
Moments That Mattered
* Starter Justin Dunn got out of a second and third, no out situation in the first inning with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout.
* Three straight two out RBI hits from Jake Fraley, Chris Mariscal and Jordan Cowan put the Travs on top in the third inning.
* With the tying run at third and go-ahead run at first, Donnie Walton stopped a hard hit two hopper by the speedy Travis Jones to start a 6-4-3 double play and end the game.
Notable Travs Performances
* RF Jake Fraley: 2-3, run, BB, 2B, RBI
* 2B Jordan Cowan: 2-4, 2 RBI
* RHP Zac Grotz: Win, 3.2 IP, H, 6 K
News and Notes
* Arkansas committed a season-high three errors. They entered the game having made the fewest miscues in the league.
* The victory is the Travs' ninth in 12 one-run games this season.
* Travs' starting pitcher Justin Dunn was ejected in the fifth inning after a controversial hit by pitch call. Naturals' right fielder Khalil Lee was ejected in the eighth inning after arguing on a called third strike.
* Robinson Leyer is the seventh different Trav to record a save this season.
Up Next
Game two of the series is set for 7:10 on Tuesday night. Left-hander Ricardo Sánchez (4-3, 3.68) gets the start against righty Gerson Garabito (2-3, 4.06). It is a Zoosday Tuesday with free train rides and baseball bingo. The game will also be broadcast on the Sports Animal 920, the First Pitch App, TuneIn radio and milb.tv.