Four runs in 7th carry Travs

TRAVELERS 7, CARDINALS 3

The Arkansas Travelers scored four times in the top of the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie and defeat the Springfield Cardinals 7-3 at Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo., on Thursday night.

Donnie Walton opened the inning with a double to left. After Joe DeCarlo field out, Yonathan Mendoza walked and Braden Bishop singled to right to load the bases. Colton Thomson replaced Ian McKinney and allowed a sacrifice fly to Chuck Taylor which scored Walton to put the Travelers up 4-3.

After Eric Filia walked, Joey Curletta walked to score Mendoza to make it 5-3. Dario Pizzano finished the scoring with a double to right to score Bishop and Filia to set the final margin.

The Cardinals overcame a 3-1 deficit in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of runs. With Stephen Perakslis relieving Williams Perez, who left with two runners on, Evan Mendoza hit a sacrifice fly to score Tommy Edman and Andrew Knizner singled to score Lane Thomas to tie the game 3-3.

Despite blowing a 3-1 lead, Perakslis (2-2) picked up the victory allowing 2 hits and striking out 1 in 12/3 innings.

McKinney (2-2) took the loss, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits in 2/3 innings.

Bishop led the Travelers by going 3 for 5 and scoring 2 runs. Pizzano went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI. Knizner led the Cardinals by going 3 for 4, scoring 1 run and driving in 2. Edman went 2 for 5 and scored 1 run.