SPRINGFIELD 8, ARKANSAS 2

The Arkansas Travelers’ streak of one-run games came to a crashing halt Monday night.

Springfield’s Arturo Reyes limited the Travelers to six hits in a season-high eight-inning effort as the Cardinals rolled to an 8-2 victory over Arkansas in front of an announced crowd of 2,167 at Dickey- Stephens Park in North Little Rock.

Reyes (6-5) struck out five and walked two as the Cardinals snapped a three-game losing skid.

“As the game wore on, I think he got a lot better,” Springfield Manager Dann Bilardello said of his starting pitcher. “Early in the game, the command of his pitches really weren’t there, but he was making pitches when he needed to. And as the game progressed, he got better command of his fastball, which helped him out with all of his other pitches.”

Reyes was coming off losing effort against Corpus Christi on July 13, a game in which he allowed six earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. But the 40th-round pick in the 2013 draft was a more effective pitcher Monday.

After working out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth, Reyes retired eight consecutive Travelers.

Reyes was the Cardinals’ Minor League Pitcher of the Month in June, going 4-0 with a 1.84 earned run average.

“[Reyes] has been really consistent for us,” said Cardinals center fielder Charlie Tilson, who was 2 for 4 with a two-run single in the second inning that started Monday’s scoring. “He allowed a few base runners early, but he got out of trouble and was strong the rest of the game.”

The Travs entered Monday’s game having played in nine consecutive one- run games, winning five of them. Arkansas was within 3-1 at the start of the eighth inning, but a bases-clearing triple by David Washington off left-handed reliever Scott Snodgrass highlighted a five-run outburst that put the game away.

Washington had been 0 for 8 in bases-loaded situations prior to his eighth-inning atbat. He had also struck out in his two previous at-bats.

“That’s when the numbers aren’t right,” Bilardello said. “It was lefty on lefty, he was 0 for 8, bases loaded, no chance. But I always look at it as if he’s due. He had a good at-bat. He fouled off a few pitches. It was a good at-bat and we needed it.”

The Travelers picked up their two runs on a run-scoring single by Cal Towey in the second inning and a sacrifice fly by Blake Gailen in the eighth. Arkansas picked up two hits — but no runs — off Cardinals reliever Ronnie Shaban in the ninth.

Arkansas starter Chris Ellis (4-1) suffered his first loss of the season. The righthander struck out 3, walked 4 and gave up 5 hits in 5 innings.

Brian Hernandez, Wade Hinkle and Raywilly Gomez each had two hits for the Travelers.

Springfield’s Matt Williams had three of his team’s 10 hits. Arkansas lost for the fourth time in its past five games against Springfield, but leads the season series 12-10.