Travs' bullpen struggles again in loss to Cardinals

TEXAS LEAGUE

CARDINALS 6, TRAVELERS 4

The Arkansas Travelers lost their fourth of the last five games in a 6-4 loss to the Springfield Cardinals on Thursday night at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.

Springfield (7-6) broke a 1-1 tie with a five-run seventh inning, when first baseman John Nogowski hit a grand slam to right field off Travs right-handed reliever Stephen Perakslis.

Perakslis (0-2, 12.15 ERA) earned the loss after giving up 5 runs, 3 hits and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts in the seventh. Perakslis walked in the first run with two outs, after the Cardinals loaded the bases with two singles and a walk.

"It just takes something small like that and it can escalate real quick," said Perakslis, 27, who was signed by the Seattle Mariners on March 28 after spending six minor league seasons with the Chicago Cubs.

The bullpen has struggled during the Travs 1-4 stretch, going 0-3 with a 5.49 ERA.

"We've got some guys with pretty good arms down there [in the bullpen]," Travs manager Daren Brown said. "We just need to execute better with the game on the line."

Travs second baseman Adam Law drove in the team's first run with a sacrifice fly during the fifth, and his ground-rule double to right field brought the Travs within 6-4 in the bottom of the ninth.

Left fielder Chuck Taylor struck out swinging with runners on first and third to end the game.

"We're in every game," said Taylor, who went 0 for 5 and has a .250 batting average. "Nobody's boatracing us. We're still finishing strong. That's all that really matters."

The Travs loss overshadowed Johendi Jiminian's start. The 25-year-old righthander entered the game with the ninth-ranked ERA (1.93) in the Texas League, and Jiminian (1-0, 1.72) pitched 6 innings Thursday night while giving up 6 hits, and 1 run and recording 6 strikeouts and 2 walks.

Seattle signed Jiminian to a minor league contract Jan. 16, after his six-year contract with the Colorado Rockies was fulfilled after last season.

After a rough 2017 when he went 0-3 with a 5.73 ERA, Jiminian's 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings this year ties his career-high from the 2016 season.

"Last year was a bad year," said Jiminian, who said the only adjustments in spring training were mental. "Just believe more in myself, and when I get a chance, be the best I can be every time."

Today’s game

ARKANSAS TRAVELERS

VS. SPRINGFIELD CARDINALS

WHEN 7:10 p.m. WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas WEBSITE travs.com PITCHERS Travs: RHP Nathan Bannister (1-0, 6.52 ERA); Cardinals: RHP Sam Tewes (0-2, 7.56)

THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY vs. Springfield, 7:10 p.m. SATURDAY vs. Springfield, 6:10 p.m. SUNDAY vs. Springfield, 2:10 p.m. MONDAY vs. Tulsa, 7:10 p.m. TUESDAY vs. Tulsa, 11 a.m. WEDNESDAY vs. Tulsa, 7:10 p.m. THURSDAY vs. Tulsa, 7:10 p.m.

TEXAS LEAGUE standings, scores and schedule. Page 3C.

Sports on 04/20/2018

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