MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com -NORTH LITTLE ROCK – The Tulsa Driller offense cranked out back-to-back home runs in the second inning, a third home run in the ninth and scored the rest of their runs on Arkansas miscues Friday night at Dickey-Stephens Park. The Travs committed four costly errors and collected just four hits, as Driller starter Jhoulys Chacin dominated the Traveler offense in Tulsa’s 8-0 shutout win.

Arkansas (6-13, 34-55) starter Tommy Mendoza (L, 6-5) got the tough luck loss after surrendering eight runs, six of them unearned, on nine hits and one walk in 6.2 innings. Mendoza gave up consecutive homers to Mike McKenry (9) and Cole Garner (9) to lead off the second inning, but settled in and held the Drillers scoreless for the next four innings and just one hit. Mendoza also struck out six batters, but a slew of defensive misplays led to several Tulsa runs and a big loss for the Travs.

Anthony Jackson singled to start the game and scored from first with two outs when Ivan Contreras, normally a second baseman but playing left field because of a pre-game injury to outfielder Rian Kiniry (elbow), booted a routine ground ball (5) in the outfield with two outs.

In the seventh inning, Wil Ortiz made a two-base throwing error (16) to allow Ryan Harvey to reach second to start the inning. After getting two outs, Mendoza gave up four straight hits before coming out of the game. Darin Holcomb got an infield single when Mark Trumbo came off the bag at first, then Jeff Kindel hit an RBI-single to right to score Harvey. Daniel Mayora got another infield single on a chopper between Trumbo and Ryan Mount, driving in Holcomb, and then Michael Paulk cleared the bases with a two-out triple to the wall in right-center.

Ryan Aldridge relieved Mendoza and the first batter he faced, McKenry, reached when Trumbo couldn’t scoop a throw from Hainley Statia (15), the shortstop’s second error of the game, which allowed Paulk to score. Contreras then made an inning-ending outfield assist on the next play, throwing out McKenry at home on Garner’s single.

Kindel hit a home run (5) to right field off David Herndon to lead off the ninth, putting Tulsa (9-9, 47-41) ahead by the final margin 8-0.

Chacin (W, 8-6) was brilliant for the Drillers, holding the Travelers to three hits over eight shutout innings in an efficient 103 pitches. The Texas League strikeout leader (86) threw walked three but struck out six. Adam Bright gave up one hit in a scoreless ninth inning of relief.

Arkansas catcher Hank Conger was the only Trav with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-4 with a double to bring his July batting average up to .375 with six extra-base hits in 11 games played.

Friday’s crowd was 6,863 for a game time of 2:36.

The Drillers and Travelers will play a doubleheader Saturday, with the first of two seven-inning games starting at 5:30 p.m. Lefthander Trevor Reckling (5-2, 2.56 ERA) and Samuel Deduno (7-2, 2.65) will square off in game one, while Amalio Diaz (1-4, 4.22) will take the mound for Arkansas in game two against Tulsa’s Andy Graham (2-3, 5.93).

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