North Little Rock, AR – Saturday’s game was billed as a strong pitching matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers #11 prospect Adam Serwinowski and the Seattle Mariners #1 prospect Kade Anderson at Dickey-Stephens Park. The matchup lived up to the hype through the first six innings, but the night ultimately fell in favor of the Arkansas Travelers as they came within one out of throwing a perfect game against the Tulsa Drillers in an 8-0 loss for Tulsa.
The result evened the series at two games each with two more remaining. Tulsa claimed victories in the first two matchups this week, but the Travs have won the last two, evening the current series at 2-2 and the season series at 8-8.
The loss also dropped Tulsa back in to second place in the Texas League North Division as Springfield blanked Northwest Arkansas, giving the Cardinals a one-game lead atop the standings.
Serwinowski and Anderson kept the opposing side off the base paths through the first two innings. After Anderson sat down the Drillers in the top of the third, Blake Rambusch drew a one-out walk in the bottom half for the game’s first baserunner.
Jonny Farmelo made Serwinowski pay as he hit his first Double-A home run to put Arkansas ahead 2-0.
One inning later, Charlie Pagliarini produced the Travs' third run with a solo homer to center field.
Anderson continued to stymie the Drillers as he did not allow a base runner through five innings with seven strikeouts. He did not return for the sixth as Arkansas turned to its bullpen after Anderson threw 56 pitches, 43 for strikes.
Serwinowski still showed strong command over the next two innings while racking up nine strikeouts in the process. The lefthander returned for the seventh inning and gave up two walks and a double to give the Travs their fourth run, ending his night.
Evan Shaw entered from the bullpen, and Arkansas produced two doubles and a single to score four more runs and take an 8-0 lead.
Through eight innings, two Arkansas relievers continued Anderson’s perfection and retired all 24 Tulsa batters, moving to within just three outs of a perfect game.
Frank Rodriguez and Kole Myers were both retired to begin the top of the ninth, leaving the Travs within one out of perfection.
The perfect game and no-hitter were both broken up on the same play. Sam Mongelli reached base with a hard single to third base for his first Double-A hit. The game ended one batter later when Kendall George struck out.
GAME NOTES
*The result was Tulsa’s fourth shutout loss this season.
*Serwinowski received his second straight loss but just is second in over the past three months. His final line was slightly misleading to his performance, as he was charged with six runs on five hits and three walks.
*Relievers Lucas Kelly and Ty Cummings combined with Anderson to finish one out shy of the perfect game.
*Home runs have been trouble for Serwinowski this season. The two homers allowed on Friday brought his total to 15. Twenty-eight of the 57 runs allowed by Serwinowski have come from the long ball.
*Zyhir Hope’s 18-game on-base streak and his six-game hitting streak ended as he finished 0-3.
UP NEXT
The Drillers will continue their series with the Travelers on Saturday night at Dickey-Stephens Park with game five of the six-game set. Starting time is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. and the pitching matchup is expected to be:
Tulsa – RHP Christian Zazueta (0-0, 2.12 ERA)
Arkansas – RHP Ryan Sloan (2-2, 4.04 ERA)