Bats flat in loss to Tulsa Wednesday
Published on June 17, 2009 under International League (IL1)
Louisville Bats News Release
SPRINGDALE, AR- Tulsa never took the pedal off the gas as their offense exploded for double-digit runs in an 11-2 romp of Northwest Arkansas on a hot Wednesday afternoon.
Naturals' right-hander Dan Cortes got off to a shaky start, using nearly 30 pitches to get out of the first inning. He managed to do so yielding only one run, which the Naturals would get back in the bottom of the frame on a sac fly by Brian McFall. Cortes worked his way out of even bigger trouble in the second. After Cortes committed a fielding error on a bunt attempt by Rex Rundgren, the bases were loaded with only one out. But Cortes managed to get Danny Sandoval to fly out and Jeff Kindel to ground out to end the threat.
The Naturals had opportunities early in both the first and the third but came up with just the one run. Two walks with nobody out in the bottom of the third, uncharacteristically issued by Drillers' starter Kieth Weiser, led to no runs when Weiser fanned Corey Smith, got Brian McFall to fly out, and fanned Ed Lucas. The next good opportunity wouldn't come until the eighth when the Naturals were down 11-2.
Cortes (4-6) was chased during the fifth. Consecutive singles by Jeff Kindel and Michael Paulk were followed by a bunt attempt by Mike McKenry. Cortes took the bunt and threw high of first baseman Corey Smith to score Kindel. A groundout by Ryan Harvey and a double by Cole Garner brought in two more runs and spelled the end for Cortes, who allowed four runs (three earned) in 4 2/3 innings while fanning four and walking four.
Tulsa's offense exploded for four in the sixth on an RBI single by Kindel and three sacrifice flies off of Naturals' reliever Chris Nicoll. On the second of which, by Ryan Harvey, Jose Duarte misplayed the ball and didn't make what would have been the second out. Three sacrifice flies in one half of an inning hasn't ever happened in the Texas League, and has not occurred in the Major Leagues since 2002. Then, Jeff Kindel's monster three-run shot to right in the seventh off of Carlos Sencion put the game far out of reach for Tulsa (34-30). The Naturals got their second run across in the eighth on an RBI groundout by Ed Lucas.
Weiser (5-5) got the win for Tulsa, going six innings, allowing just three hits and one run. He walked four and fanned five.
Northwest Arkansas (33-31) now falls to third place, one game behind Tulsa who moves up to second with six games left to play. The Naturals now head to Springfield as the first stop on an eight-game roadtrip. Right-hander Lance Lynn (5-2, 3.86) takes the hill for the Cards against right-hander Anthony Lerew (4-3, 4.31).
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. The Naturals have a toll-free ticket hotline (1-877-444-2637) for fans to purchase Naturals tickets. Our website, nwanaturals.com offers fans the opportunity to purchase tickets online and avoid lines at the ticket windows by printing their tickets at home or at the office.
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