SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS - The Northwest Arkansas Naturals grabbed an early 4-0 lead and earned their third straight win over the Arkansas Travelers, by a score of 5-2 on Monday afternoon at Arvest Ballpark. Cody Clark homered (4) and drove in two runs, while Corey Smith added a single, a double and an RBI. Arkansas right hander Tommy Mendoza (L, 5-4) suffered the loss allowing season highs in runs (5) and base hits (9) over seven innings. The Travs end their eight-game road trip 3-5 and have dropped 12 of the last 14 meetings against the Naturals.The Naturals used five pitchers on a day when they didn't use a pitcher out of their starting rotation. Major League veteran Chad Orvella pitched three shutout innings in his first outing since Kansas City signed him to a minor league deal over the weekend. Right hander Chris Nicoll (6-0) earned the win with three shutout innings. Left hander Ben Swaggerty (S, 1) earned the save with one scoreless frame of work.
For the third consecutive game the Naturals scored in the first inning to grab the lad. Jarrod Dyson hit a leadoff single and advanced to second base when a pitchout popped out of Hank Conger's mitt for his first passed ball of the season. Dyson advanced to third on a chopper to short by Ed Lucas and scored when Mendoza skipped a pitch in front of the plate for a wild pitch.
Mendoza retired the first two batters of the second inning, but CodyStrait whacked a double into right-center then Clark homered to left field on the next pitch putting the Naturals on top 3-0.
Leading off the bottom of the fourth, Naturals designated hitter Vance Wilson doubled to right-center and advanced to third base on a slow groundout by Strait. Mendoza then walked Clark and Jose Duarte bunted off the mound on the third base side for an RBI single knocking in Wilson for a 4-0 NWA lead.
Held to just two base hits over four innings, the Travs finally brought in a run in the fifth. Wil Ortiz singled to left field with one out and advanced to third when Brendan Florence hit a double to the right-field corner. Hainley Statia's groundout to second base against reliever Chris Nicoll plated Ortiz, but Peter Bourjos struck out to end the inning.
The Naturals got that run back in the bottom of the fifth as Mendoza issued a leadoff walk to Lucas who scored when Corey Smith doubled off the left-field wall.
Nicoll pitched a perfect sixth inning, but Mark Trumbo led off the seventh with a single and advanced to second on a two-out single by Brenden Florence. Statia followed with a line drive single to center that Dyson played on a bounce. Trumbo came around third and abruptly stopped halfway to the plate as the surprised Naturals shortstop Jeff Bianchi threw home to catch Trumbo in an inning-ending rundown.
The Travs had the makings of a rally in the ninth inning as Carlos Sencion loaded the bases with no outs on two walks and a single by Trumbo. Swaggerty was summoned from the bullpen for his first save chance at double-A, and he got Wil Ortiz on a comebacker with Val Majewski scoring from third base to cut the Naturals lead to 5-2. Florence flied to right field and Statia bounced to short to end the game.
Time of game was 2:30 and the paid attendance numbered 4,591.
The Travs head into the Texas League All-Star Break with an overall record of 30-45 and a second half mark of 2-4. They will host the Midland RockHounds on Thursday to begin a six-game home stand. Thursday night's game begins at 7:10 p.m.
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