TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Creaky bullpen strikes again in loss

Published on August 21, 2010 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, AR- What stood for two-thirds of the game as a pitchers duel unraveled into a rout as the RockHounds torched the Naturals' bullpen for a six-run eighth en route to a 9-2 win over Northwest Arkansas on Saturday night at Arvest Ballpark.

The Naturals (32-22, 74-50) took a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning after getting a very solid outing from veteran right-hander Blake Johnson, who allowed just one run and five hits over six innings of work in what was just his eighth start of 2010. But the Midland offense exploded for eight unanswered runs to give the game it's one-sided final score.

Ben Swaggerty (4-5) was on the mound to start the eighth, his second inning of work in relief of Johnson. He got one quick out, retiring Matt Sulentic on a groundout. But Gabriel Ortiz and Jemile weeks hit back-to-back singles to put runners at the corners. Manager Brian Poldberg went to the ‘pen to get closer Patrick Keating. The first man Keating faced, Archie Gilbert, drilled a single to right to score Ortiz and tie the score. Both runners moved up when Naturals' right fielder Nick Van Stratten's throw was off-line, and the Naturals elected to give a free pass to Shane Peterson to set up a potential double play they'd hoped to get on the next batter, Corey Brown.

Needless to say that groundball never materialized. Instead, Brown doubled to the gap in left-center to score a pair, putting Midland up by a 4-2 score. After Josh Horton popped out to left, Val Majewski's two-run double extended the lead to 6-2. Alex Valdez followed with an RBI single to make it 7-2. Archie Gilbert hit a two-run homer in the ninth to propel Midland (28-26, 63-61) to a 9-2 lead.

The Naturals had struck first in this one, getting a run in on a force out of Eric Hosmer in the first inning. Midland quickly tied things up on an RBI groundout in the second. Manny Pina's RBI single in the fourth put the Naturals up 2-1.

Midland starter Anthony Capra tossed 6 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and two runs. He walked three and fanned three. Neil Wagner (5-2) got the win, keeping Northwest Arkansas off the board for the rest of the seventh and in the eighth after the comeback effort by the Midland offense.

Game two of the series is Sunday with a 6:00 P.M. first pitch. Left-hander Everett Teaford (11-3, 3.64) takes the hill for the Naturals opposite right-hander Graham Godfrey (0-0, 11.57) for the RockHounds.

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.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from August 21, 2010


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