Travelers Walk off on Naturals
Published on April 19, 2012 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release
LITTLE ROCK, AR- The Arkansas Travelers used a five run ninth inning to defeat the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 6-5. The Travelers got the game winning run when Adam Heether worked a bases loaded walk to drive in the winning run.
The first inning was a nightmare for Travelers starter Ariel Pena. He walked the leadoff man Rey Navarro to start the inning. Navarro stole second base before Pena retired Colon. Wil Myers followed with a single to put runners on the corners and extend his hitting streak to 11 games. John Whittleman then worked a walk to load the bases with one out. Paulo Orlando singled home the first run of the game. The RBI by Orlando gives him 91 for his career moving him into sixth place on the all-time RBI list. Yem Prades followed with a three-run double to make it 4-0. Prades scored on an RBI single from Sharlon Schoop to make it 5-0, before Pena was able to get out of the inning.
The Traverlers got on the board against Naturals starter Noel Arguelles in the fifth inning. Ryan Mount and Casey Haerther each singled in the fifth to put two on with one out. Matt Long then hit a two-out RBI-double to score Mount and cut the lead to 5-1. Arguelles got Darwin Perez to fly out to left fielder Paulo Orlando to get out of the jam.
Arguelles went five and two thirds innings, for his longest start of the season. He allowed nine hits and one earned run, while striking out one. Naturals manager Brian Poldberg went to the bullpen with runners on first and second and two outs to bring in Michael Mariot. Mariot threw one pitch and got Renny Osuna to fly out to center field to work out of another jam. Mariot would go on to work two more perfect innings striking out one turning over the lead to Patrick Keating in the ninth inning.
Keating allowed a lead-off double to Roberto Lopez and followed that by issuing a walk to Ryan Mount. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch thrown by Keating. Lopez would go on to score on an error made by Christian Colon to cut the lead to 5-2. Poldberg then went back to his bullpen calling on Kendal Volz with runners on first and second and no one out.
Haerther singled off of Volz (2-1) to score mount and cut the deficit to 5-3. Carlos Ramirez singled to load the bases with no one out and the Naturals clinging to a two-run lead. Matt Long followed with a sacrifice fly to make it a one run game with one out. A passed ball by Naturals' catcher Juan Rodriguez allowed the runners to move to second and third with one out. Perez then singled to knot the game at five in the bottom of the ninth. The Naturals intentionally walked Jean Segura to re-load the bases and Heether worked a bases loaded walk for the walk off win.
Travelers closer Matt Oye (1-0) worked a perfect top half of the ninth inning to earn his first win of the season. The walk off by the Travelers is the second against the Naturals this season. Jason Hagerty of the Missions hit a walk off home run against the Naturals back on April 9.
The Naturals are back in action tomorrow at 7:10PM when they will send Justin Marks (0-0, 6.75) against the Travelers Orangel Arenas (0-1, 4.09). The game can be heard on NewsTalk 1030 KFAY.
Texas League Stories from April 19, 2012
- Late Rally Gives Travs Comeback Win - Arkansas Travelers
- 'Riders Blow Away Hooks, Win Ninth Game - Frisco RoughRiders
- Missions Fall To Midland 4-1 - San Antonio Missions
- Travelers Walk off on Naturals - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Cardinals Shutout Drillers 6-0 - Springfield Cardinals
- Drillers Drop Opener in Springfield - Tulsa Drillers
- Game Notes, April 19 Vs. Frisco - Corpus Christi Hooks
- C Julio Rodriguez Transferred; LHP Dobies to DL - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Drillers Back Home Monday - Tulsa Drillers
- Only 10 More Promo Club Memberships Left - Springfield Cardinals
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