Travelers Take Advantage of Errors in Win
May 4, 2013 - Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release
SPRINGDALE, Ark - The Arkansas Travelers scored three runs on three Northwest Arkansas Naturals errors in the fifth inning to earn a 4-2 win on a chilly Saturday night in the opening game of a four-game series at Arvest Ballpark.
With the score tied at one in the fifth inning, Naturals starter Jason Adam struck out Taylor Lindsey to lead off the inning before allowing a pair of singles to Travis Witherspoon and Jett Bandy. Adam attempted to pick off Witherspoon at second but threw the ball into center field to allow the runners to advance. Witherspoon scored on a wild pitch, with Bandy scoring on a fly ball that was dropped by Naturals' left fielder Roman Hernandez. Rolando Gomez scored the third and final run of the inning on a throwing error by second baseman Angel Franco.
Arkansas took the lead in the first inning. Gomez led off the game with a single and scored on a Robbie Widlansky double. Gomez scored two of the Travelers' four runs.
The Naturals tied the game in the second on Matt Fields' sixth home run of the season. In his third home run at Arvest Ballpark, Fields sent Arkansas starter Brandon Hynick's 3-0 pitch to the back wall of the left field bullpen. The Naturals scored their second run of the night on a wild pitch from Travelers reliever Josh Judy in the eighth.
The Naturals had an opportunity to take the lead in the third inning. Whit Merrifield led off the winning with a double and advanced to third on a Franco groundout. Orlando Calixte hit a sharp ground ball that appeared to be en route to center field, but Gomez snared the ball and threw out Merrifield at home plate to keep the game tied.
Hernandez went two-for-four with two doubles. Merrifield also went two-for-four with a double and a single. Rey Navarro had two singles in four at-bats.
Hynick earns his first win of the season, allowing one run on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts in six innings. Kevin Johnson sent the Naturals down in order in the ninth inning to record his sixth save of the season.
Adam made his longest start of the year, throwing seven innings while allowing four runs, one earned, on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts on 100 pitches. Matt Ridings retired the Travelers in order in the eighth, with Jon Keck firing a scoreless ninth.
Sugar Ray Marimon (1-3, 5.04 ERA) gets the start tomorrow for the Naturals. Matt Oye (3-1, 3.47 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Travelers. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
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