Naturals Win Third Straight as Strahm Picks up First Win
May 1, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release
TULSA, Okla. - Naturals' starter, Matt Strahm (1-1, 2.63) had to wait five starts into 2016 to get it, but he finally notched his first win of the season, striking out a season-high eight batters in the Naturals' 7-5 win over the Tulsa Drillers on Sunday afternoon.
The 24-year old left-hander allowed one run over five innings of work and did not walk a batter as he stifled the Drillers' batters by allowing just one man to reach third base his entire start.
Naturals' offense came to his aid early and often as Hunter Dozier came through in the first inning off Drillers' starter, Brock Stewart (0-1, 2.12) with a two-out, two-strike RBI single to plate Raul Mondesi. Northwest Arkansas (10-12) score three more runs in the third inning off Stewart using a two-run double by Mondesi and a sacrifice fly from Orlando Calixte.
Strahm retired six of his final seven hitters and left with a 4-1 lead. Tulsa's lone run off the Naturals' southpaw came on an RBI single from Brandon Trinkwon.
Bubba Starling extended the Naturals' lead in the seventh inning by blasting his fourth home run of the season, making it a 5-1 game at the stretch. With the home run, the Naturals have now homered in six straight games and add to their Texas League-leading total of 28 on the year.
The Driller cut into the Naturals' lead with a two-run homer by Erisabel Arruebarrena in the bottom of the 7th; but insurance came in the top of the ninth inning. Starling doubled down the left-field line with one out and scored a batter later on an RBI single by Mauricio Ramos. Ramos moved to second base on a wild pitch from reliever, Rob Rogers, and scored on Frank Schwindel's run-scoring single to make it a 7-3 game headed to the bottom of the ninth.
The base hit by Schwindel extended his hitting streak to seven games and is now 10-for-26 over the current stretch with seven RBI.
Tulsa (8-14) cut into the lead one more time with a two-run homer; but that's all the closer the host Drillers got with right-hander Kevin McCarthy holding down the fort for his fourth save in the last five appearances.
Starling finished 3-for-4 on the day and a triple shy of the cycle while Mondesi ended his day with a three-hit performance. Northwest Arkansas pounded out a dozen hits on the afternoon and finished 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position, stranding just two on the bases all day long.
Game 3 will begin at 11:05 a.m. from ONEOK Field with right-hander Christian Binford (2-2, 7.29) looking for his third straight win on the season. Right-hander, Chris Anderson (2-1, 5.50) will counter for the host Drillers.
Tune in with the Voice of the Naturals, Benjamin Kelly, for a 10:45 a.m. Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show leading up to the 11:05 a.m. first pitch on the flagship station of the Naturals, 92.1-FM, the Ticket.
Follow the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Twitter @NWANaturals all throughout the year by using the hashtag #NaturalPastime and #CrowntoCrown for all of our up-to-date information on the Season Nine of Naturals Baseball, tickets, groups, promotions, roster, season standings, player statistics, and updates on Naturals alumni.
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