Naturals Slugger Enters Tie in MiLB Homer Race
June 19, 2013 - Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release
Matt Fields two homeruns on June 17th have entered the Naturals First Basemen into a three-way-tie in the Minor League Homerun Race. Fields is now tied with the Cardinals' Xavier Scruggs and Hooks' phenom George Springer from the Texas League with 18 longballs for the year. One other Triple-A Player has 18 and one other Single-A player has 18.
The First Baseman is hitting .309 in 19 games in June, and has already matched his homerun total from May with 7 dingers. Fields drove in three of the Naturals four runs in North Little Rock last night in the team's 4-0 victory over the Travelers which extended the team's winning streak to four.
"Things are starting to develop, and I am literally just relaxing and having fun," Fields told NWANatruals.com during the Naturals last homestand where Texas League All-Star Rosters was announced, and Fields was not one of them.
"I was disappointed, but I kind of figured it, because of the struggles I had in April with my average being so low (.162) . But it's alright, I have no problems with that. I am just going to go and keep having fun and continue to work and hopefully I can make that post-season all-star team [laughs]."
The Royals signed Fields out of the Independent Frontier League last year and assigned the 27-year-old former Tampa Bay Rays farmhand to A-Wilmington on June 23rd. He finished the season with a .281 average and 17 homeruns for the Blue Rocks. And after an admittedly rough start to 2013, Fields has indeed bounced back. 46 games between May and June, Fields is batting .282 with 14 homeruns and 35 RBI.
HEADLINES
YEAH BUDDY: LHP Buddy Baumann continues to post impressive numbers out of Larry Carter's bullpen in Omaha. The 5-foot-10 175-pound left-hander has not allowed a run since Jun 2nd-and that was the only run he's allowed all season. Last night vs. Albuquerque, Baumann pitched three innings of relief and struck out seven of the twelve batters he faced. Since making his Triple-A debut on May 1st, the Billings, Missouri native is 1-0 with a 0.53 ERA and has struck out 28 batters in 17 innings while surrendering just 11 hits and walking only six.
PATTON ON THE BACK: Wilmington's RHP Spencer Patton has thrown 10 1/3 straight scoreless innings dating back to May 19th. Usually throwing between two and three innings an outing, the Royals 24th Round Draft pick in 2011 is 2-1 with a 1.01 ERA in 14 relief appearances this season. Patton has struck out 48 batters in 35 2/3 innings out of the pen, while allowing 20 hits and 12 walks.
START YOUR ENGINES: Lexington Outfielder Fred Ford has hit safely in six of his last seven games and is batting .302 through his first 12 games in June. Ford had hit .198 in the season's first two months, but did have seven homeruns, 11 doubles and 22 RBI. The Royals selected Ford in the 7th Round of the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Missouri's Jefferson Junior College.
NWA HOSTS ALL-STAR GAME: The Naturals are putting the final touches on the 77th Annual Texas League All-Star festivities beginning with the All-Star Gala in just six days at Razorback Stadium. The 77th Annual Showcase, presented by Castrol, will take place the following day at Arvest Ballpark along with the Tyson Foods Home Run Derby which will precede the game. Five Naturals have been selected to the team including RHP Yordano Ventura who was recently promoted to Triple-A. Representing the Naturals will be the North Division's starting shortstop Orlando Calixte, and reserves C/INF Mitch Canham, INF Angel Franco and RHP Santiago Garrido.
NATURALS ALUMNI: RHP Aaron Crow ('10) has surreneder just one run in eight appearances this month for the Royals. The former Major League All-Star 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA since June 1st... C Salvador Perez ('11) has not let his batting average dip below .300 since May 14th. The gifted backstop has also been moved to the number-three spot in the Kansas City Batting Order. He has hit third in the since June 5th, shortly after returning from the bereavement list, and had responded hitting .398 with a homerun and 12 RBIs in 14 games in at the three-spot.
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Texas League Stories from June 19, 2013
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- Moreland Homers in 'Riders Victory Over Midland - Frisco RoughRiders
- Naturals Slugger Enters Tie in MiLB Homer Race - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
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- 2013 Frisco RoughRiders Game Notes - Frisco RoughRiders
- Missions Win Again - Corpus Christi Hooks
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