TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Balanced Attack Downs Hooks

Published on April 11, 2010 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, AR- Kurt Mertins had three RBI and four different Naturals recorded two hits as Northwest Arkansas handed the Corpus Christi Hooks their first loss on the season, winning 7-4 at Arvest Ballpark Sunday afternoon.

The Naturals manufactured a couple of runs early to get on the board. Anthony Seratelli reached on an error in the second by Hooks' shortstop Wladimir Sutil, scoring Tim Smith and putting the Naturals up 1-0. A second run came in during the fourth inning on an RBI groundout by Manny Pina.

Northwest Arkansas (3-1) got two more in the fifth. Chris McConnell led off with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch by Hooks' starter Jordan Lyles, a 19-year old prospect making his Double-A debut. After Derrick Robinson struck out bunting, Lyles uncorked another wild pitch that moved McConnell to third. Kurt Mertins then brought him in with a sacrifice fly. Lyles was then lifted for left-hander Tyler Lumsden, a former Royals' farmhand. Lumsden allowed a double to Clint Robinson and a single to Ernesto Mejia to put the Naturals up 4-0.

Some poor defensive plays allowed the Hooks to claw right back in the sixth. After Sutil led off with a single, J.B. Shuck reached on a force attempt that was misplayed by Mejia, the Naturals' first baseman. Mejia bobbled the ball and attempted to get the lead runner Sutil at second base, but Sutil made it in safely and then moved to third on a fly ball from T.J. Steele. Naturals' shortstop Chris McConnell then misplayed the ensuing grounder from German Duran, which scored Sutil. Koby Clemens then plated Shuck with a double down the left-field line.

That chased Naturals' starter Edgar Osuna, who had the Hooks' foiled offensively for the first five frames. Osuna (1-0) was charged with three runs, but all were unearned. He fanned four and didn't walk a batter. The Hooks scored their third run on an RBI groundout by David Cook which came against reliever Louis Coleman. The Naturals got all three runs back in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single from Paulo Orlando and a two-run single from Mertins.

Corpus Chrsti (3-1) got one more run in the seventh when Lou Santangelo homered into left field, but their bats were otherwise kept on ice by Coleman, who allowed just two hits in the final 3 2/3 frames to earn his first save in his Double-A debut.

The Hooks' starter Lyles (0-1) finished with 4 2/3 innings pitched. He was charged with three runs on five hits, walking one and striking out four. All of the remaining runs were charged to the southpaw Lumsden.

Derrick Robinson, Ernesto Mejia, Tim Smith, and Anthony Seratelli had two hits each for the Naturals, who swiped five bases as a team on the afternoon. Smith was forced to leave the game in the seventh with an injury sustained sliding into third base.

Monday will put Naturals' right-hander Blake Johnson against Hooks right hander Jeremy Johnson. Blake spent all of 2009 with the Naturals and put together an 8-8 record with a 4.57 ERA. Jeremy compiled a 5-8 record last season with a 3.51 ERA in 21 games with the Astros' Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from April 11, 2010


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