Bonifacio Belts Naturals to 6-2 Win
April 14, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Frisco RoughRiders News Release
FRISCO, TEXAS (April 14, 2014) - The Northwest Arkansas Naturals cruised behind the bat of Jorge Bonifacio and the arm of Daniel Stumpf to defeat Frisco 6-2 on Tuesday afternoon at Dr Pepper Ballpark. Bonifacio led off the sixth frame with his third homer of the season and the Naturals never looked back.
Alec Asher opened the game about as clean as possible with an 11-pitch perfect inning. Frisco (2-4) followed that up by giving their pitcher an early 1-0 lead in the first. Naturals starter Miguel Almonte plunked Tyler Pastornicky and J.T Wise, and Nick Williams got the Riders on the board by ripping an RBI single to left.
The lead would not hold up for long, however, as the Naturals (2-4) sent eight men to the dish in the second. Mike Bianucci and Hunter Dozier would come around to score and give Northwest Arkansas a 2-1 advantage. Bianucci hit a leadoff double to left, Dozier drew a walk, and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Balbino Fuenmayor hit a weak grounder to score the former Rider Bianucci, and a Dusty Coleman single scored Dozier to tilt the score in the visiting club's favor.
The RoughRiders counter punched in the fourth on a Royce Bolinger RBI single to left. Drew Robinson scored and tied the contest at 2-2, which helped Asher settle into rhythm to retire the next nine batters he would face. Asher was replaced by Chad Bell in the fifth, and Bonifacio greeted him in rude fashion by smashing the first-pitch over the left field wall to push the Naturals ahead 3-2.
Kyuji Fujikawa made his first rehab appearance for the Texas Rangers in the eighth inning and was rocked for a 3-run frame, which pushed the lead to 6-2 Naturals. The heart of the order, led by Bonifacio, Bianucci and Dozier, notched three consecutive singles. A fielding error by Robinson and wild pitch put the game out of reach for the Riders.
Stumpf (1-0) pitched three innings of relief for Northwest Arkansas and retired all of the batters he faced to earn his first win. Asher pitched five innings, allowed two runs on two hits, walked four and struck out seven. Bell (0-1) allowed one run on three hits while striking out three over his three innings of work.
The Riders now depart Frisco for the first road-trip of the 2015 campaign. After a scheduled off day on Wednesday, Frisco attempts to avenge the opening-series sweep at the hand of the Arkansas Travelers. Left-hander Andrew Faulkner (0-0, 3.38 ERA) looks to earn his first win of the season. For tickets to see the 'Riders in 2015, call 972-731-9200, e-mail Info@RidersBaseball.com or visit www.ridersbaseball.com.
Texas League Stories from April 14, 2015
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- Naturals Take Series Finale over Roughriders, 6-2 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Bonifacio Belts Naturals to 6-2 Win - Frisco RoughRiders
- Naturals Announce 2015 Additions to Arvest Ballpark - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Riders Receive Kyuji Fujikawa on Rehab Assignment - Frisco RoughRiders
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- Tortoise & the Hare ... But this Time the Hare Won - Midland RockHounds
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