Canha Hits Slam, Squires & Ruta Homer in Nats' Win Friday
TL Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Canha Hits Slam, Squires & Ruta Homer in Nats' Win Friday

Published on August 8, 2025 under Texas League (TL)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


WICHITA, KS -- Royals' outfielder Mark Canha joined the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (18-19, 51-55) on a rehab assignment Friday and hit a grand slam that kick-started the offense in a 9-5 win over the Wichita Wind Surge (19-18, 56-50) at Equity Bank Park in Wichita, Kansas. The two teams continue their series Saturday with a 6:05 PM CT first pitch.

Javier Vaz singled in the second inning and stole second base before Dustin Dickerson and Kyle Hayes each worked two-out walks. Carson Roccaforte joined in with a free-pass, forcing home the first Naturals run to tie the game after the Surge got a homer in the first inning. With the bases loaded, Canha hit a 389-foot grand slam over the left-field wall to give NWA a 5-1 lead.

The Wind Surge plated a pair on Ben Ross' homer in the fourth and the game stayed 5-3 until the sixth when Roccaforte doubled home Hayes with two outs to make it 6-3 lead. Brett Squires came to the plate in the seventh with one out and homered to dead center to give the Nats a 7-3 cushion, and Sam Ruta homered to center later in the frame, a two-run shot to extend the lead to 9-3. Kaelen Culpepper hit a two-run homer in the seventh for Surge, but the Naturals went on to win 9-5 to tie the series ahead of the weekend at two games apiece.

The Naturals and Wind Surge continue their six-game set on Saturday with a 6:05 PM CT first pitch at Equity Bank Park in Wichita, Kansas. Fans can catch all the action with the "Voice of the Naturals", Shawn Murnin, by tuning in via www.nwanaturals.com or the MiLB app.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from August 8, 2025


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