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TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Cardinals Edge Naturals for a 2-1 Victory

June 16, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, Ark. - The Springfield Cardinals (37-29) edged the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (29-37) by the score of 2-1 in front of a crowd of 5,331 at Arvest Ballpark on Thursday night. Northwest Arkansas out-hit Springfield by an 8-to-7 margin but was unable to muster enough offense in another tightly contested game between the North Division rivals.

Springfield starter Luke Weaver (3-0, 0.89 ERA) lived up to his prospect billing by pounding the strike zone in 8.0 innings of one-run baseball on 100 pitches with 74 being for strikes. The former first round draft pick scattered seven hits and struck out six. The Naturals offense tallied their first and only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth by way of some two-out offense. Logan Moon singled and then Cam Gallagher drove him home with an RBI double down the line in left.

The offense was led by the top of the order as Corey Toups, Moon, and Gallagher each had two hits in the game.

The Cardinals offense threatened a number of times on Thursday night but the Naturals' Pedro Fernandez (0-2, 4.20 ERA) did a good job of working around jams and keeping his team within striking distance. On three different occasions Springfield had runners at second and third with no out and only scored on one of their chances. The scoring for the visitors came in the third after a walk to Jonathan Rodriguez and a double by Bruce Caldwell put runners at second and third to begin the frame. Both runners would come in to score on sacrifice flies by Harrison Bader and Luke Voit.

The Naturals and Cardinals have found themselves in a number of close games this season. This is the fourth time in 14 games that the teams have been separated by a run in the final score with the Cardinals coming out on top three times. The Springfield victory keeps them in the hunt for the first half crown as they remain a half game back with four to play.

Northwest Arkansas will continue their current eight (8) game homestand with Game 3 of this 4-game series against the Springfield Cardinals (Double-A St. Louis Cardinals) tomorrow night - Friday, June 17 - with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. on Star Wars Night Post-Game Fireworks Spectacular at Arvest Ballpark. The Cardinals will send RHP Daniel Poncedeleon (3-4, 3.03 ERA) to the mound while the Naturals will counter with LHP Matt Strahm (2-5, 3.05 ERA). You can catch the live play-by-play action with the Voice of the Naturals Benjamin Kelly on your home for Naturals baseball on KQSM 92.1-FM The Ticket at 6:45 p.m. for the Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show leading to first pitch at 7:05 p.m.

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Texas League Stories from June 16, 2016


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