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TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Cardinals Score Late to End Naturals Winning Streak

May 3, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, Ark. - After the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (11-13) tied the game at 1-1 in the seventh, the Springfield Cardinals (14-11) broke it open in the eighth inning with three runs and added another run in the ninth for a 5-1 victory on Tuesday night. The loss snapped the Naturals' four (4) game winning streak and drops them 2.5 games behind the division-leading Cardinals.

Trailing 1-0 to the Springfield Cardinals, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals tied up the game in the seventh inning behind a run-scoring single by Jack Lopez. With Frank Schwindel on second base, Lopez hit a slow chopper to shortstop Alex Mejia for an infield single. On the play, Mejia made an errant throw to first base that allowed the Naturals to tie the game.

The Cardinals would quickly respond in the top half of the eighth against Naturals' reliever Yender Caramo (1-3, 4.23 ERA). After back-to-back one-out singles by Breyvic Valera and Harrison Bader put runners on the corners, Mejia would plate the first Springfield run of the inning with an RBI groundout to make it 2-1. Bruce Caldwell and Luke Voit would each deliver two-out, RBI singles to extend the lead to 4-1. In the ninth, the Red Birds would add an insurance run with some more two-out offense as the combination of Carson Kelly, Valera, and Bader produced consecutive singles to set the final at 5-1.

RHP Jake Junis, the Naturals' starting pitcher, had his best outing of the 2016 season as the young right-hander gave his team 6.0 innings of one run baseball but would not factor into the decision. Junis struck out eight batters, allowed three hits, and walked only one during the contest. In two starts and 9.2 innings against Springfield this year, the Illinois-native has amassed 16 strikeouts. The lone blemish tonight came in the form of a Paul DeJong solo home run in the fifth to make it 1-0 game.

Reliever John Brebbia (1-0, 3.46 ERA) picked up the win in the relief for the Double-A Cardinals working 2.1 scoreless innings.

Orlando Calixte went 2-for-3 to lead the Naturals' offense while Ramon Torres had a double in the third to extend his Texas League leading hitting streak to 10 games. The Naturals leadoff hitter is now hitting .342 (13-for-38) over his last 10 games.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals series against the Springfield Cardinals (Double-A St. Louis Cardinals) will continue on Wednesday, May 4 with a morning game scheduled to begin at 11:05 a.m. Gates will open at 10:00 a.m. for our first of three (3) SWEPCO SCHOOL KIDS DAY of the season at Arvest Ballpark. The Naturals will send LHP Eric Skoglund (1-0, 3.22 ERA) to the mound in Game 2 of this four (4) game set and he will be opposed by RHP Corey Baker (1-0, 1.29 ERA) of the Cardinals.

You can catch all the live play-by-play action with the Voice of the Naturals Benjamin Kelly on your home for the Naturals on KQSM 92.1 The Ticket at 10:45 a.m. Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show leading up to first pitch against the Cards at 11:05 a.m.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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