Costly Error Dooms Odorizzi, Naturals
Published on August 1, 2011 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release
SPRINGFIELD, MO - Paulo Orlando helped to erase the first of two Naturals errors in the sixth inning Monday night, but it was the second that doomed the Naturals as five unearned runs came in to put the game out of reach in a 7-1 loss to Springfield at Hammons Field.
With the loss, Northwest Arkansas (19-18, 54-49) dropped three of four in the road series with Springfield (17-20, 48-58) and has lost four of five following a streak that saw the Naturals pick up 10 wins in 11 tries.
In the bottom of the sixth in a tightly contested matchup between pitching prospects Jake Odorizzi of the Naturals and John Gast of Springfield, Cardinals leadoff batter Jim Rapoport bunted towards Mario Lisson at third base. Lisson picked it up and threw wild of the first base bag, allowing Rapoport to reach second.
Then came the heroics of Paulo Orlando in right field. Ryan Jackson followed for Springfield and lofted a fly ball towards Orlando in right. Orlando, who was also 2-for-4 at the plate to lift his average to .400, was able to gun down Rapoport trying to take third base as Lisson applied a swipe tag to get him.
The slugging first baseman Matt Adams followed for Springfield and singled to right, which would have scored the run easily. No runs scored but the inning continued as Odorizzi issued a walk to Aaron Luna, one of an uncharacteristic four he issued on the night. Former Diamond Hog Zack Cox followed with an RBI single to score Adams from second to put Springfield up 2-1.
That spelled the end of the night for Odorizzi (3-1) as Brendan Lafferty relieved from the Naturals' pen. The costly play followed as Rey Navarro couldn't come up with a grounder off the bat of Charlie Cutler as Luna came in to score. The bleeding continued as Daryl Jones followed with an RBI single and Eric Duncan with a three-run bomb to put the game out of reach.
Springfield had taken the early 1-0 lead on a leadoff homer from Daryl Jones in the third. The Naturals had knotted it up in the fourth as Mario Lisson chipped in an RBI single.
The Naturals had opportunities for more, but stranded a pair of runners in the second and in the fifth, Paulo Orlando was stranded after a one-out triple. Northwest Arkansas left 11 on base and was 1-for-10 with runners in scoring postion.
Gast (3-1) got the win for Springfield, holding the Naturals to just the one run on six hits. He walked three and fanned six after struggling in previous starts against the Naturals.
Still in possession of a one game lead in the Texas League North after Tulsa lost to the Travelers Monday, the Naturals move on for a three-game series with Tulsa at ONEOK Field that begins Tuesday evening at 7. Right-hander Mario Santiago (2-0, 1.21) makes his return to the Naturals' rotation as he gets the start. The Drillers have yet to announce a starter. The radio broadcast will be on ESPN 92.1 The Ticket and the game will also be available on Milb.TV (subscription required).
Texas League Stories from August 1, 2011
- Cardinals Beat Naturals 7-1 - Springfield Cardinals
- Travs Win in Trout's Return - Arkansas Travelers
- Costly Error Dooms Odorizzi, Naturals - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Missions Win 2-1 On Balk In Extra Innings - San Antonio Missions
- Travs Take Series Finale Against Drillers 3-1 - Tulsa Drillers
- Missions Edge Frisco with Game-Winning Balk - Frisco RoughRiders
- Blake Tekotte Promoted To San Diego - San Antonio Missions
- Game Notes, August 1 - Corpus Christi at Midland - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Travs Get New Manager, Make Moves - Arkansas Travelers
- Trout Back with Travs - Arkansas Travelers
- World-Class Triathlon Coming to Corpus Christi - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Naturals Keep Things Cool at Arvest Ballpark - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Rob Musgrave Promoted To Triple-A, Solis Re-Joins Missions - San Antonio Missions
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