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TL Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Cox Deals Six Shutout Innings and Offense Explodes in 12-1 Win over Wichita

July 30, 2021 - Texas League (TL)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


Northwest Arkansas Naturals starting pitcher Austin Cox twirled six shutout innings and the offense backed him up with three home runs for a 12-1 win over the Wichita Wind Surge.

Cox (MLB Pipeline's No. 10 Royals' prospect) earned his third win in as many consecutive starts, striking out seven across six innings without a run. The only hit he allowed didn't come until the fifth inning, a bloop single to left.

The Naturals' bats supported Cox from the early innings, plating four runs in the second inning. Brewer Hicklen (MLB Pipeline's No. 24 Royals' prospect) started the scoring with an RBI single and Dairon Blanco demolished a three-run home run over the Bud Light Home Run Porch in left field. It was his eighth of the season, his fourth against Wichita.

Six more runs scored in the fifth, as Northwest Arkansas set 11 batters to the plate. Vinnie Pasquantino and Jimmy Govern each singled in runs and Blake Perkins blasted the Naturals' fourth grand slam of the season to right field, his third homer of the year, at the time making the score 10-0.

Freddy Fermin added on in the sixth, connecting on his second home run in as many nights, his sixth of the year.

Northwest Arkansas drew 10 walks over the course of the evening, including four in the eighth to plate the team's 12th and final run of the night.

Emmanuel Rivera compiled a 2-for-4 night in his second game of an MLB Rehab stint, while Pasquantino and Govern each added two-hit games as well.

Blanco and Fermin have combined for seven home runs and 24 runs batted in over just nine games facing the Wind Surge, responsible for over half of their home runs and nearly half of their RBI this season.

Pasquantino has now hit safely in nine of his first 10 games at the Double-A level, with 10 RBI and four multi-hit performances.

While MJ Melendez (MLB Pipeline's No. 13 Royals' prospect) didn't record a hit, he drew two walks and scored once. Fermin and Austin Dennis each walked twice as well, with Dennis' coming with the bases loaded in the eighth.

Robert Garcia followed Cox with two innings, allowing Wichita's only run while striking out four. Collin Snider shut the door in the ninth with a scoreless inning.

Northwest Arkansas (38-36) looks to carry the momentum into Friday night, with another 7:05 p.m. start against Wichita (43-32). Left-handed pitcher Foster Griffin returns to Northwest Arkansas, starting on the mound for the Naturals for the first time since the 2018 season.

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