TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Crismatt Carves up Naturals in Rubber-Match

July 10, 2019 - Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Travelers starter, Nabil Crismatt, twirled a shutout against the Naturals' on Wednesday night in the rubber-match at Dickey-Stephens Park in a 3-0 decision. Crismatt struck out a career-high 14 batters and held the Naturals' to two hits in the contests.

Right-hander, Jackson Kowar (1-2, 1.61 ERA) countered for the Naturals and grinded through five innings. The 22-year yielded all three runs in the third inning after allowed a lead-off double, a walk and a bunt base-hit. Two runs scored on an automatic double to right-centerfield and the third run scored on a passed ball.

Kowar settled in from there and finished strong by retiring the final four batters faced. His line reads five innings, six hits, three runs (two earned), two walks and four strike outs in his first start against Arkansas on the season.

Crismatt (4-5, 1.94) lowered his league-best earned run average by working with a variety of off-speed pitches and location through the night. He struck out the side on two separate occasion including tossing an "Immaculate Inning" in the second. He joins Naturals' reliever, Grant Gavin as the lone two pitchers in the Texas League this season with an "Immaculate Innings" (nine pitches, nine strikes, three strikeouts).

Northwest Arkansas (40-47/9-10) broke the streak of 12-straight retired with Emmanuel Rivera' base-hit in the fifth inning. Taylor Featherston singled in the eighth inning for the only other hit against the 24-year old right-hander, Crismatt.

The bullpen stayed strong for Northwest Arkansas. Relievers, Grant Gavin, Franco Terrero and Andrew Beckwith combined to cover the final three innings of shutout baseball with six punch outs among the trio. Gavin left in the seventh inning with a one-out, bases-loaded jam and Terrero struck out the two batters he needed to side-step damage.

Beckwith tossed a scoreless eighth. Gavin has not allowed an earned run in his last 12 games, spanning the course of 15.0 innings. Beckwith appeared in two games this road trip and did not allowed a base-runner in either outing.

Over the last 14 games, the bullpen owns a collective ERA of 1.76 (46.0 IP/9 ER) with 59 strikeouts against just 17 walks.

The Naturals finished the seven-game road trip with a 3-4 record.

A brief four-game homestand commences at Arvest Ballpark on Thursday night. Right-hander, Brady Singer (2-0, 6.28 ERA) takes the mound fresh off his scoreless inning appearance in the 2019 Future's Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland. He'll square off against the Tulsa Drillers (Los Angeles Dodgers) right-hander, Logan Bawcom (2-2, 5.82 ERA) in the 7:05 ballgame.

Join the "Voice of the Naturals," Benjamin Kelly on 92.1-FM, the Ticket and the Naturals Radio Network for a 6:45 Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show leading up to the 7:05 p.m. first pitch.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. For more information, including statistics, ticket options, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics



Texas League Stories from July 10, 2019


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