Sports stats

TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Drillers' Errors Propel Naturals to Win

August 6, 2009 - Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, AR- The Naturals got six runs on just three hits in the fifth inning, capitalizing on three costly errors to take the lead and beat the Drillers 8-6 and take a pivotal series.

All three errors, two on the same play, were charged to Drillers shortstop Daniel Mayora during the frame. They came after Tulsa had opened a 5-1 lead and seemed to be in control and heading for a key road series win.

Most of the early Tulsa damage was done by Drillers' designated hitter Michael Paulk, who went deep twice. He launched a solo shot to left in the second, and then drilled a three-run homer to right one inning later. That put the Drillers up by four after the third.

The teams traded runs in the fourth. Daniel Mayora singled to lead off the inning for Tulsa and came home on an RBI single by Rex Rundgren. Corey Smith hit his 20th home run of the season in the bottom half of the inning to put the Naturals on the board after they'd stranded two runners in the third. Paulk singled to start the fifth for Tulsa, his third hit of the night, but Naturals' starter Anthony Lerew got Michael McKenry to ground into a double play and then got Cole Garner to fly to center for the third out.

Jeff Howell and Josh Johnson led off with walks to start the Naturals' half of the fifth. After Jose Duarte struck out, Tulsa lifted its starter, Andy Graham, who was making a spot start and was on a limited pitch count. Southpaw Tommy Baumgardner replaced him and the first man he faced, leadoff batter David Lough, chopped a ball towards the shortstop Mayora who bobbled the ball out of his glove. His throw went wide of the bag at first and landed in the Naturals dugout, sending the runner Lough to second. Both runners scored to cut the Drillers' lead to 5-3.

Mayora subsequently bobbled a nearly identical grounder from the next batter, Jarrod Dyson, for his third error of the frame. Lough came across to bring the Naturals within a run. After Jeff Bianchi singled, Corey Smith drove in Dyson and Bianchi with a two-RBI double to put the Naturals up 6-5. Corey Smith then swiped third base and Tulsa elected to intentionally walk Vance Wilson. That brought up Ed Lucas, who successfully dropped down a safety squeeze bunt. Tulsa third baseman Darin Holcomb watched in amazement as the ball rolled to a stop at the edge of the third base chalk line. Lucas reached safely and Smith scored easily and the Naturals never relinquished the 7-5 lead.

Federico Castaneda replaced Lerew for the sixth and allowed an RBI single to Daniel Carte in the top of the sixth to cut the Naturals lead to 7-6 but settled in to pitch three innings of relief. Northwest Arkansas (24-16, 60-50) got that run back in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double by Bianchi which restored the two-run lead.

Where the Drillers' defense proved to be their enemy, the Naturals helped themselves by turning three double plays behind their pitchers, including a spectacular highlight-reel twin killing to end the Drillers' sixth. The third helped Naturals' closer Juan Abreu work his way out of a mini-jam in the ninth. He walked Carte to start the frame and Carte stole second and advanced to third on a single by Darin Holcomb. With the dangerous Paulk looming on deck, already with four RBI on the evening, Abreu coaxed Jeff Kindel to ground into the 6-4-3 double play to end the ballgame, netting him his third save with the Naturals.

That made a winner of Lerew (7-6), who got knocked around early but lasted five innings, allowing nine hits and five runs. He fanned three and walked one. Tommy Baumgardner (1-2) took the loss. He was on the mound when Mayora, the Drillers' shortstop, tied a Texas League record by committing three errors in the same inning. All four of the runs the Drillers (22-18, 60-50) surrendered during his two-thirds of an inning of work were unearned.

The Naturals now possess a two-game lead over the Drillers for first place in the Texas League North Division. Tomorrow, the Naturals hit the road for a four game series at North Little Rock against the Arkansas Travelers. Game one of the series is Friday night at 7:30 P.M. Listen live on KURM 790 AM or online at nwanaturals.com.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. The Naturals have a toll-free ticket hotline (1-877-444-2637) for fans to purchase Naturals tickets. Our website, nwanaturals.com offers fans the opportunity to purchase tickets online and avoid lines at the ticket windows by printing their tickets at home or at the office.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics



Texas League Stories from August 6, 2009


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.

Other Recent Northwest Arkansas Naturals Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central