TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Fields Powers Naturals to Victory

Published on June 8, 2013 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, Ark. -- Matt Fields went three-for-four with a pair of home runs as the Northwest Arkansas Naturals defeated the Arkansas Travelers 6-3 on Saturday night in the opening game of a four-game series.

Trailing 2-1 in the fifth, Brian Fletcher reached on a two out error by Travelers shortstop Rolando Gomez with one on. Fields made Gomez and the Travs pay for the mistake, smashing a three-run home run to the left field bullpen to give the Naturals a 4-2 lead.

Arkansas took the lead in the fourth as Robbie Widlansky led off the inning with a single, advanced to third on a Randal Grichuk single and scored on a Travis Witherspoon sacrifice fly.

Fields tied the game with one swing in the bottom of the inning, crushing a ball over the left field bullpen for his 13th home run of the year. Fields had four RBI in tonight's game.

Northwest Arkansas added insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Alex McClure singled to right to lead off the seventh and scored on a Brian Fletcher sacrifice fly. McClure brought home the Naturals' sixth run of the game, smacking a two-out double to right field to score Mitch Canham. Brett Eibner, Angel Franco and McClure each had two hits as the Naturals finished with 14 hits.

Aaron Brooks earned the win in his Double-A debut, allowing three runs on eight hits with two strikeouts in six innings. Brooks was promoted from Class-A Advanced Wilmington on Tuesday. Santiago Garrido threw two hitless innings with a strikeout, while Zach Jackson fired a scoreless ninth for his first save.

Manny Correa suffers his sixth loss of the season and second against the Naturals. Correa allowed five runs, two earned, on 11 hits with one walk and four strikeouts in 6.1 innings. Elvin Ramirez allowed one run on three hits with two strikeouts in 1.2 innings.

The Naturals and Travelers resume the series tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. Brooks Pounders (1-4, 4.47 ERA) will start for the Naturals. Lay Batista (3-5, 3.86 ERA) is scheduled to start for Arkansas.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from June 8, 2013


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