TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Frisco offensive onslaught buries Naturals

Published on August 15, 2009 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, AR- 31 hits, 17 runs, and a ballgame approaching three and a half hours ended up with the Naturals on the losing end of an offense-dominated 11-6 game with the Frisco RoughRiders at Arvest Ballpark Saturday night.

The RoughRiders scored two runs in the top of the seventh to break a 6-6 tie, and then added another run in the eighth and two more in the ninth to put the game squarely out of reach.

Northwest Arkansas got on the board first in this one. David Lough led off with a double and scored when Frisco third baseman Johnny Whittleman threw wild trying to get Jarrod Dyson, who laid down a sacrifice bunt. Whittleman's throw went wild and Lough scored with Dyson reaching second. Dyson would move to third on a groundout by Jeff Bianchi but was out at home on Corey Smith's fielder's choice groundout to RoughRiders pitcher Blake Beavan. Smith reached and then was driven in on an RBI single by Kurt Mertins which put the Naturals up 2-0.

Frisco got one run back on an RBI single by former Razorback Craig Gentry, but the Naturals came right back in the bottom of the third. Dyson doubled to start the frame and moved to third when Bianchi reached safely on a bunt attempt. Corey Smith brought Dyson home with a sacrifice fly, his 78th RBI on the season, and Bianchi would score on a double-play groundout by Mertins.

The RoughRiders roughed up and ultimately would chase Naturals' starting pitcher Matt Kniginyzky in the fourth, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring five runs. The final two runs of the frame were forced in on bases loaded walks issued by Naturals' reliever Chris Chavez, who was summoned from the ‘pen after Kniginyzky walked Chad Tracy to load the bases after three runs had already crossed the plate for Frisco to tie the game. But Chavez had trouble throwing strikes and the next two batters, Adam Fox and Whittleman both drew free passes to put Frisco up 6-4.

Kniginyzky ended his night charged with eight hits, three walks, and six runs in 3 2/3 innings.

Ed Lucas would bail out Kniginyzky in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run single which scored Dyson and Bianchi and knotted the game back up at six.

Meanwhile, Chavez set Frisco down in order after getting that final out of the fourth. He got the ‘Riders 1-2-3 in the fifth and the sixth before running into trouble in the seventh. He issued a leadoff walk to Fox and Whittleman followed with a single, and Manny Pina doubled to bring in Fox. Chavez was then lifted in favor of Aaron Hartsock. Hartsock got Steve Murphy to pop out but Guilder Rodriguez singled in Whittleman to put Frisco up 8-6.

The Naturals appeared to have a golden opportunity to get on the board in the bottom of the seventh but failed to come up with a run. Three consecutive singles by Bianchi, Smith, and Lucas loaded the bases with nobody out. But Frisco reliever Corey Young got Kurt Mertins looking, Cody Clark swinging, and the got Jose Duarte to groundout to second to strand all three runners. Young (1-0), who got the win, kept Northwest Arkansas' comeback kids off the board in his two inning relief appearance and recorded three of his six outs on the strikeout.

Whittleman had the standout day amongst a Frisco offensive show that saw every batter in their lineup record at least one hit and drive in at least one run. His eighth inning RBI single wrapped up a 3-for-3 effort with two runs scored, two RBI, and two walks. Chad Tracy also had two hits and two RBI for Frisco (25-23, 58-60) on a ninth-inning double.

Jeff Bianchi had four hits for the Naturals (28-20, 64-54), who also got three hits by Ed Lucas and two RBI by both Lucas and Kurt Mertins. Chris Chavez (0-1) was tagged with the loss for allowing the go-ahead runs in the seventh.

The Naturals maintain their two game lead over the Tulsa Drillers for first place in the Texas League North. The Drillers fell to Midland Saturday night. The series with Frisco resumes with a 2:30 P.M. matinee Sunday afternoon. Southpaw Rowdy Hardy (3-1, 2.61) will toe the rubber for the Naturals opposite right-hander Omar Poveda (8-5, 4.49).

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

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Texas League Stories from August 15, 2009


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