TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Hooks Send Naturals Home With Loss

Published on April 19, 2011 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - The Naturals entered the final game of their first road trip with a chance to improve to 6-0 in head-to-head matchups against the Corpus Christi Hooks. But the Hooks scored four early runs that held up late, handing the Naturals a 5-3 loss at Whataburger Field on Tuesday night. John Lamb (0-1) took the mound for the Naturals (7-5) and pitched into the fifth inning for the first time this year, but Corpus Christi (4-8) scored four runs spread over three innings against him and maintained the lead from there.

The Naturals struck first in the opening frame as Christian Colon took Corpus Christi starter Jonnathan Aristil (1-1) deep for a solo homer to left, his second of the season. But the Hooks struck back in the bottom of the inning, as J.D. Martinez evened the score at one with a sacrifice fly.

Mario Lisson cracked his team-high third home run of the year in the top of the second to put the Naturals ahead, 2-1, before Jimmy Paredes responded with a two-run blast of his own to give Corpus Christi its first lead. Jimmy Van Ostrand singled home David Flores to extend the Hooks' lead to two in the fourth.

Lamb left with two out in the bottom of the fifth inning. Overall, the southpaw allowed four runs on five hits, but did strike out five Hooks while allowing just one walk. Lamb threw 80 pitches, his highest total to this point in the season. Eduardo Paulino finished the fifth without allowing either of his two inherited runners to score and tossed a scoreless sixth inning in relief.

After giving up the two early homers, Aristil settled down to hold the Naturals in check for the rest of his outing. The right-hander worked into the seventh, allowing just two runs on six hits with four walks and six strikeouts.

Aristil departed the ballgame with two out in the top of the seventh and Derrick Robinson on second base, but Erick Abreu got Christian Colon to ground out, ending the Naturals' threat.

The teams traded runs in the eighth, as Jeff Bianchi scored on Jamie Romak's single to cut the Naturals' deficit to one before Frederico Hernandez brought in Flores to cap the scoring.

David Carpenter retired the Naturals in order in the top of the ninth to record his second save of the season. In the loss, Bianchi extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a triple in his final at bat. Salvador Perez notched a pair of singles in what was his second straight multi-hit game, while Robinson stole his team-best seventh base of the season.

After a travel day off, the Naturals return home to open up divisional play on Thursday, beginning a four-game series against the in-state rival Arkansas Travelers. Lefty Will Smith (0-1, 11.81) will take the mound for the home team opposite Orangel Arenas (1-0, 0.82). The game is set to begin just after 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live on 92.1 The Ticket.

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Texas League Stories from April 19, 2011


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