Kowar Cages Drillers, Naturals Win 8-0
Published on August 3, 2019 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release
TULSA, Okla. - Right-hander, Jackson Kowar continued the series-theme of dominate starting pitching with his start on Saturday night. The 22-year old right-hander, shoved for a career-best eight innings of four-hit, shutout baseball with six strikeouts as the offenses aided him with eight runs in the 8-0 blanking of Tulsa at ONEOK Field.
Kowar (2-4, 3.02 ERA) knew it would a good night early. After the lead-off hitter worked his way to third with one-out in the bottom of the first inning, the infield pulled itself in. Kowar induced a ground-ball to second baseman, Gabriel Cancel who stabbed the hard grounder on a backhand, threw to the plate to cut down the runner, keeping the Drillers scoreless in the first inning.
The 22-year old took off from there, retiring the next seven straight hitters and 10 of the next 11 through four innings of two-hit, shutout baseball.
The offense broke through in the fifth inning against right-hander, Justin De Fratus (6-8, 4.96 ERA). After back-to-back doubles by Emmanuel Rivera and Taylor Featherston, leftfielder, Anderson Miller cranked his fifth home run of the season beyond the rightfield wall to give the Naturals a 3-0 lead. Two batters later, Nate Esposito singled to left, Dairon Blanco doubled and Kevin Merrell brought them both home to cap-off the five-run fifth frame.
Kowar did not take his foot off the pedal despite the five-run advantage. He erased a lead-off single in the fifth with a double-play. Esposito cut down the runner trying to steal second in the sixth to rid the Naturals' of the lead-off single and Kowar worked around a two-out error in the eighth inning to complete eight frames of scoreless pitching. He fanned six and did not walk a hitter in the appearance.
Northwest Arkansas (45-63/14-26) added three more runs in the ninth inning with a run-scoring single from Blanco and a two-out, two-out base-hit by Khalil Lee to move the lead to 8-0.
Left-hander, Holden Capps polished off the win with a perfect ninth inning, pitching in from of a number of family and friends at ONEOK Field.
The Naturals pounded out 11 hits and recorded team's fourth shutout win of the season, the first since Kowar's Double-A debut on June 22. Northwest Arkansas logged five doubles, matching a season-high, with two-baggers from Gabriel Cancel - his 24th of the season, -- Blanco, Featherston, Rivera and Jordan George.
The win also snapped a four-game losing streak on the season and a four-game losing skid to Tulsa.
The series concludes tomorrow night with right-hander, Brady Singer (3-2, 4.12 ERA) on the mound to make his 11th start of the season against Drillers right-hander, Jo Jo Gray (1-2, 1.56 ERA).
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.
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.
Texas League Stories from August 3, 2019
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- FaGalde and Cardinals Beat Travs, 2-1 - Springfield Cardinals
- Kowar and Naturals Blank Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
- Kowar Cages Drillers, Naturals Win 8-0 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
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- Riders Battle But Fall Short in Amarillo - Frisco RoughRiders
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- Travelers Top Cardinals, 6-1, on Friday - Springfield Cardinals
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