TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Late Rally Halted in Naturals 8-6 Loss at Tulsa

Published on April 22, 2018 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


TULSA, Okla. - Northwest Arkansas trailed 8-4 entering the ninth inning on Sunday afternoon at ONEOK Field, scored twice but stranded the bases loaded to end the game. Tulsa took the lone contest between the two clubs over the damp weekend with an 8-6 final on Sunday afternoon.

Samir Duenez singled to plate Nicky Lopez to cut the Drillers lead to 8-5 and Elier Hernandez doubled home Erick Mejia to make it an 8-6 deficit.

Right-hander, Glenn Sparkman started for the Naturals and worked into the fifth inning for his second consecutive start. The Ganado, Texas native held on to a 2-1 lead entering the fifth before a two-run triple by DJ Peters gave Tulsa a 3-2 lead.

Sparkman finished 4.0 innings-plus, allowed three runs, two earned, on seven hits with six strikeouts and no walks. The 25-year old has fanned 12 batters over his last 9.0 innings of work.

Jason Adam stayed sharp out of the bullpen. He worked 1.2 innings and struck out five batters to keep the Naturals within a run of the Drillers over the middle frames. Over his last five relief outings, Adam has worked 9.1 innings, allowed one total run on five hits with 15 strikeouts.

Northwest Arkansas (6-9) took the lead in the top of the first on a two-run, two-out double by Donnie Dewees off hard-throwing hurler, Yadier Alvarez. The Naturals would not score again until the seventh frame when Mejia's RBI ground-out tied the game at 3-3.

After Tulsa (9-6) regained the advantage in the home half of the seventh at 4-3, Northwest Arkansas used a double by Hernandez off reliever, Josh Sborz (2-0, 2.00) to tie the score again. But the Drillers responded with four runs on three home runs in the eighth inning, pulling away at 8-4.

Reliever, Franco Terrero (0-1, 11.25) surrendered all three homers in the eight and worked two innings on the afternoon.

The Naturals continue the road trip with a four-game set in Springfield, Mo. Game one of the series is slated for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch at Hammons Field against the Springfield Cardinals on Monday night. Left-hander, Foster Griffin (1-1, 3.09) takes the mound against right-hander, Chris Ellis (0-0, 0.93) for the Cardinals.

Join the Voice of the Naturals, Benjamin Kelly, with a 6:10 p.m. pregame show leading up to first pitch on 92.1-FM the Ticket and the Naturals Radio Network.

Follow the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Facebook and Twitter @NWANaturals all throughout the year by using the hashtag #NaturalPastime and #CrowntoCrown for all of our up-to-date information on the 2018 season of Naturals baseball.

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.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from April 22, 2018


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