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TL Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Mondesi Homers, But Naturals Fall in Extras 6-4

May 16, 2021 - Texas League (TL)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


While on Major League rehab with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, shortstop Adalberto Mondesi connected for a three-run home run Sunday afternoon. But despite forcing extra innings late, the Naturals could not come out on top, falling to the Tulsa Drillers by the final score of 6-4.

Mondesi's three-run blast in the third was hit 108 miles per hour off the bat and traveled 431 feet over the bullpen in right field, scoring Tyler Cropley and Rudy Martin. It was Mondesi's third hit in his fourth game of the rehab assignment with the Naturals and last hit before being replaced defensively in the sixth.

Dairon Blanco replaced Mondesi in the lineup, but left the game in the ninth inning after colliding with Tulsa's first baseman in a play involving a throwing error by the Drillers pitcher. Brewer Hicklen (MLB Pipeline's No. 25 Royals' prospect) pinch ran for Blanco and scored on a wild pitch with two strikes and two outs in the ninth, forcing extra innings.

Jon Heasley (MLB Pipeline's No. 13 Royals' prospect) delivered a fantastic start, pitching 5.0 innings of one-run baseball while striking out five.

However, the game took a turn once it was in the hands of the bullpen, as Tulsa took a 4-3 lead after Carlos Sanabria surrendered an unearned run in the sixth and Ándres Núnez allowed his first two of the season in the eighth.

Dylan Coleman delivered a clutch performance, getting out of the eighth inning bases loaded, no-out jam and holding Tulsa off the board in the ninth, but Peyton Gray gave up a leadoff two-run homer in the 10th and despite keeping the Drillers from scoring further, took the loss as the Naturals couldn't cross the plate in the bottom of the 10th.

Martin and Nick Pratto (MLB Pipeline's No. 9 Royals' prospect) each delivered two-hit games for the Naturals, who left a season-high 13 runners on base in the extra-inning loss.

The team will have an off day on Monday following their first extra-inning game of the season and will head to Springfield on Tuesday for six games against one of their rivals in the Double-A Central North Division, the Springfield Cardinals (2-10). After the road trip, the team will return home for six games with the San Antonio Missions Tuesday, May 25 at 7:05 p.m., beginning a 12-games over 13 days at Arvest Ballpark.

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