TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Mondesi's 9th-Inning Blast Sends Naturals to Victory

Published on April 30, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


TULSA, Okla. "" Kansas City Royals' top prospect, Raul Mondesi, had runners at first and second base with two outs in the top of the ninth inning with two strikes against him and still came through. The 20-year old shortstop clubbed his fifth home run of the season well beyond the right-centerfield wall to give the Naturals a 6-3 lead in an eventual 6-4 win on Saturday night at ONEOK Field.

Tulsa (8-13) reliever, Caleb Dirks (0-1, 0.00) entered the game in the top of the ninth inning and struck out the first two batters he faced. But a ground ball to first baseman Cody Bellinger off the bat of infielder, Ramon Torres, kicked up the right-field line and allowed for the inning to continue. Outfielder, Orlando Calixte, followed with a single to left-field to set the table for Mondesi's heroics.

Mondesi fell down in the count immediately after fouling off a Dirks' fastball and then taking the next pitch for strike two. Dirks left a breaking ball on 0-2 hanging, and the Naturals' shortstop pummeled it over the Northwest Arkansas (9-12) bullpen in right-center for a go-ahead 6-3 lead.

The Naturals jumped on Tulsa starter, Chase De Jong, early in the game with a solo home run slugged by Calixte on the eighth pitch of the game. Frank Schwindel slammed his third long ball of the road trip, fourth of the season, in the fourth inning while Hunter Dozier hit his team-leading sixth of the season to lead-off the sixth inning. All of the first three homers came off of De Jong.

Meanwhile, right-hander, Alec Mills, continued to dazzle. The right-hander worked out some trouble in the first and second innings; but did not allow a run in his first six frames. The Drillers plated opened up the seventh against Mills with a double, single and double to make it 3-1. The right-hander left the game, turning the ball over to left-hander, Eric Stout (1-1, 3.09).

Stout allowed two runs to cross to make it a 3-3 game after seven innings of work. Mills worked six-plus innings, allowed three runs (all earned) on nine hits with six strikeouts and a walk. His six-inning performance tonight is his fourth straight quality start.

Stout picked up his first career Double-A win with two innings of scoreless baseball while scattering just two hits. Right-hander Andrew Edwards gave up a run in the ninth inning, but held on for his first Double-A save.

With the victory, the Naturals now pull within two games of the Texas League North Division behind the Springfield Cardinals for first in the division.

Northwest Arkansas looks for the club's third straight road win and second straight over the Drillers as left-hander, Matt Strahm (0-1, 2.82) looks for his first win of the season in his fifth start of the year. Right-hander, Chris Anderson (2-1. 5.50) takes the hill for Tulsa.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from April 30, 2016


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