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TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Naturals Claim 5th Straight Victory at Home

April 22, 2016 - Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, Ark. - Winners of four straight at home, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (5-9) relied on their offense as they scored 10 runs and pounded out 11 hits in a 10-5 win over the Tulsa Drillers (4-10) on Friday night in front of a crowd of 5,855 at Arvest Ballpark. The victory gives the Naturals five straight wins at home and two straight over their division rival.

Trailing 2-0 after a two-run home run by Tulsa's Lars Anderson in the second, the Naturals offense got things going in the bottom of the third inning as Cameron Gallagher and Logan Moon led off the frame with back-to-back singles against Drillers starter Scott Barlow (0-2, 2.87). After a Ramon Torres sacrifice bunt, Raul Mondesi brought in the Naturals' first run of the game with an infield single. With two outs and runners at first and second, Hunter Dozier continued his hitting ways as he roped a double to the wall in left centerfield plating Torres and Mondesi to put Northwest Arkansas in front, 3-2.

The Drillers would come back to tie the game on their second home run of the contest. This time designated-hitter Alex Verdugo would connect on a 0-0 pitch to right for a solo shot off Naturals starter Jake Junis (1-1, 5.40). Junis was solid in the game as the right-hander went 6.0 innings giving up three runs on six hits while striking out five in his first Double-A win.

The Naturals regained the lead in the sixth inning behind and RBI force out by Mauricio Ramos, which scored Bubba Starling whom led off the inning with a single. Northwest Arkansas would then break the game open by scoring six runs, all credited to Drillers reliever Grant Dayton, in the home half of the seventh. The offense used a variety of ways to inflict damage that frame as hitters reached via an error, double, bunt single, single, walk, hit by pitch, single and another double. Mondesi, Starling, and Logan Moon all recorded two hit games while Dozier, Ramos, and Zane Evans each had two RBI on the night.

Tulsa would add two more runs via another home run, this a two-run home run off the bat of Willie Calhoun in the eighth, but that would be the end of the offense for the night as the Naturals bullpen closed the door on the 10-5 victory.

The four (4) game homestand against the Double-A Los Angeles Dodgers will continue tomorrow night - Saturday, April 23 - at Arvest Ballpark at 6:05 p.m. Saturday night is highlighted by another Saturday Night Giveaway, this time an Arvest Ballpark Calendar presented by TCBY, and our second Saturday Happy Hour of the year from 4:35-5:35pm in The Bullpen.

Tulsa will start RHP Chase De Jong (1-2, 3.86 ERA) while the Naturals will send LHP Eric Skoglund (0-0, 5.23 ERA) to the hill in Game 3. You can catch the live play-by-play action with the Voice of the Naturals Benjamin Kelly on your home for Naturals baseball on AM 1590 - The Ticket 2 at 5:50 p.m. for the Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show leading up to first pitch at 6:05 p.m.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics



Texas League Stories from April 22, 2016


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