Naturals Come Back but Fall Short in Extras
Published on June 26, 2009 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release
SPRINGDALE, AR- The eighth inning has been good to the Naturals this season and was good again on Friday night. But not good enough. The Naturals plated four runs in the frame to erase a 4-0 deficit and get starter Matt Kniginyzky off the hook, but the Travs' got a three-run homer in the top of the tenth to beat the Naturals 7-4.
The Travelers' got things started in the first inning when Val Majewski's home run scored Hank Conger. It was the first of two round-trippers off the bat of Majewski, whose tenth inning blast sealed the game for the Travelers.
After the slight stumble in the first, Kniginyzky went toe-to-toe with Travs' starter Jordan Walden for five consecutive frames before Wil Ortiz smoked an RBI triple to right to score Nate Sutton. Kniginyzky then uncorked a wild pitch that scored Ortiz and put the Travs up 4-0. Walden, the Los Angeles Angels' top pitching prospect, ended up with a no-decision after the Naturals eighth-inning comeback. He pitched seven-plus innings, allowing two earned runs while fanning six batters. He didn't issue a walk and departed after allowing two hits to start the bottom of the eighth.
Cody Clark doubled and Chris McConnell singled to show Walden the exit. Jose Duarte, the first batter against Travs' reliever Bobby Cassevah, grounded into a force out that scored Clark. McConnell was erased on the play, and Duarte was able to go first to third on the ensuing single by Jarrod Dyson, who went 2-for-5 in his Naturals' home debut. Kurt Mertins then hit an RBI single to bring Duarte in, and Dyson came in on a groundout by Ed Lucas. Corey Smith's RBI double would bring in Mertins, but, after Cassevah issued a walk to Jeff Bianchi, he got Cody Strait to strikeout to end the inning, stranding two runners in the process.
Naturals relievers Gilbert De La Vara and Aaron Hartsock (0-1) combined to strand two Travs' runners in the ninth, but Hartsock allowed consecutive two-out singles to Hainley Statia and Hank Conger before Majewski's second homer of the night put the Travs' up 7-4.
That made a winner of Travs' reliever Bobby Mosebach (2-0), who set the Naturals down in order in the ninth and tenth. It was the first win at Arvest Ballpark since April for the Travelers (2-1, 30-43), who were broomed in a five-game series in Springdale earlier in the month. Northwest Arkansas (1-1, 37-35) now falls to 5-2 in extra-inning games this season.
The two teams continue the series tomorrow night. Right-hander Dan Cortes (5-6, 4.28) takes the hill for the Naturals against the young left-hander Trevor Reckling (4-2, 2.52).
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. The Naturals have a toll-free ticket hotline (1-877-444-2637) for fans to purchase Naturals tickets. Our website, nwanaturals.com offers fans the opportunity to purchase tickets online and avoid lines at the ticket windows by printing their tickets at home or at the office.
Texas League Stories from June 26, 2009
- Naturals Come Back but Fall Short in Extras - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Cards Clinch Title - Springfield Cardinals
- Cards Beat Drillers, Take Title - Tulsa Drillers
- Travs Beat Naturals On Majewski Magic - Arkansas Travelers
- Corpus Christi Hooks RoughRiders, 10-2 - Frisco RoughRiders
- Series Preview: Travs back in town again - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Short but action-packed homestand vs. Travs - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Cards Clip Travs With Three Homers Thursday - Arkansas Travelers
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