Naturals Come from Behind, Beat Drillers
Published on June 21, 2010 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release
SPRINGDALE, AR - The Naturals set a team record for wins in a single half as the came back to beat the Tulsa Drillers 8-6 at Arvest Ballpark on Monday night.
Down 6-3, the Naturals (41-28) were able to get four runs across in the bottom of the third inning to take the lead, which they never surrendered. That was enough to cover for the early struggles of Aaron Crow (4-6), who struggled early but settled in and completed five innings to get a win.
Crow's struggles started right from the first pitch, as he failed to throw a strike to either of the first two batters but escaped with just one run allowed in the first. After both runners moved up on Bronson Sardinha's flyout, Scott Beerer plated leadoff man Anthony Jackson with an RBI single.
The Naturals came storming back in the bottom of the first. Derrick Robinson doubled to start the frame and stole third and came in on a sacrifice fly from Johnny Giavotella which tied the game up at one. Mike Moustakas singled and advanced to second on an error, and then Nick Van Stratten's RBI double brought him in for the 2-1 lead. Paulo Orlando's two-out RBI single then made it 3-1.
Tulsa regained the lead in the second as Crow battled control issues once again. He issued one-out walks to Matt Repec and Warren Schaeffer, and then retired Jackson on a flyout. Charlie Blackmon followed and drilled a 2-0 pitch to deep center for a 4-3 lead.
Tulsa (29-39) would add two more in the third when Kiel Roling grounded into a double play to score Beerer, who had singled to start the inning. Repec's two-out RBI single plated another Driller run and staked them to a 6-3 lead.
Meanwhile, Drillers' starter Keith Weiser, voted in last week as a Texas League All-Star, had problems of his own. He wasn't issuing any walks, but was throwing a lot of pitches and getting hit around. That ended up coming to a head in the third. Moustakas led off the inning with a double and then Van Stratten singled to move him to third. Tulsa catcher Wilin Rosario gunned down Van Stratten attempting to steal second, but Ernesto Mejia followed with a double that scored Moustakas and cut the lead to 6-4.
Paulo Orlando then tripled into the center field gap to bring in Mejia, and then Orlando came in on a groundout from Anthony Seratelli to tie the ballgame. Jeff Howell doubled and then Chris McConnell drove him in with an RBI single that put the Naturals up 7-4. Weiser (5-5) left after the third and was charged with seven runs allowed on 11 hits. He fanned two and didn't allow a walk and took the loss.
Louis Coleman entered with two out in the sixth and finished the ballgame to earn his fifth save on the season for the Naturals. He allowed one walk and one hit, both in the eighth inning when he also hit a batter. He worked out of that situation, a one-out bases loaded jam, by striking out Bronson Sardinha and Scott Beerer.
Manny Pina returned to the Naturals off the disabled list and came in as a defensive replacement in the sixth. He got one at-bat in the bottom of the eighth and homered to left, his fifth on the season.
As the season's first half wraps up Tuesday, Eduardo Paulino (5-3, 4.13) starts for the Naturals opposite Tulsa's Cory Riordan (3-4, 4.14). Paulino has pitched well in his last couple trips to the mound for the Naturals. He earned a no decision in his last outing, but he pitched very well. He threw four and two thirds, gave up two earned runs, and struck out seven against the Drillers. Riordan has rebounded from a slow start to his season, and has two victories in his last three appearances on the mound. In his most recent outing, Riordan pitched six and two thirds, gave up just one earned run, and struck out eight to pick up the win. Riordan has faced the Naturals just once this season. He threw five shutout innings, but had to settle for a no decision back on May 19th.
Texas League Stories from June 21, 2010
- Travs Lose Big to Cards, 11-4 - Arkansas Travelers
- Johnson Does It All in Hooks Win - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Cardinals Blast Travelers, 11-4 - Springfield Cardinals
- Naturals Battle By Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
- Naturals Come from Behind, Beat Drillers - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- RockHounds Trump RoughRiders in Slugfest - Midland RockHounds
- Manny Pina Activated from DL - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Brian Walker Announces Retirement - Arkansas Travelers
- Series Preview: Naturals Host Drillers for Four Games - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
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