Naturals Drop Extra Inning Affair with Travelers

May 17, 2024 - Texas League (TL)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release

Javier Vaz collected his first three-hit game of the season, but the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (17-17) fell 4-3 in 12 innings to the Arkansas Travelers (20-15) on Thursday night at Dickey-Stephens Park.

The Naturals scratched across their first run of the game in the top of the third off Travelers starter Blas Castano . Vaz led off the frame with a single and moved up to third on a fielding error by the Travelers second baseman, Hogan Windish . Cayden Wallace flew out to center, scoring Vaz to put Northwest Arkansas up 1-0. Arkansas tied the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the seventh against Northwest Arkansas reliever Tyson Guerrero .

In the top of the 11th, the Naturals took the lead off Travelers reliever Travis Kuhn . With Josh Lester at third, Diego Hernandez knocked a sacrifice fly to right, plating Lester to make it a 2-1 ballgame. Arkansas answered back with a run in the bottom half of the inning off Northwest Arkansas reliever Ryan Brady to make it 2-2.

Vaz drove in a run on a single in the top of the 12th off Travelers reliever Jarod Bayless , but Spencer Packard blasted a two-run homer in the bottom half against Naturals reliever Beck Way to end the game at 4-3.

Bayless (1-1) recorded the win, letting up a hit and a run in the 12th inning. Way (1-2) took the loss, allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit over 0.2 frames.

The Naturals and Travelers will play game four of a six-game series on Friday night with first pitch set for 7:05 PM CT. Northwest Arkansas starts RHP Luinder Avila (1-3, 7.40), while Arkansas counters with RHP Logan Evans (3-1, 1.34).

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