Naturals Drop Marathon Series Finale Despite Homers from Perkins and Hicklen
August 1, 2021 - Texas League (TL)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals scored nine runs between the third and fifth innings, with home runs from Brewer Hicklen and Blake Perkins, however the Wichita Wind Surge rallied late and edged out the Naturals, 11-10.
Wichita jumped out to an early lead on Naturals starter Yefri Del Rosario (MLB Pipeline's No. 29 Royals' prospect), scoring four runs in the first two innings, including a three-run homer in the second. However, once the game turned to the third, the Northwest Arkansas offense exploded.
Clay Dungan tripled in the Naturals first run, scoring Kevin Merrell. It was his first of three hits in the game and he scored moments later on an MJ Melendez (MLB Pipeline's No. 13 Royals' prospect) sacrifice fly.
Hicklen (MLB Pipeline's No. 24 Royals' prospect) tied the game in the fourth with a two-run homer, his 8th home run of the season to knot the score at 4-4.
After Hicklen made a diving play to end the top of the fifth, the tie didn't hold long as Perkins gave the Naturals their first lead of the afternoon with a grand slam, his second of the week and fifth home run of the season, to double the Naturals' run count and push the score to 8-4.
Merrell singled in a run to continue the two-out rally, his second hit of the day, at the time putting the score at 9-5.
Nolan Watson was in line for the win at the time, as he fired 3.1 innings of scoreless baseball, while striking out two. He took over for Del Rosario in the third and pitched through the end of the sixth inning.
Hicklen made another spectacular grab in the sixth inning to keep the score at a five-run advantage, but the Wind Surge took control of the game in the seventh, scoring four runs on Robert Garcia to climb within one, then three in the eighth off of Andres Sotillet to take the lead.
Northwest Arkansas did not go down without a fight, as Dairon Blanco singled home a run in the bottom of the eighth to make it a one-run game. However, the Naturals could not get the tying run home from third base and left the bases loaded in the inning.
Jose Cuas recorded the final two outs of the eighth and threw a 1-2-3 ninth, recording three assists and one putout in the five outs he secured.
After leaving the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position in the eight, the Naturals put the tying run on to lead off the ninth as Merrell walked, but they could not push across the run to force extras or walk off, as Wichita held on for the 11-10 final.
Following a league-wide OFF day on Monday, the Naturals will now hit the road for seven games in six days against the Arkansas Travelers at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
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