TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Naturals escape with win in game two

Published on June 11, 2010 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


North Little Rock, AR - The Travelers had the winning run at the plate with one out in the seventh, but were unable to break through as the bullpen struck out the side, preserving a 7-4 victory in game two of Friday night's twinbill.

It was the second double-header sweep in two days for the Naturals after they got a 4-2 win in game one behind Mike Moustakas' 14th homer of the season and six solid innings from Edgar Osuna.

Aaron Crow (3-5) was not nearly as solid in game two as Osuna was in game one, but pitched well enough to find himself back in the win column.

Crow allowed four runs (three overall) over five innings of work, fanning four and walking three while allowing five hits.

Just like Osuna in game one, Crow was able to take the mound staked with a lead. Mike Moustakas' RBI groundout, his 53rd run driven in this season, gave Crow and the Naturals the early 1-0 lead. Northwest Arkansas scored a second run in the third when Travs' catcher Brian Walker committed a passed ball allowing Paulo Orlando, who had singled to leadoff the frame and swiped second, to score from third. Orlando swiped three bases in the game, had two hits and a walk and is batting .315.

Crow cruised along the first three frames, allowing just a third-inning double. In turn, the Naturals broke open the game in the fourth, plating five runs to take a 7-0 advantage. Clint Robinson and Jeff Howell led off with back-to-back doubles, with Howell's driving in Robinson for the 3-0 lead. Ernesto Mejia followed and hit his eighth homer of the season, a two-run shot to left-center that put the Naturals up 5-0. With one out, Travs' starter Ryan Brasier walked Orlando and Chris McConnell. Both runners moved up on another passed ball by Walker, and then Derrick Robinson drove both of them in with a two-run double.

It was a rough night for Brasier (4-6), who allowed six hits and seven runs in four innings. He walked three and struck out two.

North Little Rock got three back in the bottom of the frame on a two-run single from Jeremy Moore and an RBI single from Walker.

Crow was lifted in the sixth after walking Roberto Lopez and allowing a single to Moore. Ben Swaggerty relieved and induced three consecutive groundouts, the middle of which, off the bat of Kevin Ramos, plated the Travs' fourth run and cut the Naturals' lead to 7-4.

Swaggerty walked the bases loaded around a strikeout to start the seventh. That brought the tying run to the plate for the Travs (21-37). Swaggerty fanned Lopez and then was lifted for fellow lefty Brandon Sisk, who fanned Moore to end the game, earning Sisk his sixth save on the season for the Naturals (36-23).

With Springfield victorious over Tulsa, the Naturals maintain their season-high six game lead over the second-place Cardinals with 11 games to go in the first half.

Saturday, the Naturals go for the rare five game sweep with a 7:00 start to wrap up the series with the Travs. Right-hander Blake Johnson (0-0, 4.15) gets the start for the Naturals opposite left-hander Michael Anton (2-5, 4.94). The game will be broadcast on KFAY News/Talk 1030.

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.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from June 11, 2010


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