TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Naturals Hold on to Split Series with Cardinals

Published on June 9, 2018 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, Ark - Naturals' starter Scott Blewett (W, 3-4) had his second really good outing in a row as Northwest Arkansas (29-31) was able to hold on to an important 7-6 victory to split this series with the division-leading Springfield Cardinals (30-30).

Coming off his best start of the season where he gave up one run in 7.0 innings of work in Midland, the Northwest Arkansas starter began Friday night's contest on shaky ground as Springfield jumped him for two runs in the first. The big righty would settle down and limit the Cardinals' high-powered attack to just two more runs over the course of the next 6.2 innings pitched. On the night, Blewett went a season-high 7.2 innings pitched with five strikeouts and no walks to earn his third win of the year.

The Naturals were holding on to a 7-5 lead after Springfield scored two runs in the eighth when Northwest Arkansas' skipper Mike Rojas summoned closer Jake Newberry (S, 10) from his bullpen to record a four-out save. The Texas League leader in saves did just that as Newberry worked around a run in the ninth to seal the big victory and record his 10th save of the season.

The Cardinals opened the scoring with a RBI double by Lane Thomas and a Victor Roache run-scoring single in the first.

The game would remain 2-0 until the fifth when the Naturals would plate their first run on a RBI single by Nicky Lopez.

Springfield would stretch their lead back out to two runs with another tally in the sixth before the Naturals would take their first lead of the game in the home half of the frame when the offense exploded for five runs on five hits. Jecksson Flores started the scoring with a RBI double and Nick Dini followed with a RBI single to tie the game at 3-3. The next batter, John Brontsema, connected on a 1-2 pitch and drove it deep over the wall in left for a towering two-run homer. The home run was the second of the season for Brontsema. Donnie Dewees then tripled before Lopez completed the scoring with his second RBI single.

Leading 6-3, the Naturals recorded what would be the game-winning run on a Luis Villegas solo home run to begin the seventh. The run proved to be the insurance needed as the Cardinals plated three more runs in the final two innings of the game.

The Cardinals out-hit the Naturals, 15-to-14. Dewees and Flores led the way for Northwest Arkansas with three hit games while Erick Mejia, Lopez and Dini all enjoyed multi-hit nights. Elier Hernandez went 0-for-5, which ends his hitting streak at 16 games.

Tonight's game concluded the Naturals homestand. Northwest Arkansas will now hit the road for eight (8) games against a couple of Texas League North Division rivals as the Naturals will take on the Arkansas Travelers (Double-A Mariners) in North Little Rock for four (4) games beginning tomorrow night - Saturday, June 9 - through June 12 before traveling to Eastern Oklahoma to face the Tulsa Drillers (Double-A Dodgers) for the final four (4) games of the trip from June 13 through June 16.

Catch all of the live play-by-play action in the series opener against the Travs from Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock with the Voice of the Naturals Benjamin Kelly on AM 1590 - The Ticket 2 at 5:50 p.m. for the Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from June 9, 2018


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