TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Naturals Open Second Half with 9-2 Victory

Published on June 21, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, Ark. - The Northwest Arkansas Naturals (1-0, 30-41) found themselves in need of a stopper to end a current five-game losing streak and that guy was RHP Pedro Fernandez (1-2, 3.57 ERA) as the right-hander delivered 7.2 strong innings in the 9-2 win over the Arkansas Travelers (0-1, 32-39) to open the second half of the season.

Tonight was the 22-year-old right-hander's third start for Northwest Arkansas and he was brilliant. The Dominican-born hurler blew past his previous high of 3.2 innings with 7.2 frames of two-run baseball while striking out five. Fernandez, the Royals' No. 18 overall prospect according to Baseball America, earned the first Double-A victory of his career.

The Northwest Arkansas offense gave their starter more than enough support on Tuesday night as the team pounded out 13 hits and scored nine runs. Eight players in total collected hits while four players had multi-hit nights highlighted by Corey Toups going 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBI and Mauricio Ramos registering a 3-for-5 night with a RBI.

The Travelers opened the scoring with a solo home run on the second pitch of the game; however, the Naturals responded with two quick runs in the bottom half on run scoring singles by Ramos and Logan Moon. Both teams would put up a run in the third before the Naturals would break it open with six runs over the course of the next three frames to set the final at 9-2. RHP Victor Alcantara (2-4, 4.61 ERA) took the loss giving up seven runs in 4.0 innings of work.

Ryan O'Hearn extended his season-best hitting streak to 13 games, which is good for the longest hitting streak by a Natural this season surpassing the 12-game streak that Ramon Torres had from April 22 through May 5. The hit came via another solo home run, which is his seventh homer of the year and second in as many nights. Meanwhile, Kansas City Royals outfielder Alex Gordon made his third straight appearance in the Naturals lineup. Tonight he went 1-for-5 with a RBI single in the fourth as the designated-hitter. Gordon is now 4-for-11 with a homer, a double, and 2 RBI on rehab.

Northwest Arkansas will conclude their 8-game homestand tomorrow afternoon - Wednesday, June 22 - with the series finale against the Double-A Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim with first pitch scheduled for 12:05 p.m. North Little Rock will send RHP Troy Scribner (5-3, 3.96 ERA) to the mound while Northwest Arkansas will counter with Texas League North Division All-Star RHP Jake Junis (6-4, 3.07 ERA). You can catch all of the live play-by-play action with the Voice of the Naturals Benjamin Kelly on your home for Naturals baseball on KQSM 92.1-FM The Ticket at 11:45 a.m. for the Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show leading up to first pitch at Arvest Ballpark at 12:05 p.m. against the visiting Travelers.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from June 21, 2016


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