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TL Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Naturals Strike for 18 Hits in Series-Opening Win over Travs

July 13, 2021 - Texas League (TL)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


Dairon Blanco went 5-for-5 and Bobby Witt Jr. (MLB Pipeline's No. 7 prospect in baseball) went 3-for-5 with his 14th home run of the season Tuesday night, as the Naturals offense combined for 18 hits in a 9-4 win to open up a six-game series with the Arkansas Travelers at Arvest Ballpark.

Blanco doubled twice, singled three times, scored three times and stole two bases as well, just the 10th Naturals in franchise history to record a five-hit game, reaching base in each of his trips to the plate.

A leadoff double in the bottom of the first kickstarted a three-run inning and rally that saw the first four batters reach with hits. After Blanco's double, Witt Jr. launched his 14th home run of the season over the right field fence to put the Naturals up early. Nick Pratto (MLB Pipeline's No. 5 Royals' prospect) responded with a single and scored moments later on a Brewer Hicklen (MLB Pipeline's No. 24 Royals' prospect) sac fly.

Like Witt Jr., Pratto also went 3-for-5, while MJ Melendez (MLB Pipeline's No. 13 Royals' prospect) and Brhet Bewley each contributed two-hit nights.

Melendez launched his Double-A best 17th home run of the season to open up the third inning, then Bewley drove home the inning's second run with an infield single. Freddy Fermin cleared the bases with a 3-run double in the fourth and Witt Jr. singled home a run in the fifth for good measure, which was his 44th RBI of the year.

Yefri Del Rosario (MLB Pipeline's No. 29 Royals' prospect) pitched 3.2 in his fifth start of the season, not walking a batter while striking out six. Jose Cuas, Andres Sotillet and Carlos Sanabria combined for 5.1 innings scoreless out of the bullpen, striking out a pair of batters to secure the win.

Cuas, making his Double-A debut, earned the win with his 1.1 scoreless innings of work out of the bullpen.

The Naturals, now just 0.5 game out of first place behind Tulsa, face Arkansas again at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday in the second of six games with Daniel Tillo (MLB Pipeline's No. 20 Royals' prospect) making the start as a part of his Major League rehab assignment.

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