TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Naturals Take Series Opener, 3-1 in North Little Rock

August 25, 2018 - Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Naturals claimed the series opener from Dickey-Stephens Park on Saturday night by a 3-1 final score. Northwest Arkansas has now won 17 of the 23 games against the Arkansas Travelers this season.

Right-hander, Jace Vines (3-3, 6.88) grinded out five innings of one-run baseball to earn his third victory of the season. The 24-year old hurler worked in and out of traffic in each of his five innings and utilized his defense to the maximum.

In the second, Vines induced a line-out, double-play to escape damage while Anderson Miller threw out Donnie Walton in the third inning at the plate, attempting to score from second on a single, keeping the Naturals' lead intact. Vines used a nifty double-play turn between the middle to allude trouble in the fourth and allowed his only run in the fifth on a two-out double.

Vines finished with a pair of strikeouts, one walk, scattered five hits in the five inning performance.

Samir Duenez gave the Naturals a 2-0 lead with a two-out single into rightfield, busting through the overshift to score Alfredo Escalera and Nick Heath from second and third base.

After the Travelers struck for their run in the fifth inning, Northwest Arkansas matched it in the sixth. Jecksson Flores led off the inning with a double down the rightfield line, took third on a deep flyout to rightfield by Duenez and scored on a wild pitch.

The Naturals will look to capture the series tomorrow afternoon with a 2:10 p.m. first pitch from Dickey-Stephens Park. Left-hander, Emilio Ogando (11-6, 4.66) hunts for his seventh straight winning decision in the middle game of the series while carrying a franchise record 31.0 scoreless inning streak. Ogando owns a 0.64 ERA since July 17. Right-hander, Williams Perez (6-1, 2.32) will be opposite for the Travelers.

Join the Voice of the Naturals, Benjamin Kelly, with a 1:50 Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show leading up to the 2:10 p.m. first pitch on the flagship station of the Naturals, 92.1-FM, the Ticket and across the Naturals' Radio Network.

Follow the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Facebook and Twitter @NWANaturals all throughout the year by using the hashtag #NaturalPastime and #CrowntoCrown for all of our up-to-date information on the 2018 season of Naturals baseball.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. For more information, including statistics, ticket options, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics



Texas League Stories from August 25, 2018


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