TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Naturals two-hit by Travs Saturday

Published on August 6, 2011 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, AR - Well documented road struggles for Travelers' starter Eddie McKiernan didn't pan out Saturday as the Travs teed off on Naturals' pitching in a 9-1 loss at Arvest Ballpark.

Command was an issue for Naturals' starter Jake Odorizzi (3-2), who surrendered two homers and yielded six runs on seven hits over his 4 2/3 innings in suffering his second consecutive defeat. North Little Rock (19-23, 55-54) got to him early, getting three in the first.

Leadoff man Darwin Perez singled and Blake Gailen, less than a week removed from independent league ball, lofted a homer to right for the 2-0 advantage. Later in the frame Chris Pettit hit a two-out RBI double to score Mike Trout for a 3-0 Traveler lead.

The Naturals (22-20, 57-52) got one run back in the bottom of the frame as Jeff Bianchi hit his second home run of the season, but they'd only get one more hit the rest of the way, a leadoff single by Anthony Seratelli in the fifth.

All told for McKiernan, who came in having lost his last seven starts on the road, it amounted to one of the most dominating starts by a visiting pitcher in Arvest Ballpark history. He went the full nine and fanned seven, and did so with 93 pitches, throwing 64 of them for strikes.

The Travs took a 4-1 lead in the third as Chris Pettit had an RBI single and they poured it on from there. Gabe Jacobo hit a two-run homer in the fifth that was the final straw for Odorizzi's night. Brendan Lafferty came on from the Naturals' pen and plunked Pettit and then was greeted rudely by Roberto Lopez, who tattooed the first pitch he saw from Lafferty way over the fence and past the party decks in left field.

Mike Trout capped the scoring with an RBI single in the sixth, scoring the light-hitting Jesus Campos, who'd led off with a single off of Lafferty. Eduardo Paulino and Andrew Dobies each chipped in a scoreless inning after that, but the Naturals continued to be stymied by McKiernan, who entering the game was 2-3 versus Northwest Arkansas this season.

Game three of the series is Sunday evening. Newly inserted into the rotation, Mario Santiago (2-1, 1.34) makes his third Texas League start of the season against southpaw Andrew Taylor (2-9, 4.52). Game time is 6 P.M, and the broadcast can be heard on ESPN 92.1 The Ticket or watched on MILB.TV (subscription required).

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from August 6, 2011


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