TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Naturals Walk-Off in Tenth to Win Texas League North Title

Published on September 10, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, Ark. - With runners at the corners and one out in the tenth, catcher Cam Gallagher laid down a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt to plate Ryan O'Hearn just ahead of first baseman Luke Voit's throw to give Northwest Arkansas (3-1) a walk-off 3-2 win over the Springfield Cardinals (1-3) and the Texas League North Division Title. The title is the Naturals second in as many seasons, which secures them a return trip to the Texas League Championship Series that begins Tuesday at Arvest Ballpark.

Locked in a 2-2 game and after threatening in the bottom of the ninth, the Naturals got the tenth frame started with an O'Hearn walk. He advanced to second on a passed ball by Cardinals' catcher Luis Cruz and then moved to third on a groundout to second base by Frank Schwindel. Springfield elected to walk Samir Duenez to set the stage for Gallagher. After a brief conference with Manager Vance Wilson, Gallagher laid down the winning bunt and the championship celebration ensued.

RHP Josh Staumont and LHP Austin Gomber were both terrific in the ballgame for their respective teams. Staumont, the Naturals fire-baller, gave his squad 6.0 innings of two-run baseball to go along with 11 strikeouts while Gomber, the Cards' lefty, limited the high-powered Naturals attack to a lone run in his 4.1 innings of work. Neither would factor in the decision.

Springfield jumped on the board first in the fourth as Voit reached on a single and advanced to third on a double by Jacob Wilson. Bruce Caldwell would provide the RBI single to score Voit to give the first half champions the early 1-0 lead. Northwest Arkansas though would have an answer in the bottom half of the frame as O'Hearn launched a 435 foot solo home run to right.

The game remained 1-1 until the fifth when the Cardinals regained the lead on an opposite-field Paul DeJong home run into the Naturals bullpen in right. The game would stay 2-1 until the seventh when the bottom of the Naturals order manufactured a run. Gallagher reached on an infield single before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Humberto Arteaga. The next batter Logan Moon ripped a RBI double into the left field corner to plate Gallagher, which locked the score up at 2-2.

Both teams had their chances in the later innings but both bullpens did a solid job of keeping the offenses at bay until the Naturals finally got to Cardinals closer RHP Josh Lucas in the tenth. Lucas (L, 0-1) would take the defeat while Northwest Arkansas closer Mark Peterson (W, 1-0) earned the win with a couple of scoreless innings in the ninth and tenth.

The win gives the Naturals their second consecutive Texas League North Division Title and a return trip to the Texas League Championship Series. The Texas League Championship Series will begin at Arvest Ballpark regardless of opponent. Game 1 will be Tuesday, September 13 at 7:05 p.m. with Game 2 scheduled for Wednesday, September 14 at 7:05 p.m. Northwest Arkansas will face either the Midland RockHounds in a rematch of last year's championship or the Corpus Christi Hooks from the South.

Follow the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Twitter @NWANaturals all throughout the year by using the hashtag #NaturalPastime and #CrowntoCrown for all of our up-to-date information on former Naturals in the Major Leagues as well as Season 10.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from September 10, 2016


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