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TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Naturals Walk Their Way to Ninth-Inning Win

August 2, 2009 - Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, AR- The Naturals were able to capitalize when it counted most, taking three walks to start the home ninth and converting it into a walkoff win, a 5-4 triumph over the Springfield Cardinals which snapped a three game losing streak.

Vance Wilson's RBI fielder's choice with one out in the ninth scored David Lough and completed the comeback which came after the Naturals' bats had been stifled for several innings.

The Naturals' had an opportunity to take a lead in the first but got two runners thrown out on the bases. Jarrod Dyson singled but was gunned down attempting a steal of second. Vance Wilson was then plunked by a pitch from Springfield starter Lance Lynn. Corey Smith followed and doubled to right-center, but Wilson was thrown out at home.

Springfield instead took the early 3-0 lead in the second as Naturals' starter Blake Johnson hit a rough patch. Andrew Brown singled and advanced on an error by Naturals' third baseman Kurt Mertins. Tyler Henley singled and Brown moved over to third, and then scored on a wild pitch by Johnson for the game's first run. With two out, Pete Kozma singled in Henley and then, after Antone DeJesus reached on a bunt, Jim Rapoport singled to bring in Kozma. Johnson managed to retire Colt Sedbrook, the eighth batter of the inning, on a forceout to end the threat and strand two runners.

The Naturals got a run back in the bottom of the second on an RBI double by Josh Johnson which scored Mertins and cut the lead to 3-1. That' d be as close as the Naturals would get until the ninth.

Aside from that second inning Blake Johnson pitched well, and was bailed out from a possible hard-luck loss by the late comeback. He allowed nine hits in seven innings, the three earned runs, and issued two walks while striking out three.

The Naturals only other opportunity against Springfield starter Lance Lynn came in the sixth. Back-to-back singles by Wilson and Smith put two on with two away, but Kurt Mertins grounded into a force out to end the inning. Lynn went six innings allowing one run. He fanned five and didn't walk anybody.

An eighth inning solo shot by Steven Hill, his 18th of the season for Springfield was all the scoring until Francisco Samuel came out to begin the bottom of the ninth. He did so by issuing three straight walks, to Marc Maddox, Jeff Howell, and Josh Johnson. That brought the end to the short outing for Samuel, the fifth pitcher on the day for Springfield (16-19, 54-51).

Chuckie Fick (0-1) replaced Samuel and fanned Jose Duarte for the first out. David Lough, representing the winning run, singled through the hole at second to bring in Maddox and cut the Springfield lead to 4-2. The third run came in on a passed ball by Springfield backstop Tony Cruz. Jarrod Dyson then reached on a fielder's choice when Cards' shortstop Pete Kozma couldn't gun down Howell, the tying runner from third. The ballgame ended when the next batter, Vance Wilson, chopped a ball to third. The throw from Cardinals third baseman Donovan Solano was off line as Lough scored the winning run.

The Naturals (22-14, 58-48) managed to score all four runs off just one hit, which was the only fair ball that traveled past the infield. That made a winner of Hartsock (2-1) who allowed the homer to Hill in the eighth but retired Springfield in order to set the table for the comeback in the ninth.

The Naturals will go for the split as the four-game series wraps up Monday evening with a 7 P.M. start. In another matchup of lefties, Nick Additon (0-1, 14.73) starts for Springfield, opposite Everett Teaford (3-4, 4.99) for Northwest Arkansas.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. The Naturals have a toll-free ticket hotline (1-877-444-2637) for fans to purchase Naturals tickets. Our website, nwanaturals.com offers fans the opportunity to purchase tickets online and avoid lines at the ticket windows by printing their tickets at home or at the office.

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