TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Staton Slays Naturals in Extras, 4-3 Loss at Springfield

Published on August 25, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The long-ball played the main role in Thursday night's show and the largest crowd at Hammons Field enjoyed the final act. Tied at 3-3 in the 11th inning, Springfield right-fielder, *Allen Staton *struck the ninth pitch of the at-bat off Naturals' reliever, *Tim Hill*, off the left-field foul pole for a walk-off home in the 4-3 Northwest Arkansas defeat.

The loss diminished the Naturals' edge in the Texas League North Division standings to a half-game in front of the Arkansas Travelers with 11 games remaining in the regular season.

The Naturals (59-70/30-29) took an early - very early - 1-0 lead when *Corey Toups* cracked the second pitch of the ballgame into the left-field bullpen off Springfield starter, *Corey Baker* to take a 1-0 lead. The solo homer was the third lead-off shot of the season for Toups - all coming within the last two weeks - and his ninth home run of the season.

After Springfield (68-60/27-31) tied the game off *Yender Caramo * in the third inning, using a sacrifice fly, the right-hander settled in for the Naturals. The newly-christened 25-year old celebrated his birthday with a fine start, working 6.0 innings of one-run baseball with five strike outs and scattering four hits on the night. Caramo left with a 3-1 lead.

*Mauricio Ramos* gave the Naturals the 3-1 lead with one out in the 6th. *Alfredo Escalera* popped a pitch in-between the mound and second base and Baker fell to the ground in pursuit of the ball, allowing Escalera to reach with one out. On the very next pitch, Ramos deposited the offering into the Naturals left-field bullpen and gave the visitors a 3-1 lead.

Caramo fires a scoreless sixth inning to end his night and handed the game over to reliever, *Evan Beal*. Springfield's catcher, *Jesse Jenner*, singled to lead-off the seventh to set the table for *Blake Drake*, who delivered the third home run of the game for both clubs and tied the score at 3-3 in the 7th. Beal worked 2.0 innings and struck out one on the night.

Hill (2-2, 3.46) pitched well, despite the loss. The southpaw worked a perfect ninth and 10th innings and retired the first batter in the 11th before surrendering the hooking line-drive homer which ended the game. The submarine hurler tossed 2.1 innings of one-run and one-hit baseball with three strikeouts on the night.

Toups finished the night 2-for-5 and is batting .309 (17-for-55) over his last 13 games with four home runs, four doubles and five RBIs while *Humberto Arteaga* has hit safely in four straight games. The Venezuelan shortstop doubled twice tonight, giving him three over the last three games.

The Naturals hunt for a series split on Friday night with right-hander, *Josh Staumont (1-1, 3.51) *slated to make his 9th start of the season against right-hander, *Daniel Poncedeleon (9-7, 3.54) *going for the Cardinals. Join the Voice of the Naturals, *Benjamin Kelly*, with a 6:50 p.m. pregame show, leading up to the 7:10 p.m. first pitch on the flagship station of the Naturals, 92.1-FM, the Ticket.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from August 25, 2016


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