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TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Tuesday's Action: Naturals Top Frisco

April 1, 2009 - Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SUPRISE, AZ - Jose Duarte reached base four times and Matt Tupman and Kiel Thibault homered on Tuesday to lead Northwest Arkansas over the Frisco RoughRiders by an 8-5 score. Frisco is the Texas Rangers' Double-A club and competes in the Texas League.

The Naturals got on the board early in the first when Duarte and Kurt Mertins led off with walks and both scored on a two-out single by Jordan Parraz. After Frisco plated one run in the bottom of the first, Ed Lucas led off the second with a walk and scored on a single by John Suomi.

Frisco would get three more runs in the bottom of the second and one more in the bottom half of the third off of starter Heath Phillips. Phillips allowed 12 hits and five runs and fanned two in five innings of work.

Tupman's home run in the top of the seventh brought the Naturals to within one run, and the offensive onslaught in the four-run eighth made a winner of reliever Chris Nicoll, who allowed Frisco three hits and one walk in four stellar innings of relief.

In the frame, Joe Dickerson singled with one out and advanced to second on a groundout by Parraz. After a walk to Paulo Orlando, Chris McConnell singled in Dickerson and then Thibault homered to put the Naturals up for good.

The Naturals, whose Cactus League spring exhibition record now stands at 4-4-1, play Wednesday against Frisco at the Royals' side of the Surprise Baseball Complex.

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 home opener is Thursday, April 16th against the San Antonio Missions. 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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Texas League Stories from April 1, 2009


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