TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Two-Out Offense Vaults Naturals to 6-5 Win in Extras

Published on May 28, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


The Naturals drove in four two-out runs with the final tally acting as the deciding factor. Frank Schwindel singled to centerfield on the first pitch of his at-bat in the 12th inning and plated Carlos Garcia from second base to vault Northwest Arkansas to a 6-5 win in extra-innings at Whataburger Field on Saturday night.

Garcia coaxed lead-off walk to open up the 12th frame and moved to second base on Corey Toups second sacrifice of the night. After Maurico Ramos drew an international walk two batters later, Schwindel delivered the heroics with Naturals fourth two-out RBI hit of the night.

Right-hander Kevin McCarthy (3-1, 3.08) worked three perfect innings from the ninth to the 11th with four strikeouts to earn the win while Eric Stout notched his second save of the season to halt Northwest Arkansas' (22-26) three-game losing skid.

Corpus Christi (29-19) hung a four-spot in the bottom of the third inning off starter, Matt Strahm, but the Naturals responded in the ensuing fourth inning. Toups led off the frame with a base hit to left while Ryan O'Hearn followed with a walk off Hooks' starter, Evan Grills. Two batters later, Schwindel roped a ground ball that snuck under the glove of third baseman, J.D. Davis to plate Toups, putting Northwest Arkansas on the board.

After Zane Evans recorded an infield single to load the bases, Cam Gallagher knocked a sacrifice fly to center to cut the deficit to 4-2. Logan Moon pulled the Naturals within a run with a two-out, bloop single down the rightfield line, trimming the score to 4-3.

Strahm settled in and threw up zeros for the rest of his start. The southpaw worked 6.0 innings, allowed four runs on seven hits and struck out six. He did not factor in the decision.

Northwest Arkansas tied the game in the fifth inning with a two-out, run-scoring single by Moon and took the lead in the seventh frame. Again, it was Moon, to deliver a two-out RBI base-hit to plate Evans from third.

The Hooks answered and tied the game off reliever, Yender Caramo, in the bottom of the frame at 5-5 with a two-out single of their own by centerfielder, Derek Fisher. Caramo worked 2.0 innings of one-run baseball and kept the score locked at fives.

McCarthy entered in the ninth inning and struck out Major League rehabber, Carlos Gomez, to begin his night. He would shut down all nine batters he faced, twirling his longest outing of the season of 3.0 innings with four strikeouts. He did not allow a Hook to reach base.

Moon recorded his second consecutive three-hit night against the Hooks and ended his evening 3-for-5 with two runs batted in to up his average to .266 on the year. Garica, Schwindel and Evans all recorded two hits, respectively, with Schwindel driving in a pair of runs.

Northwest Arkansas batted 6-for-16 with runners in scoring position, the club's best mark since the Naturals went 5-for-12 on May 10 against the Arkansas Travelers.

The victory sets up a rubber match on Sunday night at Whataburger Field against the Hooks as the Naturals look garner the club's first series win since May 10. Right-hander, Jake Junis (3-3, 3.08) will make his 10th start of the season in the finale against the third-straight left-handed starting pitcher for Corpus Christi, Brian Holmes (3-1, 4.17).

The Naturals are 2-3 through five games of the six-game trip and look to head back to Northwest Arkansas with a .500 Texas trip.

Join the Voice of the Naturals, Benjamin Kelly, for a 5:45 p.m. Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show leading up to the 6:05 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 May 28, 2016


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