The Naturals offense jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning. Christian Colon reached base on an infield single, and Brian Fletcher followed with a two-run home run, that put the Naturals up 2-0. The home run was the seventh of the season for Fletcher.
Ryan Dennick made his third spot start of the season for the Naturals and was brilliant on the mound. The right-hander threw five and two-thirds innings allowing three hits and one run, while walking two and striking out five.
Kent Matthes led off the seventh inning with a solo home run off of Ethan Hollingsworth (1-7) to cut the lead to 2-1. The home run was the seventeenth of the season for Matthes. The Drillers were able to even the game in the top half of the eighth inning getting an RBI single from shortstop Warren Schaeffer.
Parker Frazier turned in a great start for the Drillers (55-48) working seven innings allowing three hits and two runs, while striking out five. Frazier did not allow a run after the first inning.
The Naturals' (44-59) offense rallied back in the bottom half of the eighth inning. Prades blasted his sixth home run of the season over the left-field fence to put the Naturals up 3-2. Josh Sullivan (0-1) took the loss for the Drillers allowing one run on two hits in an inning of work. Juan Gutierrez worked a perfect ninth inning striking out one to earn his second save of the season for the Naturals.
The Naturals will begin a four-game series with the Springfield Cardinals on Friday night at 7:05 PM. The Naturals will send left-hander Noel Arguelles (2-10, 7.60) and right-hander Scott McGregor (3-1, 5.76). The game can be heard on ESPN 92.1 The Ticket.
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