Naturals Drop Finale, Split with Springfield
SPRINGFIELD, MO - The Springfield Cardinals defeated the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 7-4 Sunday afternoon at Hammons Field to earn a split in the four-game series.
RHP Noel Arguelles (1-6, 6.16 ERA) started for the Naturals and was pulled during an at-bat with a 2-0 count and no outs in the 3rd inning as his pitch count climbed to 74 pitches. In total, the Cuban-born right-hander allowed six runs on four hits and eight walks, tallying just a strikeout in two-plus innings.
Springfield's starter Anthony Ferrara (3-3, 5.08 ERA) earned the victory in his first quality start of the season. The Lefthander gave up three runs on six hits and three walks, striking out a batter in six innings of work, while also surrendering a two-run homerun to Naturals Roman Hernandez.
The blast was Hernandez's first of the year and a part of a three-run fourth inning that cut the Cardinals lead to 6-3. The Naturals totaled 7 home runs in the abbreviated four-game series. Matt Fields added a double to his pounding of Cardinals pitching this weekend. For the series the slugger finished 5-for-14 with a three home runs and seven RBI, and also picked up a win pitching three innings in last night 20-inning 5-4 victory.
Arguelles walked the bases loaded to begin the Cardinals half of the first inning, and allowed a sacrifice fly to Springfield's Chris Swauger to put the Springfield up by one. After escaping further damage in the inning, Arguelles returned for the second inning and loaded the bases with three straight singles and didn't catch quite the break as he did in the first. Springfield's Jake Lemmerman walk scored Adam Melker, and Tommy Pham's single scored two, before Xavier Scrugg's sacrifice fly completed the four-run frame from Springfield.
The Naturals climbed back in the third, but Springfield answered with a seventh run in the fourth from a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly from Cody Stanley. Springfield scored four runs on sacrifice plays on the afternoon.
Naturals' Rey Navarro and Yem Prades opened the Eighth with back-to-back singles. Cardinals top late-inning reliever RHP Keith Butler came in to allow an inherited runner to score, and ultimately got Alex McClure to ground out to end the threat. He retired the side in order in the ninth to pick up his fifth save.
LHP Buddy Baumman was added to the Naturals Roster prior to the contest and made his 2013 debut tossing three scoreless innings in relief allowing a hit and a walk, while striking out four.
Northwest Arkansas will travel to North Little Rock for a four-game series intra-state series with the Travelers beginning tomorrow at Dickey-Stephens Park. The can be seen on MiLB.tv and heard locally with Steven Davis on Newstalk 1030 KFAY-AM.
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and proud host of the 77th Annual Texas League All Star Game. The Naturals play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, AR. For more information including statistics, ticket options, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.