Jones Walks off Naturals Again
For the second straight night, Duanel Jones walked off Northwest Arkansas, this time with a 10th inning homer to give San Antonio a thrilling, 5-4, series-clinching win Saturday in front of 5,138 at Wolff Stadium.
The Missions carried the momentum from Friday night's epic comeback with a three-run first inning Saturday against Naturals' starter Jonathan Dziedzic. San Antonio quickly loaded the bases against the southpaw courtesy of singles by Travis Jankowski and Alberth Martinez and a Trea Turner walk. Yeison Asencio gave the Missions a 2-0 lead when he followed with a single up the middle. Next batter Diego Goris bounced into a double play, but it was still productive, as Turner scored from third to make it 3-0.
Asencio pushed the San Antonio lead to four in the bottom of the third with an RBI single to left.
The four runs of support, for a while, looked like it would be more than enough for Missions' right-hander Bryan Rodriguez, who did not allow a hit until a Mike Bianucci two-out double in the fifth.
However, Rodriguez ran into trouble in the sixth, allowing the Naturals to plate three runs on four hits, trimming San Antonio's lead to just one.
After relievers Adam Cimber and Michael Dimock each fired scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth, the Missions called on Tayron Guerrero to lock it up in the ninth. Unfortunately, for the Missions, Guerrero was not able to hold the lead as Kenny Diekroeger tied the game at four with an RBI double.
San Antonio had a golden shot to end it in the ninth, putting runners on second and third with just one out for pinch-hitter Hunter Renfroe. It appeared Renfroe was going to deliver a game-winning sac fly when he lifted a ball to center. However, freshly activated Bubba Starling turned a clutch, fly ball double play when he gunned down Martinez at the plate.
After reliever Aaron Northcraft (1-0) worked a perfect top of the 10th, Jones took the second pitch from new reliever Sam Selman (1-2) in the bottom half of the frame onto the berm in left to give San Antonio its season-high, tying fourth straight victory. It was Jones' first homer at the Double-A level.
San Antonio (24-30) wraps up its six-game homestand Sunday against Northwest Arkansas (32-21) with first pitch slated for 2:05 PM. The first 500 kids 12 & under will receive a free Missions' logo baseball courtesy of Kellogg's. San Diego right-hander Brandon Morrow will get the ball for the Missions in his second rehab start. The Naturals will counter with fellow righty Miguel Almonte (4-3, 4.30).
Notes: San Antonio stole a season-high five bases in the win, including three from Jankowski, who became the first Mission with more than two in a game this year. The Missions' last four-game win streak was April 30-May 3. Asencio (3-for-4, three RBI) collected his team-high seventh three-hit game of the season and his second three-RBI effort. Jankowski (2-for-5) added his team-leading 20th multi-hit game.