NATURALS DROP FINALE IN SPRINGFIELD, 4-0

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The Naturals dropped the final game of the four-game series to the Springfield Cardinals on Monday afternoon by a 4-0 final score at Hammons Field. The shutout of Northwest Arkansas is just the third of the season and the first since April 14. The Naturals completed the road trip 4-4, winning the series at Arkansas, 3-1 earlier in the trip.
The Cardinals held Northwest Arkansas (22-20) to just four hits on the day with Jack Lopez tabbing two on the day. Lopez finished the series against the Cardinals 5-for-14 with an RBI, all the while raising his average to .292 on the season. Ruben Sosa and Zane Evans accounted for the other hits for the Naturals.
Springfield (23-19) manufactured a pair of runs in the fourth inning off Naturals' starter, Emilio Ogando (2-2, 2.61) using a pair of two-out singles. But that's all Ogando allowed working 5.0 innings, scattering seven hits and struck out one on the day.

Reliever, Pedro Fernandez , pitched a perfect eighth inning, striking out two hitters on the day. Over his last nine appearances, Fernandez has tabbed a 2.00 ERA, allowing just two earned runs in 18.0 innings of work, holding the Texas League to a .227 average over the stretch.
Northwest Arkansas heads home for a six-game homestand against the Texas League South Division. The Frisco RoughRiders (Texas Rangers) come to Arvest Ballpark for a three-game series, followed by a three-game set over the Memorial Day weekend against the Midland RockHounds (Oakland Athletics). The Naturals will have three straight Firework Spectaculars on starting on Friday, May 26 through Sunday, May 28 to celebrate the Memorial Day Weekend.
Right-hander, Corey Ray (3-3, 4.05) will take the hill in Game 1 against Frisco on Tuesday night for the 7:05 p.m. first pitch and will counter against the RoughRiders' right-hander, Collin Wiles (4-1, 3.02).
Join the Voice of the Naturals, Benjamin Kelly, with a 6:45 a.m. pregame show, leading up to the 7:05 p.m. first pitch on the flagship station of the Naturals, 92.1-FM, the Ticket.
Follow the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Facebook and Twitter @NWANaturals all throughout the year by using the hashtag #NaturalPastime and #CrowntoCrown for all of our up-to-date information on Season 10 of Naturals baseball.
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. For more information, including statistics, ticket options, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.
-Naturals-