O'Hearn, Naturals Knockout Hooks

SPRINGDALE, AR - Ryan O'Hearn belted a pair of three-run home runs in his first two trips to the plate Wednesday night as the Naturals rolled to an 11-6 victory over Corpus Christi at Arvest Ballpark.

Northwest Arkansas (27-25, 56-66) notched a season-best 19 hits, the most allowed by the Hooks this year. Corpus Christi (25-27, 72-50) had permitted three runs on 11 hits in its prior two contests.

The Naturals sent 16 men to the plate in the first two innings as Kent Emanuel (4-3) failed to escape the second.

O'Hearn's six RBIs fell one shy of matching the club record, last achieved by Lane Adams August 13, 2013, vs. Corpus Christi.

Northwest Arkansas' No. 3 thru 6 hitters, Corey Toups, O'Hearn and Frank Schwindel, combined to go 13-for-19 with eight runs scored. Of the club's 19 hits, 16 were singles.

Eric Peterson was charged with a run in 3 2/3 innings. Peterson fanned six and did not issue a walk. The Naturals mustered two tallies against Ryan Thompson over the final three frames.

Corpus Christi enjoyed traction against rehabbing Royals lefty Jason Vargas. In the first, Garrett Stubbs doubled down the left-field line and scored on a JD Davis sac fly. The Hooks added solo home runs by Conrad Gregor and Ramon Laureano before Vargas' third-inning exit.

Ashton Goudeau earned the victory, scattering one run on four hits over 5 1/3 innings of relief. Goudeau (5-12) struck out seven and walked one. Corpus Christi's lone tally against him occurred in the eighth. Davis seared a triple into the right-field alley and came home courtesy of a chopper to first off the bat of James Ramsay.

With Reid Redman on the mound, the Hooks added a pair of runs in the ninth via sac flies by Stubbs and Nick Tanielu.

Corpus Christi takes aim at a series victory Thursday night. Cy Sneed (4-5, 4.73) matches up against Naturals lefty Eric Skoglund (6-8, 3.36). First pitch 7:05.