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Naturals Fall in Finale

Orlando, Merrifield Plate runs
September 3, 2012
SPRINGDALE, AR - The Tulsa Drillers belted three more home runs, to defeat the Naturals 7-3 in the season finale on Monday afternoon at Arvest Ballpark. The win gives the Drillers a sweep of their final series of the season against the Naturals.

The Drillers broke the game open in the top of the fourth inning with five runs. Kiel Roling and Chris Petit hit back-to-back home runs in the frame to help Tulsa to a 5-0 lead.

The Naturals answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Paulo Orlando singled home Whit Merrifield to cut the lead to 5-1. Sugar Ray Marimon (3-6) went four innings allowing eight hits and five runs, four earned, while striking out a Double-A season high six. Dan Houston (10-10) worked five innings for the Drillers allowing three hits and one run, while walking and striking out one.

The Naturals offense took advantage of an error on the Drillers right fielder Chris Pettit to pick up a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to make it 5-2. The Drillers answered with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning. Jimmy Cseario blasted a solo home run in that inning that made it 7-2.

The Naturals got another run back in the bottom of the eighth inning taking advantage of another error tallying a run in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Drillers catcher Jose Gonzalez made the team's third error of the night in the ninth allowing Brian Fletcher to score to make it a 7-4 contest.

Brendan Lafferty worked two and a third innings in relief for the Naturals. It was the 43 appearance of the season for the left-hander, the most ever in a single season by Naturals pitcher.