LIDDI POWERS NATURALS PAST TULSA
TULSA, Okla.- Naturals utility man, Alex Liddi, posted a career-day by belting two home runs, a double and driving in four runs to help secure the series finale on Sunday afternoon by a 10-5 final over the Tulsa Drillers at ONEOK Field. Liddi now has four home runs on the season.
Northwest Arkansas (7-9) plated runs in five different innings with Liddi playing in a role in four. Tied at one in the third inning, a two-run home run by the Italian gave the Naturals a 3-1 lead. Hunter Dozier added the fourth run of the game with a single into left later in the inning.
Tulsa (10-6) cut the deficit to a run, but Liddi stepped up against with his second home run of the contest in the fifth to extend the lead back to multiple runs at 5-3.
Tulsa tried again to get back into the game with another tally in the seventh; but a two-run double by Dusty Coleman followed by an RBI double by Liddi made it an 8-4 game through eight. Northwest Arkansas tacked on two more in the ninth using five walks by Tulsa reliever, Fabio Martinez to secure the win.
Right-hander Miguel Almonte got the start and worked 4.0 innings, allowed three runs on five hits with one strike out. Reliever Matt Murray (1-0, 6.23) earned his first win of the season tossing 2.2 shutout innings with Reid Redman and Aroni Nina combining for the final 2.1 innings.
Jorge Bonifacio produced a 2-for-5 day with a pair of doubles and a run scored while Mike Bianucci smoked his fourth double of the season and added an RBI in a 2-for-4 day. Coleman reached base five times in six trips to the plate and added his two-run double in the eighth.
The Naturals pounded out a season-best seven extra base hits in the 10-5 and are now 5-0 in the final game of the series.
The Naturals head home for a five-game homestand beginning with four against the Springfield Cardinals (5-11) with right-hander Glenn Sparkman pitching against right-hander Mike Mayers.
First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. at Arvest Ballpark with the Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show with Benjamin Kelly set to hit the airwaves at 6:50 p.m. on 92.1, the Ticket.
Follow the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Twitter @nwanaturals throughout the year by using the hashtag #NaturalPastime for all of our up-to-date information on tickets, groups, promotions, and team-related information.
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.
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