2011 NATURAL SENDS ROYALS TO ALDS
2011 Northwest Arkansas Natural Salvador Perez delivered perhaps the greatest hit in Kansas City Royals franchise history since 1985. A team primarily led by the arms of their young former Naturals, the bats came alive in the American League Wild Card Game leading the Royals to the American League Division Series. With a 2-2 count on the MLB All-Star and Gold Glove catcher, Perez reached out and yanked the ball down the third base line, just past former Midland RockHound Josh Donaldson for a walk-off RBI single in the 12th inning.
After trailing 8-7 heading into the bottom of the 12th, the Royals received three hits, all from former Naturals. Eric Hosmer (2010) capped off his 3-4 night, including two walks and an RBI, with a one out triple in the final inning. Two pitches later, teammate of Perez's with the 2011 Naturals, Christian Colon singled in Hosmer to tie the game at eight. It marked Colon's lone at-bat in the game; after he entered the game in the 10th on a pinch hit appearance and laid down a successful sacrifice bunt. After Colon stole second with two outs, marking the Royals seventh stolen base in the game, five of which by former Naturals, Perez made franchise history.
At first thought to be a game highlighted by the two home runs from Oakland's Brandon Moss in the first and sixth, the Royals showed their resiliency and continued to fight back. Trailing by two heading into the bottom of the first, the Royals chipped away one run after Norichika Aoki, spent rehab assignment with Naturals in 2014, scored on Billy Butler's RBI single. Two innings later, led by a leadoff single from former Natural Mike Moustakas (2010), the Royals tied the game on Lorenzo Cain's (2012) RBI double. One batter later, Hosmer staked the Royals to a 3-2 lead with his lone RBI on a single that dropped in just in front of Athletics' left fielder Sam Fuld.
After falling behind 7-3 on five Oakland runs in the sixth, the Royals began their dramatic comeback in the eighth. Cain contributed with yet another RBI to drive in Alcides Escobar, then after stealing second base and a walk to Hosmer, former 2008 Texas Leaguer Luke Gregerson relieved Jon Lester and promptly gave up a single to Butler driving in Cain. Perhaps overcome by the bright Kauffman Stadium lights, and roaring crowd, Gregerson threw a wild pitch allowing Hosmer to score and cut the deficit to a single run at 7-6.
The Royals would complete the comeback in the bottom of the ninth after Josh Willingham, acquired by the Royals for 2014 Natural Jason Adam, singled to lead off the inning. Pinch running for Willingham, former Natural Jarrod Dyson advanced to second on Escobar's sacrifice bunt, and then stole third with one out. Aoki, the former 2014 Natural that started the scoring in the first, knocked a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Dyson and ensuring the Royals would live to play another inning.
In total, twelve former Naturals made an appearance for the Royals in their 9-8 victory over Oakland to advance to the American League Division Series. Of the seven men to score a run for the Royals, six have called Arvest Ballpark home at one point in their career. A division series between parent clubs of two Double-A Texas League Division foes, the parent club of the Arkansas Travelers, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Kansas City Royals for a best of five series starting Thursday night. Former 2005 Texas Leaguer Jered Weaver will toe the rubber for the Angels, with the Royals game one starter currently undecided.
Season 8 of Naturals baseball will begin with a six-game road trip to Midland and Frisco before returning to Arvest Ballpark for their home opener on Thursday, April 16 against the Midland RockHounds (Double-A Affiliate of the Oakland Athletics).
The Season 8 promotional schedule, game times and other details on discounted ticket plans as well as group information will be made available throughout the off-season. For any questions regarding our 2015 season, please give us a call at (479) 927-4900.
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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