Hounds Winning Streak Snapped By Naturals

NW Arkansas Naturals 7, RockHounds 2                                                                
Monday, August 26, 2019
Arvest Ballpark           Springdale, AR
The RockHounds' five-game win streak was stopped … and their playoff drive interrupted … as the Northwest Arkansas Naturals won the opener of a four-game series, 7-2, Monday night at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Arkansas.
Brady Singer, the Kansas City Royals' # 2 prospect, went seven strong innings for the win and the Naturals took complete control with a four-run sixth inning, breaking open a tight game and building a 7-1 advantage.
The 'Hounds had drawn to within 2-1 in the fourth on a Tyler Ramirez RBI double and had two men on with one out in the fifth before Chase Calabuig (see below) sent a sharp ground ball to third that the Naturals turned into an inning-ending around the horn double play.
After denying the RockHounds in the top of the fifth, Northwest Arkansas then scored a key run in the home half of the inning to build the lead to 3-1 and the four-run sixth put the Naturals in command.
Former RockHounds Kevin Merrell and Dairon Blanco went a combined 4-for-7 for the Naturals and each had an RBI (Darion added his 32d stolen base of the season).
The 'Hounds, very much out of character, committed four errors in the game and Singer didn't need that much "help." The right-hander scattered six hits and struck out seven without walking a batter.
The Texas League South Division
Frisco was the only South Division club to win Monday night, so Amarillo keeps its two-game lead in the second half race and the RoughRiders gained a game on the RockHounds in the wild card chase.
The RockHounds (67-65) lead Frisco (64-67) by 2½ games and the Corpus Christi Hooks (64-67) by three games in the wild card race.
The RockHounds' magic number to clinch a playoff spot is four (4) over Corpus Christi and five (5) over Frisco.
There are just seven (7) games remaining in the Texas League's 2019 regular season.
The Curse "Lives!"
We often kid on RockHounds Radio about the "Texas League Player of the Week Curse." Maybe we weren't kidding.
Chase Calabuig was, deservedly, named the TL Player of the Week. He entered Monday's game 11-for-16 in his last four games and had reached base in 15-of-20 plate appearances … with six runs, three doubles and six RBI.   No such thing as a curse? Chase went 0-for-4 Monday night … grounded into a double play and struck out three times!
Next Game
Tuesday, August 27    vs. NW Arkansas Naturals
Arvest Ballpark Springdale, Arkansas
First pitch 7:05 p.m.   
- Second of a four-game series and an eight-game road trip (NW Arkansas & Springfield)
- Radio: NewsTalk 550 with Bob Hards ... airtime 7:00 p.m.
Probable Starters             
NWA:                     Gerson Garabito            (RH,    6-10, 4.14)
RH: James Kaprielian         (RH,    2-1, 1.96)