Matias Mashes Walk-Off Homer in 10th

SPRINGDALE – With his club down to its final out, Seuly Matias hit a two-run home run in the 10th inning Saturday night, vaulting the Naturals to a 6-5 win over the Hooks in front of 3,928 fans at Arvest Ballpark.

The Hooks carried a 3-1 lead into the seventh before Northwest Arkansas managed a pair of runs against Jonathan Sprinkle to level the score.

Corpus Christi broke the stalemate in the 10th, scoring twice on an RBI single by Yainer Diaz and a sac fly off the bat of Bryan Arias. Jonah Dipoto, the pitcher of record for Northwest Arkansas, netted a strikeout – the 18th of the day by Naturals pitching – to strand two in the frame.

Devin Conn, who pitched a scoreless ninth, dispatched the first two batters in the home 10th, with the automatic runner scoring via a fly ball and groundout. Following a walk to Robbie Glendinning, Matias deposited a 1-1 hanging slider over the fence in left for his second home run of the series.

The Naturals’ walk-off win spoiled a sterling start by Misael Tamarez, who struck out 10 batters against one hit and two walks over a personal-best 5 2/3 innings. The strikeouts are the most by a Hooks hurler this year. Tamarez, who threw 57 of 88 pitches for strikes, now sports a 3.79 in 10 appearances (seven starts).

Now with a 3-2 lead in the series, Corpus Christi aims to bounce back with a victory in Sunday afternoon’s finale. First pitch 2:05.