NATURALS SPLIT TWIN BILL WITH ROUGHRIDERS

SPRINGDALE, Ark - Due to a rainout on June 23^rd, Northwest Arkansas (56-80/25-43) hosted Frisco (67-70/34-34) in a doubleheader on Saturday and the Naturals split the twin bill with the RoughRiders. Right-hander Brady Singer and outfielder Khalil Lee starred in the 7-1 win in Game 1 while the Frisco quieted the Northwest Arkansas bats in the nightcap, 9-0.

GAME 1: NATURALS - 7, ROUGHRIDERS - 1
In Game 1 of the twin bill, the Naturals top-rated prospects shined bright against the RoughRiders.
Brady Singer (W, 7-3) made his 15^th start of the year for Northwest Arkansas (25^th overall in 2019) and continued his recent dominant form. The Royals' 18^th overall pick in the 2018 MLB June Amateur Draft limited Frisco to just a run on six hits while recording six punch outs as he won his fourth consecutive start for the Naturals. In total in 2019, Singer finishes the season with a 7-3 record for Northwest Arkansas to go along with a 3.47 ERA and 85 strikeouts compared to just 26 walks in 90.2 innings.
After falling behind the RoughRiders by a score of 1-0 in the top of the third, it was all Naturals from there on out. Jordan George and Angelo Castellano provided back-to-back run-scoring singles in the home half of the third to take a 2-1 lead.
Northwest Arkansas would add to their lead in the fourth by way of the long ball as Blake Perkins led off the frame with a solo shot off the right field foul pole before Khalil Lee followed with a two-run home run to plate Kevin Merrell for a 5-1 advantage.
Lee would continue his big game in his very next at-bat in the fifth as he ripped a two-run single to right field for the 7-1 lead. Singer followed with 2.0 scoreless innings in the sixth and the seventh to secure the victory and ensure at least a split.
The offense bounced back from Friday night's showing by cranking out 13 hits in the win, led by Lee's 3-for-4 and four RBI performance, as every hitter in the lineup collected at least one hit in the Game 1 victory over the Double-A Texas Rangers.
GAME 2: NATURALS - 0, ROUGHRIDERS - 9
The script was different in the nightcap as the Naturals fell behind 4-0 as the RoughRiders jumped all over starter Emilio Ogando (L, 1-3) in the top of the first. A pair of walks led to a RBI single by Juremi Profar before Chris Leblanc drove in two with a single to right center field. Then with two outs in the innings, Eliezer Álvarez singled home Leblanc to cap the four-run frame.
Frisco would then put the game out of reach with a five-run third off the pitching combination of Ogando and Andres Sotillet . Profar started it off with a double and scored on a single by Andretty Cordero . Two batters later, Ryan Dorow drove home two with a triple before scoring on a RBI groundout by Alvarez before the final tally of the inning would score on a defensive miscue.
After collecting 13 hits and scoring seven runs in the opener, the Naturals offense was shutout in the second game and held to just a hit. Jordan George had the lone knock for Northwest Arkansas as he recorded the line drive single to left in the second.
Right-hander Emerson Martinez (W, 3-2) went 5.0 innings to earn the win for Frisco while Ogando suffered the loss for Northwest Arkansas. 'Rider relievers' CD Pelham and Jake Lemoine each fired a scoreless frame for the visitors in the victory.
Northwest Arkansas will continue their final homestand with Game 4 of this 5-game series against the Frisco RoughRiders (Double-A Texas Rangers) on Sunday, September 1^st at Arvest Ballpark. Fan Appreciation Weekend presented by Crain Buick GMC of Springdale continues with a Labor Day Weekend Post-Game Fireworks Spectacular on a Kids Eat FREE Sunday with Mercy Kids Run the Bases featuring a Braided Necklace Giveaway courtesy of Mercy for the first 500 kids in attendance. Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. for the 6:05 p.m. game while the Naturals will send right-hander Gerson Garabito (6-11, 3.99 ERA) to the mound where he'll face fellow righty Tyler Phillips (6-9, 4.97 ERA) of the RoughRiders. Catch the play-by-play action with the Voice of the Naturals Benjamin Kelly on KQSM - 92.1 The Ticket starting at 5:45 p.m. with the Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show.
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, promotions, group options and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.
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