NATURALS USE TEAM EFFORT AT THE PLATE AND ON THE MOUND IN 8-4 WIN OVER TRAVS
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR – A strong offensive effort across the lineup and dominant bullpen work helped the Northwest Arkansas Naturals beat the Arkansas Travelers 8-4 to even this week’s series on Wednesday night. While the Travelers struck first with a run in the first inning, the Naturals countered with
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR – A strong offensive effort across the lineup and dominant bullpen work helped the Northwest Arkansas Naturals beat the Arkansas Travelers 8-4 to even this week’s series on Wednesday night.
While the Travelers struck first with a run in the first inning, the Naturals countered with three in the third inning to jump ahead. Tyler Gentry tied the game with an RBI groundout, then CJ Alexander put the Naturals ahead with an RBI single and scored on an RBI from Luca Tresh, Tresh’s first Double-A hit.
After Arkansas scored runs in the third and fourth to tie the game, the Naturals jumped ahead for good in the fifth on Gentry’s 11th Double-A home run, his second RBI of the night. Northwest Arkansas proceeded to add two more runs in the eighth and ninth innings, first on sacrifice fly in the eighth from Morgan McCullough, his first Naturals RBI, then an RBI single from Tucker Bradley.
In the ninth, John Rave singled in a run, then Tresh grounded out for his second RBI of the night to cap the scoring.
Right-hander Jon Bowlan pitched through the fourth inning for the first time this year with Northwest Arkansas, allowing just three runs on three hits. Bowlan was followed by Asa Lacy, who struck out three of four batters he faced in a scoreless fifth inning, en route to earning his first win of the year.
After Lacy’s frame, Zach Haake compiled his best outing of the season, throwing 3.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and just three baserunners. While Yefri Del Rosario allowed a run on two hits in the ninth, the Naturals had still added more than enough onto the scoreboard offensively to hold ahead for an 8-4 win.
All nine batters in the Northwest Arkansas batting order reached, including hits from seven players. Gentry and Rave each produced their second consecutive multi-hit nights, while center fielder Diego Hernandez went 2-for-5 with a run scored, his first Double-A hits and run.
The Naturals will try and win a second straight Thursday at 6:35 p.m. CT at left-hander Anthony Veneziano starts at Dickey-Stephens Park for Northwest Arkansas.