NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SWEPT BY CORPUS CHRISTI

SPRINGDALE, Ark - Corpus Christi (50-53/17-17) completed the 3-game sweep of Northwest Arkansas (43-58/12-21) on Friday night as the Hooks broke open a 7-6 game with an 11-run eighth inning as they defeated the the Naturals in the series finale by an 18-6 final. Tonight's game concluded the season series between the clubs with the Hooks winning eight out of 11 games.
A tight game late became a blowout quick as Corpus Christi scored 11 runs in the top of the eighth. The visitors used six hits, four walks, and two hit batters to turn a one-run lead into a 12-run advantage. In the game-deciding frame, Chuckie Robinson and Bryan De La Cruz (twice) had run-scoring singles while Osvaldo Duarte and Abraham Toro both drove in runs with doubles.

The Hooks opened the scoring in the first courtesy of a RBI single by Seth Beer , which scored Ronnie Dawson whom doubled two batters earlier. In the home half of the frame, the Naturals tied the game at 1-1 as Nick Heath scored on a wild pitch.
Northwest Arkansas would take the lead in the second by way of some small ball. Freddy Fermin singled and advanced to second on a bunt single by D.J. Burt . Then with Fermin at third and Heath at second, Brett Adcock uncorked his second wild pitch to allow another run to score before Kevin Merrell blooped in a single to shallow left for the 3-1 lead after two complete.
The two-run advantage would not last long though as the aforementioned Ronnie Dawson would hit a two-run home run for his 17^th of the season, tying the Texas League lead in that category, in the top of the third to pull the Hooks even with the Naturals.
The game remained 3-3 until Corpus Christi broke the tie with a run in the fifth. De La Cruz and Dawson recorded back-to-back singles, then moved to second and third on a groundout, before Cruz scored on Beer's second RBI single of the night.
The Naturals responded with two runs in the sixth to give them a 5-4 lead; however, the Hooks would answer back with three runs in the seventh as Dawson provided the big a two-run double, his fourth hit of the night. Northwest Arkansas was able to get a run back in the home half of the frame on a sacrifice fly by Khalil Lee before the Hooks exploded for 11 runs in the eighth.
Tommy DeJuneas (W, 1-3) earned the win in relief for the Hooks while Holden Capps (L, 0-2) suffered the loss for the Naturals.
Northwest Arkansas will continue their 7-game homestand by welcoming the Amarillo Sod Poodles (Double-A San Diego Padres) to Arvest Ballpark tomorrow night - Saturday, July 27^th - to begin a 4-game series. First pitch of the series opener is slated for 6:05 p.m. on Night #2 of Christmas in July featuring an 'Abominable Strike Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Ozarks Coca-Cola and a Bullpen Craft Beer Bar Happy Hour from 4:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. The Naturals will send highly-touted pitching prospect Jackson Kowar (1-3, 3.12 ERA) to the mound where he'll face right-hander Jesse Scholtens (3-5, 5.95 ERA) of the Sod Poodles. Catch all of the live 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 leading up to first pitch against the Double-A Padres.
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, upcoming promotions, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.
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