SINGER, LATE OFFENSE PROPEL NATURALS TO 6-2 WIN

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Right-hander, Brady Singer , tossed six innings of one-run baseball with six strikeouts and his offense sported him six runs in the contest to claim the series opener over the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field on Thursday night by a 6-2 final score.
 
In Singer's (2-0, 6.35 ERA) third start against the Cardinals and his fifth start, overall, for the Naturals, this outing proved to be his best. The 22-year old proved to get strong as the game progressed. He worked in-and-out of traffic in the first few innings, surrounding a solo home run in the third frame.
Following the home run, a base-hit squeaked through and Singer turned the hit into double-play and didn't look back. Over his final three frames, he allowed two bases-runners and none into scoring position. Of his six strikeouts in the contest, four came from the fourth inning on. He threw 100 pitches, 71 strikes, allowing just one man to reach via a walk.

Northwest Arkansas (35-39/4-2) staked Singer an early lead with Nick Heath hitting his second home run of the season to break the scoreless tie. After the Cardinals matched it in the home half of the third, Heath generated offense in his more natural manner.
 
Heath laid down a bunt base-hit, stole second and promptly scored from second on a base-hit by Khalil Lee , giving the Naturals a 2-1 lead. Heath finished with his first three-hit game of the season and a triple shy of the cycle to lead the offense.
 
Tempers flared in the eighth inning. Freddy Fermin hit a solo home run off starter, Tommy Parsons (1-2, 6.48 ERA) to jar him from the contest and gave the Naturals a 3-1 lead. Reliever, Jacob Patterson entered, gave-up a triple to Angelo Castellano , retired Heath and then on a 0-1 pitch, drilled Lee in the helmet with an errant fastball.
 
Benches cleared following a small shouting match. No ejections and no warnings were given and the game played onward.
 
Northwest Arkansas went on to score four total runs in the inning with RBI singles by Emmanuel Rivera and Kort Peterson to take a 6-1.
 
Andres Sotillet stayed sharp in relief tossing a scoreless seventh inning, extended his scoreless inning streak to 10.1 innings over his last four outings. Bryan Brickhouse struck out two while giving up a run in the eighth and Franco Terrero fired a scoreless ninth inning with a pair of strikeouts.
 
Game two of the four-game set is slated for Friday, June 28 at Hammons Field. Left-hander, JC Cloney (2-2, 2.61) takes the mound for his seventh start of the season against left-hander, Evan Kruzczynski (2-3, 6.64) countering for the Cardinals.
 
First pitch is slated for 7:10 p.m. from Arvest Ballpark with the Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show beginning at 6:50 with the "Voice of the Naturals," Benjamin Kelly on 92.1-FM, the Ticket and the Naturals Radio Network.
 
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, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.
-Naturals-