Williams K’s 10 in Shutout Start but Naturals Fall 3-1 to Springfield 

By AJ Swiatek

SPRINGDALE, AR – Henry Williams recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts in his 6.0-inning shutout start, but the Springfield Cardinals (84-47, 41-21) rallied to take down the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (64-67, 31-31) by a final score of 3-1. The two teams conclude their series on Sunday at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Arkansas, and the game’s first pitch is scheduled for 2:05 PM CT.

After six scoreless innings from Williams, the Naturals broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth inning. Javier Vaz led off with a double and Brett Squires plated him on a single. The frame put Northwest Arkansas up 1-0.

The Cardinals responded with one run in the top of the seventh inning and added two in the top of the ninth. The Naturals were unable to score in their final tries at the plate, and the Springfield Cardinals secured a 3-1 win, their franchise-record 11th straight victory.

The Naturals conclude their six-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals’ Double-A affiliate, the Springfield Cardinals on Sunday. The game’s first pitch is scheduled for 2:05 PM CT at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, AR. Fans can follow the action all series long with the “Voice of the Naturals,” Shawn Murnin, on MiLB.TV, MLB.TV, the MiLB and MLB Apps, and nwanaturals.com with a subscription. Free audio is available through the MiLB App and team website, and fans can also stream for free on the Bally Sports Live app.