WITT JR. AND PRATTO GO BACK-TO-BACK IN 9-5 LOSS TO TRAVELERS
Despite back-to-back home runs in the third inning from Bobby Witt Jr.* and Nick Pratto*, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals could not overcome a large deficit early on, falling to the Arkansas Travelers 9-5 on Wednesday night. After the top of the third inning, the Travelers led 8-0 and the Naturals
Despite back-to-back home runs in the third inning from Bobby Witt Jr. and Nick Pratto, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals could not overcome a large deficit early on, falling to the Arkansas Travelers 9-5 on Wednesday night.
After the top of the third inning, the Travelers led 8-0 and the Naturals responded with three runs in the bottom half with the back-to-back long balls from Witt Jr. (MLB Pipeline’s No. 7 prospect in baseball) and Pratto (MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 Royals’ prospect).
After Dairon Blanco led off the inning with his seventh straight base hit dating back to Tuesday, Witt Jr. hit his second two-run homer in as many nights, scoring Blanco like it did on Tuesday. His 15th of the season was followed five pitches later by Pratto’s 15th of the season, the fourth time the two have gone back-to-back this season.
The Naturals made things close in the sixth, adding two more runs on a Brhet Bewley two-run double and while they later brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh, could not score again and fell by four runs.
Daniel Tillo (MLB Pipeline’s No. 20 Royals’ prospect) pitched the first 1.1 innings, striking out two and throwing 29 pitches as a part of his Major League rehab assignment.
After three shaky innings from Derrick Adams, Stephen Woods Jr. excelled, striking out five over 2.2 scoreless, retiring the first seven he faced.
Josh Dye allowed a run in the eighth and Colin Snider threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning to end the night.
The Naturals look to jump back in the win column on Thursday, with another 7:05 p.m. first pitch against the Travelers. Gates will open at 6pm for a Buck Night and Thirsty Thursday presented by Simmons Bank.