BIASI DOMINATES AND NATURALS WIN LATE SLUGFEST WITH HOOKS

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – After the Northwest Arkansas Naturals jumped out to an early lead, the Corpus Christi Hooks put up a fight late, but the Naturals came out on top despite the dramatics, 16-7 to win the series finale.

Right fielder Tyler Gentry put the Naturals up early in the first inning, with a two-run home run one out into the game. It marked Gentry's ninth home run with the Naturals, his first two of four RBI in the game.

In the third inning, third baseman CJ Alexander doubled his Naturals RBI total, with a three-run double that cleared the bases and put the Naturals up 5-0, after driving in three runs in Saturday night's game.

Northwest Arkansas kept the offense onslaught going into the seventh inning as six straight batters reached and the team added three more runs for an 8-0 lead. Robbie Glendinning drew a bases-loaded walk, then Logan Porter singled in a run and Alexander drove in one more with a single for his fourth RBI of the game.

After the Hooks plated a pair in the seventh, the Naturals jumped out further in the eighth inning, scoring four runs on a grand slam from Glendinning to a 10-run lead, 12-2. It was Glendinning's team-best 15th home run of the season and the 5-RBI night places him second in the Texas League with 62 runs batted in.

Corpus Christi proceeded to score five runs in the eighth and cut the Northwest Arkansas lead in half, the Naturals countered with four more for good measure, the 16-7 score that held to be final.

Tucker Bradley brought a run across on a fielder's choice, then Gentry singled in two and Porter singled in one to cap the four-run frame.

Eight of nine Naturals recorded hits, including four multi-hit nights. Eight of nine Naturals also scored a run, including four multi-run nights and four-run night form Gentry. Gentry and Alexander each drove in four runs, while Glendinning pushed home five, with a team-best three hits.

Patience at the plate was key for the Naturals, as eight players combined to drew a season-high 12 walks, including three each from Nick Loftin and Gentry. Nine of the 12 batters who were walked came around to score, while a 10th came with the bases loaded.

On the mound, Dante Biasi turned in his third scoreless start of the year, throwing 5.0 scoreless innings with five strikeouts. He stranded the bases loaded in each of the first two innings and threw a career-high 101 pitches while earning his fifth win of the year.

Walter Pennington fired a scoreless sixth inning before surrendering a two-run homer in the seventh, then Will Klein encountered trouble in the eighth and Nathan Webb took over. Webb allowed a pair of inherited runners to score, but ended the night with 1.2 scoreless frames, firing a 1-2-3 ninth and retiring the last five batters he faced.

The Naturals return to action Friday, July 22 at Arvest Ballpark, with a 7:05 p.m. CT first pitch against the Springfield Cardinals in the first of a three-game series.