COMEBACK EFFORT FALLS SHORT IN 7-5 LOSS TO SAN ANTONIO

Despite brining the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals came up short Tuesday night, falling to the San Antonio Missions 7-5.

Marcelo Martinez looked good over the first couple of innings for his start, retiring six in a row after giving up a leadoff single. But Martinez could not make it out of the fourth inning and San Antonio’s hitters chipped away at the Northwest Arkansas bullpen all night.

Nolan Watson made his Double-A debut, coming in relief of Martinez and allowing two runs across 2.1 innings.

Robert Garcia pitched a scoreless seventh, his second straight scoreless inning and Andres Nunez pitched the game’s final two innings, allowing one run while striking out two.

Nick Pratto (MLB Pipeline’s No. 9 Royals’ prospect) continued his strong stretch at the plate, leading the way offensively with a 3-5 game. He scored two runs and drove in two as well, while connecting for two doubles, responsible for nearly all of the Naturals offense.

Pratto singled in the first, then doubled and scored in the eighth. In the ninth, he connected for a two-out, two-run double and later came around to score on an MJ Melendez (MLB Pipeline’s No. 14 Royals’ prospect) single, which at the time brought the tying run to the plate.

Rudy Martin doubled in the seventh inning, which stretched his active hit streak to nine games, tops on the team.

Brewer Hicklen (MLB Pipeline’s No. 25 Royals’ prospect) also doubled, in the fourth, and later scored on an error. But he’s in the middle of a 2-for-31 (.065) stretch at the plate and was called out on strikes to end the game.

The Naturals look to rebound on Wednesday night, with another 7:05 p.m. first pitch against the Missions from Arvest Ballpark.