'HOUNDS SCORE EARLY AND OFTEN, TAKE RUBBER-MATCH, 9-1

MIDLAND, Texas - The Midland RockHounds scored eight runs in the first three innings en route to a 9-1 win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Thursday night at Security Bank Ballpark. Midland won the final two meetings of the three-game set to claim the set, two games to one.
 
Northwest Arkansas (52-74/21-37) scored the lone tally with a set of doubles by Angelo Castellano and Dairon Blanco in the eighth inning. The Naturals recorded three doubles, in total, in the contest with Jordan George contributing the other, his fifth since joining the Naturals on August 1.
 
Starter, J.C. Cloney (2-5, 4.03) suffered the losing decision, working two and two-third innings. The left-hander entered with a 12.2 inning scoreless streak which was promptly snapped by a first inning sacrifice fly by Edwin Diaz of Midland. Three more runs scored in the second inning and four more (two earned) in the third inning.

Cloney allowed eight runs (six earned) on 10 hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
 
Right-hander, Zach Lovvorn followed and tossed 2.1 innings of shutout relief. Since joining the club from Triple-A, Omaha, Lovvorn has appeared in six games, covered nine and two-third innings, allowed just two runs on five hits with nine strikeouts, good for a 1.86 earned run average.
 
Andres Sotillet allowed a run on four hits in his two innings of relief in the sixth and seventh. Franco Terrero struck out a batter in shutout eighth inning.
 
George and Freddy Fermin led the offense with two hits each. George finished the Midland series with four hits in eight at-bats with two doubles and three walks. He's hitting .286 (16-for-57) with five doubles and 14 walks in his first 19 games with the Naturals.
 
Kevin Merrell extended his hitting streak to five games and has hit safely in seven of the last eight, going 11-for-34 with two doubles and a triple.
 
The Naturals continue the six-game road trip with a three-game series against the Frisco RoughRiders (Texas Rangers) with a 7:05 first pitch on Friday night from the Metroplex. Right-hander, Scott Blewett (0-3, 6.23) takes the hill in game one with right-hander, Jackson Kowar (2-6, 3.41) in the middle game. Game three is to be announced.
 
Join the "Voice of the Naturals," Benjamin Kelly on 92.1-FM, the Ticket and the Naturals Radio Network for a 6:45 Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show leading up to first pitch.
 
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.
 
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