NATURALS SHUT OUT BY DRILLERS 3-0

*SPRINGDALE, AR – *For the first time in nearly two weeks, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals offense was quiet Thursday night, falling to the Tulsa Drillers 3-0, just the second shutout loss this year for the Naturals.

Starting pitcher Dante Biasi worked hard to keep Northwest Arkansas in the game, allowing just one run across 5.0 innings, while striking out five, but without run support, he took his second loss of the year.

Walter Pennington followed Biasi with 1.1 scoreless innings, then loaded the bases in the seventh with one out, but Yefri Del Rosario took over and stranded all three inherited runners to preserve the one-run deficit.

Tulsa tagged Del Rosario for a pair of runs in the eighth inning, crucial insurance in the close game. Stephen Woods Jr. pitched the ninth inning, stranding the bases loaded in his third straight scoreless outing, but the Naturals went quietly in the ninth.

At the plate, Northwest Arkansas managed only five hits, all singles coming from two hitters. Designated hitter Tucker Bradley went 3-for-4, while left fielder Tyler Gentry went 2-for-3 with a walk to extend his hitting streak to nine games, a stretch, where he is batting .500 (17-for-34).

Between the five hits and six walks, the Naturals stranded all 11 runners they put on in the game, leaving two runners on base five separate times.

The Naturals will try and bounce back Friday, as right-hander Noah Murdock takes the mound for a 7:05 p.m. CT first pitch at Arvest Ballpark.