SPEED KILLS: NATURALS FORCE SPLIT WITH THE TRAVS

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Naturals swiped six bases on Wednesday night virtually each theft played a huge role in 5-2 victory over the Arkansas Travelers on Wednesday night at Dickey-Stephens. The victory gave the Naturals a series-split in the regular season finale between the two clubs.
 
Travelers starter, Justin Dunn had allowed 35 stolen base attempts on the season with 30 reaching successful. That success-rate for opposing base-stealers only grew on a muggy night in North Little Rock. In the second inning, Khalil Lee coaxed a lead-off walk against the right-hander and stole second, stole third which set-up an run-scoring double off the bat of Jordan George to vault the Naturals in-front early for the second straight game.
After Arkansas gained the lead in the home half of the second, 2-1, Gabriel Cancel walloped a 400-foot blast to deep right-centerfield to tie the game at 2-2 in the fourth inning. It marked the 18^th home run for Cancel and gives him 65 RBIs on the season.

Northwest Arkansas (49-71/18-34) used its speed against in the sixth inning. Kevin Merrell led the inning off with a bunt single, stole second; but was cut down at third base on an excellent defensive play made by Travelers' shortstop, Michael Ahmed for the second out, putting Lee at first on the fielder's choice. Lee didn't stay for long, stealing his third bag of the game - the second three-theft game of the season for the 21-year old.
 
Emmanuel Rivera came through to break the 2-2 tie with a two-out single into right-center, and gave the Naturals a 3-2 lead.
 
Starter, Gerson Garabito (6-9, 4.09) grinded through his team-leading 23^rd start of the season. He pitched around a one-out walk in the first by inducing a five-four-three double-play to keep the Travelers off the board and labored through a 36-pitch second inning after giving up a two-run double. But he then settled in and went on to strikeout five batter over his final three innings of work.
 
Garabito allowed five hits, two runs, four walks and struck out a season-high eight hitters to earn his sixth win of the season.
 
The Naturals added to the lead in the eighth inning with a run-scoring single by Merrell and Cancel scored on a passed ball to make it a 5-2 lead.
 
Right-hander, Zach Lovvorn tossed two innings of scoreless relief with a pair of strikeouts. Left-hander, Holden Capps posted a perfect eighth. Right-hander, Franco Terrero achieved the first two outs of the ninth inning before being lifted for right-hander, Andres Sotillet .
 
Sotillet inherited a pair of base-runners, but induced a ground-out to end the game, giving him his first professional save.
 
The win marked back-to-back wins for the first time for the club since July 4-5 and the series split is the second straight series split for the Naturals who have won four of the last eight contests.
 
The Naturals head home for a quick three-game series against the Tulsa Drillers (Los Angeles Dodgers) on Friday night at Arvest Ballpark. Left-hander, J.C. Cloney (2-4, 3.84) will take the mound in game one against left-hander, Leo Crawford (1-0, 0.00) countering for visiting Tulsa.
 
Join the "Voice of the Naturals," Benjamin Kelly on 92.1-FM, the Ticket and the Naturals Radio Network for a 6:55 Indigo Sky Casino Pregame Show leading up to the 7:15 p.m.
 
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.
 
-Naturals-