BOBBY WITT, JR. SMACKS FIRST DOUBLE-A HOMER IN 9-2 WIN OVER TULSA

Bobby Witt, Jr. went 3-for-5 with a home run, 2 runs scored, and a RBI. (Tim Campbell)

May 13, 2021

Home runs from Clay Dungan* and Bobby Witt Jr.* (MLB Pipeline’s No. 7 prospect in baseball) set the tone early, as the Northwest Arkansas Naturals cruised to a 9-2 win over the Tulsa Drillers, stretching the Naturals’ wins streak to three games. Dungan led off the bottom of the first

Home runs from Clay Dungan and Bobby Witt Jr. (MLB Pipeline’s No. 7 prospect in baseball) set the tone early, as the Northwest Arkansas Naturals cruised to a 9-2 win over the Tulsa Drillers, stretching the Naturals’ wins streak to three games.

Dungan led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run, kickstarting a three-run inning. Witt Jr. then led off the third with a solo shot, to start an inning that spiraled into a four-run frame with five walks for the Naturals.

Witt Jr. finished the night 3-for-5, scoring two runs while also driving in his first run of the season.

Dungan also had a two-hit game, along with Brewer Hicklen (MLB Pipeline’s No. 25 Royals’ prospect), who went 2-2 with a double, two runs scored, a run batted in and two walks.

Across the night, Northwest Arkansas hitters drew nine walks, coming from seven of the nine starters.

Another run crossed the plate in the fifth when Hicklen scored on a Dennicher Carrasco double. Nick Pratto (MLB Pipeline’s No. 9 Royals’ prospect) added a ninth run for good measure in the eighth, tripling home Dungan. For Pratto, it snapped a 0-for-16 stretch and was his third RBI of the year.

While the offense paced the game from the start, Jonathan Bowlan (MLB Pipeline’s No. 8 Royals’ prospect) was electric through six innings as well on the mound. The 6-foot-6 right-hander struck out six without walking a batter and retired the last 13 he faced, after allowing two runs to score on four singles in the second.

Five of Bowlan’s six innings were 1-2-3 frames and he was followed by Ándres Núñez, who retired six in a row after letting two on, striking out six.

Peyton Gray finished the game off in the ninth, recording the pitching staff’s 10th strikeout of the game to conclude the night.

The Naturals will look to win their fourth straight game Thursday night, with left-hander Marcelo Martinez taking the hill in his second start of the season. First pitch is 7:05 p.m. from Arvest Ballpark, with gates opening at 6:00 p.m. on a Buck Night and Thirsty Thursday presented by Simmons Bank at the ballpark.