SPRINGDALE, AR After staking the Tulsa Drillers to an early lead, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals used a five-run fifth to rally past the Drillers 6-5 and make a winner of southpaw Everett Teaford in his Double-A debut.
The Drillers took their early lead thanks to a three-run first inning. Daniel Mayora singled and Mike McKenry walked. The runners were at first and third with two outs when Michael Paulk singled, plating Mayora with the game's first run. Ryan Harvey followed with a two-run double to give the Drillers a 3-0 lead.
Brandon Durden kept Northwest Arkansas' bats on ice through the first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. With two outs, Ed Lucas walked and scored on a double by Cody Strait.
The Naturals' offense exploded in the fifth. The frame started with a leadoff double by Chris McConnell. After a sacrifice bunt, consecutive doubles by Kurt Mertins and Jordan Parraz tied the game. Corey Smith followed with a single, but Durden got the second out of the inning when Brian McFall flied out. With runners at first and third, Ed Lucas delivered the biggest hit of the game when he homered over the left field wall. It was the second home run of the homestand for Lucas and gave the Naturals a 6-3 lead. Lucas' homer also chased Durden (1-2), who was charged with all six runs and ten hits over 4 2/3 innings.
In his first start since joining the team from Advanced Class-A Wilmington, Everett Teaford (1-0) gave up the three first-inning runs but settled in to turn in a solid outing, blanking the Drillers over his final six innings. He allowed eight hits total, walked two and fanned two.
Tulsa (32-30) would rally against Greg Holland in the ninth but come up short. Cole Garner singled to start the ninth, and Danny Sandoval doubled to put runners at second and third with no outs. A pair of ground outs plated both runners, but Holland struck out Jeff Kindel to end the game and earn his team-leading fourth save.
Jordan Parraz' double in the sixth extended his franchise-best hitting streak to 19 games. Naturals' second baseman Kurt Mertins was 3-for-4, and Tulsa' outfielder Cole Garner hit safely in all four of his trips to the plate but scored just one run.
Northwest Arkansas (33-29) moved to within one game of the Cardinals with only eight games remaining in the first half of the season. The two teams will play game three of their four-game series Tuesday night. Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin (4-5, 3.13 ERA) takes the hill for Tulsa against righty Blake Wood (2-4, 5.52 ERA). Game time is 7 P.M.
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. The Naturals have a toll-free ticket hotline (1-877-444-2637) for fans to purchase Naturals tickets. Our website, nwanaturals.com offers fans the opportunity to purchase tickets online and avoid lines at the ticket windows by printing their tickets at home or at the office.
The Drillers took their early lead thanks to a three-run first inning. Daniel Mayora singled and Mike McKenry walked. The runners were at first and third with two outs when Michael Paulk singled, plating Mayora with the game's first run. Ryan Harvey followed with a two-run double to give the Drillers a 3-0 lead.
Brandon Durden kept Northwest Arkansas' bats on ice through the first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. With two outs, Ed Lucas walked and scored on a double by Cody Strait.
The Naturals' offense exploded in the fifth. The frame started with a leadoff double by Chris McConnell. After a sacrifice bunt, consecutive doubles by Kurt Mertins and Jordan Parraz tied the game. Corey Smith followed with a single, but Durden got the second out of the inning when Brian McFall flied out. With runners at first and third, Ed Lucas delivered the biggest hit of the game when he homered over the left field wall. It was the second home run of the homestand for Lucas and gave the Naturals a 6-3 lead. Lucas' homer also chased Durden (1-2), who was charged with all six runs and ten hits over 4 2/3 innings.
In his first start since joining the team from Advanced Class-A Wilmington, Everett Teaford (1-0) gave up the three first-inning runs but settled in to turn in a solid outing, blanking the Drillers over his final six innings. He allowed eight hits total, walked two and fanned two.
Tulsa (32-30) would rally against Greg Holland in the ninth but come up short. Cole Garner singled to start the ninth, and Danny Sandoval doubled to put runners at second and third with no outs. A pair of ground outs plated both runners, but Holland struck out Jeff Kindel to end the game and earn his team-leading fourth save.
Jordan Parraz' double in the sixth extended his franchise-best hitting streak to 19 games. Naturals' second baseman Kurt Mertins was 3-for-4, and Tulsa' outfielder Cole Garner hit safely in all four of his trips to the plate but scored just one run.
Northwest Arkansas (33-29) moved to within one game of the Cardinals with only eight games remaining in the first half of the season. The two teams will play game three of their four-game series Tuesday night. Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin (4-5, 3.13 ERA) takes the hill for Tulsa against righty Blake Wood (2-4, 5.52 ERA). Game time is 7 P.M.
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. The Naturals have a toll-free ticket hotline (1-877-444-2637) for fans to purchase Naturals tickets. Our website, nwanaturals.com offers fans the opportunity to purchase tickets online and avoid lines at the ticket windows by printing their tickets at home or at the office.
