SPRINGDALE — Three players promoted to Northwest Arkansas during the second half of the season and one former Midland RockHound carried the Naturals past the RockHounds on Friday.

Brian Fletcher homered and drove in 4 runs, and Whit Merrifield went 3 for 4 to spark the Naturals offensively in a 5-4 victory over Midland before a crowd of 6,145 at Arvest Ballpark.

Ethan Hollingsworth, who pitched 17 games for Midland last year, allowed just 1 run and 2 hits in 4 innings of relief to earn the victory, and recent callup Sam Runion struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to earn the save.

Fletcher was promoted from advanced Class A Wilmington just after the second half of the season started. Runion and Merrifield were both called up from Wilmington over the past two weeks.

Merrifield, the Naturals second baseman, committed two errors in the top of the first inning to help Midland take a 2-0 lead, but he atoned for the miscues with three singles, including one that drove in the go-ahead run in the fourth inning.

“That stuff is going to happen, and it’s unfortunate it happened twice in one inning,” Merrifield said of his errors. “After something like that happens you want to help your team, and especially make upfor what happened. I found a couple of holes, and we came out with a win so it was nice.”

The Naturals have now won three consecutive series and 7 of their 9 games since July 31 after going 3-21 from July 2-25.

“Everybody has got to chip in,” Naturals Manager Brian Poldberg said. “It’s nice just to get a little continuity rolling and get some wins.”

Right-hander J.C. Sulbaran lasted just 4 innings in his second start with the Naturals and allowed 3 runs, although just 1 was earned.

The Naturals took a 3-2 lead on Fletcher’s three-runhome run in the bottom of the first and broke a 3-3 tie with two runs in the bottom of the fourth on consecutive singles by Yem Prades, Merrifield and Fletcher.

Hollingsworth (3-7) preserved the lead with four strong innings of relief.

“Hollingsworth did a great job,” Midland Manager Steve Scarsone said. “We had him last year, so we knew what kind of guy he was.

“He went out and did the same stuff that he did for us.”

Midland starter Fabio Castro (1-4) allowed 5 runs and 10 hits in 4 innings and took the loss.

FRIDAY’S GAMES NW Arkansas 5, Midland 4 Arkansas 12, Corpus Christi 6 Tulsa 4, Frisco 3 Springfield at San Antonio, (n) TODAY’S GAMES - All times Central Frisco at Northwest Arkansas, 7 p.m.

Arkansas at San Antonio, 7:05 p.m.

Springfield at Corpus Christi, 7:05 p.m. Midland at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.

Today’s game

FRISCO ROUGHRIDERS AT NW ARKANSAS NATURALS

WHEN 7 p.m.

WHERE Arvest Ballpark, Springdale RADIO KQSM, 92.1-FM, in NW Arkansas INTERNET nwanaturals.com PITCHERS Frisco: Nick Tepesch (RHP, 4-2, 4.02 ERA); NW Arkansas: Sugar Ray Marimon (RHP, 3-3, 3.35) SHORT HOPS Naturals outfielder Paulo Orlando was batting .361 (13 for 36) over his past 9 games entering Friday. ... Frisco outfielder Engel Beltre has at least twice as many triples (16) as anyone else in the Texas League.

THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY vs. Frisco, 7 p.m.

SUNDAY vs. Frisco, 6 p.m.

MONDAY vs. Frisco, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY Off WEDNESDAY at Midland, 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY at Midland, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY at Midland, 7 p.m.

Sports, Pages 21 on 08/11/2012