SPRINGDALE — Tulsa reliever Josh Sullivan made sure the Northwest Arkansas Naturals didn’t make it four consecutive comeback victories over the Drillers.
Sullivan, a former Little Rock Central standout who has battled injuries during much of his career, struck out the Naturals’ Nos. 3, 4 and 5 hitters in the bottom of the eighth inning with the tying run on third base to help the Drillers hang on for a 5-4 victory Thursday night at Arvest Ballpark before an announced crowd of 3,890.
“It feels good,” Sullivan said. “A lot better than what happened the other night.”
Sullivan had a blown save Monday night, when the Naturals won 6-5 in 10 innings. He balked in a run in the eighth inning, then allowed a run in the ninth when Northwest Arkansas tied it.
“I felt like he wasn’t himself that first game here,” Tulsa Manager Duane Espy said. “But tonight he trusted himself and got after it.
“The thing I’m happiest about is he got back in a jam and his best stuff came out and he relaxed and pitched like he’s capable of pitching.”
Sullivan, a right-hander, gave up an unearned run when he came in for the eighth inning Thursday night to make it 5-4 after Lorenzo Cain — the Kansas City Royals’ outfielder on an injury rehab assignment with the Naturals — reached on a error and scored on Rey Navarro’s double. Navarro advanced to third on a wild pitch.
“When you have a runner at third and no outs, you expect to at least put it in play,” Naturals Manager Brian Poldberg said. “We should have had a better outcome.”
Sullivan kept Navarro at third by striking out Brian Fletcher, Johnny Whittleman and Paulo Orlando, all swinging. He got Fletcher out on a sinker, Whittleman on slider and Orlando on a sinker.
“You’ve just got to tip your hat to Sullivan,” Poldberg said. “He made some big pitches and did a great job.”
Coty Woods retired the Naturals in order in the ninth inning for his 12th save. Sullivan has 10 saves and a 2.87 earned run average.
“Josh is having a having a great year,” Espy said. “We’re all rooting for him to stay healthy and have a chance to move up.”
Naturals starter Justin Marks allowed five runs in the sixth inning after walking Mike Mitchell and Jose Gonzalez — Tulsa’s Nos. 8-9 hitters. Josh Rutledge followed with a three-run home run to give the Drillers a 3-2 lead Kiel Roling hit a two-run home run to end Marks’ night.
“He tried to pitch a little too fine at the bottom of the order and got himself in trouble,” Poldberg said. “Then after that three-run homer he just never really recovered.”
The Naturals, who took a 2-0 lead on Whittleman’s tworun home run in the first inning, got back in the game late thanks to Elisaul Pimentel’s 32/3 scoreless innings in relief of Marks, but Sullivan kept them from coming all the way back.
“I wish I could have made it a little easier,” Sullivan said. “I got away with a few pitches and got out of it.”
Sullivan, a fifth-round draft pick out of Auburn by the Colorado Rockies in 2005, underwent three surgeries between 2007 and 2009, one on his shoulder and two on his elbow. After having an injury-free season in 2011, he re-signed with Colorado and became a reliever.
“The transition to the bullpen has been fine,” he said. “I had been a starter most of my career. Not that I’d had much of a career because I’ve been hurt so often.”
Today’s game
ARKANSAS TRAVELERS VS. NW ARKANSAS NATURALS
WHEN 7 p.m. WHERE Arvest Ballpark, Springdale RADIO KOSM-FN, 92.1, in Northwest Arkansas. (Game will be broadcast on KFAY-AM,1030, if the Arkansas Razorbacks are playing in the College World Series) INTERNET nwanaturals.com PITCHERS Arkansas: Johnny Hellwig (RHP 2-6, 4.01 ERA); NW Arkansas: Chris Dwyer (LHP 4-6, 5.84 ERA) SHORT HOPS Right-handed pitcher Sugar Ray Marimon was promoted to Northwest Arkansas on Thursday after going 4-2 with a 2.12 ERA at advanced Class A Wilmington. He had 60 strikeouts in 61 innings with the Blue Rocks and pitched in the Carolina League All-Star game. Marimon is expected to start Monday against the Arkansas Travelers. ... Omaha outfielder Wil Myers and pitcher Jake Odorizzi, who both started the season with Northwest Arkansas, will play in the All-Star Futures Game on July 8 in Kansas City.
THE WEEK AHEAD
T0DAY vs. Arkansas, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY vs. Arkansas, 7 p.m.
SUNDAY vs. Arkansas, 6 p.m.
MONDAY vs. Arkansas, noon
TUESDAY Off
WEDNESDAY Off
THURSDAY Texas League All-Star Game in Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
Sports, Pages 17 on 06/22/2012