SPRINGDALE — The Northwest Arkansas Naturals found a strange way to win another one-run game Friday night at Arvest Ballpark.
Arkansas Travelers starter Johnny Hellweg threw a wild pitch while attempting to intentionally walk Johnny Whittleman in the bottom of the sixth inning, allowing Yem Prades to score the game’s only run in a 1-0 victory before a crowd of 6,370.
The Naturals, who have played six consecutive games decided by one run, needed a break to win a game that saw the teams combine for just five hits.
Naturals starter Chris Dwyer (5-6) pitched seven scoreless innings to earn the victory.
“Whether the score is 0-0 or 10-0, you’ve got to pitch like your back is against the wall,” Dwyer said. “You’ve got to be at you best at all times because you could have a 0-0 game and all of a sudden it blows up.”
After leading off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single to left for the second of the Naturals’ two hits, Prades advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rey Navarro and went to third on a ground out to third by Brian Fletcher.
Prades scored on Hellweg’s errant first pitch to Whittleman, who had singled to left field in the second inning for the Naturals’ only other hit, and Paulo Orlando hit into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.
“I was just doing my job as a leadoff hitter,” Prades said. “I was trying to get on base and get into scoring position.”
The wild pitch tainted an otherwise excellent start by Hellweg (2-7), who took the loss despite allowing just 1 run off 2 hits with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts in 7 innings.
John Keck and Patrick Keating pitched one scoreless inning each to complete the Naturals’ fifth shutout of the year. Keating retired the Travelers (1-2) in order in the top of the ninth inning to earn his ninth save of the season.
Dwyer, who allowed just two hits, did not walk a batter and struck out seven.
“If it wasn’t his best outing, it was at least tied for first,” Naturals Manager Brian Poldberg said of Dwyer, who pitched 6 2/3 innings of a combined no-hitter May10 against the Springfield Cardinals. “He really didn’t get behind a whole lot, and he had a good angle on his fastball.”
The Travelers’ best opportunity to score came in the top of the first inning. Renny Osuna singled to right, stole second and went to third on a ground out to short by Jean Segura, but Roberto Lopez flew out to center field to end the threat.
No Travelers runners advanced past first base after a fourth-inning double to left by Segura, who was left stranded on second.
The Naturals have played two 1-0 games this year, both of which were victories over the Travelers.
“We’ve played more one run games than any team in the league,” Travelers Manager Mike Micucci said. “We’ve played a lot with them here.
“It’s good that you’re in the game and that you’re competing, but there’s a difference between finding ways to win and finding ways to lose.”
Sports, Pages 17 on 06/23/2012