TEXAS LEAGUE

Naturals are double trouble for Drillers

Northwest Arkansas’ offense did a little extra Saturday night.

The Naturals pounded out 12 hits, including six doubles, in a 5-2 victory over the Tulsa Drillers at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.

The 12 hits matched a season high for the Naturals (5-10), who also managed 12 hits in a 6-5 loss to Midland on April 12. Rey Navarro had two doubles, while Manuel Pina, Whit Merrifield, Brett Eibner and Roman Hernandez had one each as the Naturals outhit the Drillers 12-5.

That was more than enough support for starter Justin Marks and relievers Andy Ferguson and Edwin Carl.

Marks (1-0) picked up his first victory of the season, giving up 3 runs, 2 earned, off 3 hits and 5 strikeouts and 2 walks over 5 2/3 innings. Ferguson didn’t allow any runs and gave up only one hit in his two innings before giving way to Carl, who closed it out with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Drillers starter Tyler Matzek (0-1) took the loss, giving up 3 runs, all earned,off 7 hits with 3 strikeouts and 3 walks over 4 2/3 innings.

Northwest Arkansas jumped on Tulsa early, building a 3-0 lead by the fourth inning.

Yem Prades singled to left field to start things for the Naturals in the second inning. Pina followed with a double to left field to drive in Prades for a 1-0 lead.

The Naturals tacked on two more runs in the third inning. Eibner led off with a walk and moved to second on Angel Franco’s single to left field. Navarro followed with his double to left field to drive in Eibner and Franco for a 3-0 lead.

Tulsa came back with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings.

Kent Matthews had a one-out triple to start the fourth inning and scored onKiel Roling’s single to center field. Jayson Langfels led off the fifth by reaching on an error and eventually scored on Rafael Ortega’s single to right field to make it 3-2.

The Naturals answered in the bottom of the sixth with their final two runs.

Alex McClure reached on a two-out single to center field, and Eibner brought him home with a sharp line-drive double to left field. Franco followed with another line drive to left field to drive in Eibner, but Franco was thrown out at second to end the inning.

Navarro finished 2 for 4 with 2 RBI, while Pina was 1 for 4 with 1 RBI and Eibner was 1 for 4 with 1 RBI and 2 runs scored.

Sports, Pages 25 on 04/21/2013

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