Tyler Matzek and two Tulsa relievers held Northwest Arkansas to three hits Friday night as the Drillers defeated the Naturals 6-1 at ONEOK Field in Tulsa.
A home run by Yem Prades, his second in two nights, accounted for the Naturals’ only run. Prades’ home run to left-center led off the top of the second inning and gave the Naturals a 1-0 advantage.
From there, all Northwest Arkansas managed was a single by Juan Graterol in the third and a single by Prades in the fourth against Matzek (1-1), who went 5 innings and allowed just 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 6. Joe Gardner and Michael Solback combined for 4 strikeouts and 1 walk in 4 innings of relief.
Tulsa tied the score in the second inning on an RBI single by Jayson Langels that followed a two-out double by Kiel Roling.
The Drillers took the lead for good in the bottom of the third with two unearned runs off Naturals starter Noel Arguelles (1-3). Tulsa took advantage of errors by first baseman Matt Fields and Roling in right field. Langels’ sacrifice fly scored Kyle Parker, who reached on Fields’ error. With one out, Henry Wrigley scored on a bases-loaded ground out by Dustin Garneau.
Tulsa scored single runs in the fifth and sixth against Arguelles. Parker’s one-out RBIsingle scored Delta Cleary in the fifth before Langels homered to left field to lead off the sixth.
The Drillers scored their final run in the bottom of the eighth off Northwest Arkansas reliever Sam Runion when Matthes’ two-out double scored Cleary.
Arguelles went 6 innings, allowing 7 hits, 5 runs, 3 earned and 3 walks while striking out 3.
The Naturals made three errors to match their three hits.
Naturals glance NW ARKANSAS AT TULSA
WHEN 7:05 p.m. Central WHERE ONEOK Field, Tulsa RADIO KQSM-FM, 92.1, in Fayetteville WEBSITE nwanaturals.com PITCHERS Naturals: RHP Jason Adam (0-2, 15.85 ERA); Drillers: RHP Dan Houston (0-2, 4.26)
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
SUNDAY at Tulsa, 2:05 p.m.
MONDAY at Tulsa, 11:05 a.m.
TUESDAY Springfield, 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY Springfield, 11 a.m.
THURSDAY Springfield, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY Springfield, 7:30 p.m.
Travelers glance
ARKANSAS AT SPRINGFIELD
WHEN 6:09 p.m. Central WHERE Hammons Field, Springfield, Mo.
RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas WEBSITE travs.com PITCHERS Travelers: RHP Matt Oye (2-1, 4.15 ERA); Cardinals: RHP Richard Castillo (1-2, 3.43) SHORT HOPS The Travelers’ game with the Springfield Cardinals on Friday was postponed because of rain. The teams will make the game up as part of a Sunday doubleheader starting at 2:09 p.m. RHP Jarrett Grube and RHP Mike Piazza will start for the Travs.
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY at Springfield, 6:09 p.m.
SUNDAY at Springfield, 2:09 p.m. (DH)
MONDAY at Springfield, 11:09 a.m.
TUESDAY Tulsa, 7:10 p.m.
WEDNESDAY Tulsa, 11 a.m.
THURSDAY Tulsa, 7:10 p.m.
FRIDAY Tulsa, 7:10 p.m.
FRIDAY’S GAMES All times Central
Arkansas at Springfield, ppd., rain Tulsa 6, NW Arkansas 1 Corpus Christi 4, Frisco 2 Midland 11, San Antonio 4
TODAY’S GAMES All times Central
Arkansas at Springfield, 6:09 p.m.
Corpus Christi at Frisco, 7 p.m.
San Antonio at Midland, 7 p.m.
NW Arkansas at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
Sports, Pages 23 on 04/27/2013