SPRINGDALE — Brian Fletcher made sure a record-setting performance at the plate didn’t go to waste.
Northwest Arkansas played to an 8-8 tie after nine innings against the Arkansas Travelers on Tuesday before heavy storms forced a postponement, with the two teams resuming in the 10th inning on Wednesday. And Fletcher, who already had two of the Naturals’ six home runs in the game, added a third with a walk-off, game-winner in the bottom of the 11th for an 10-8 win.
Northwest Arkansas (19-14) then capped off the series finale with a 7-0 win in the regularly scheduled game Wednesday in front of a crowd of 5,690 at Arvest Ballpark, behind a dominant effort on the mound by pitcher Aaron Brooks.
Brooks, who had a no-hitter through 5 2/3 innings, finished with just four hits allowed, no walks and five strikeouts as the Naturals moved ahead of the Travelers (18-15) atop the second-half Texas League North Division standings.
“He was putting the ball in and out of the zone and he had command,” Naturals manager Brian Poldberg said of his pitcher. “They hit some balls at us, but this was one of his best outings.”
THE LINGO
“We’ve had some guys with two, but that’s our first guys with three home runs and we had to have them. All of our runs were off home runs in that game.”
BRIAN POLDBERG
NWA Naturals Manger
SHORT HOPS
Brooks threw just the fourth complete game by a Naturals pitcher this season, and just the second shutout by a Northwest Arkansas pitcher in 2013.
Fletcher became the first player in Naturals team history with three home runs in a game, with his walk-off 2-run home run in the resumption of Tuesday’s game. He finished the contest 5-of-6 with three home runs, five RBIs and four runs scored.
The Naturals had already set a team record with six home runs in a game during Tuesday’s rain-halted contest. After Fletcher’s walk-off home run in the conclusion of the game on Wednesday, the record is now seven.
Extra Bases: Prior to Wednesday’s action, the Royals organization transferred Naturals catcher Manny Pina to Triple-A Omaha. … In Pina’s place, catcher Mitch Canham was transferred from Omaha to Northwest Arkansas.
Royals Pipeline: Jorge Bonificio was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs, leading Single A-Advanced Wilmington to a 7-2 win at home against Myrtle Beach. Yem Prades also finished 2 of 4 for Wilmington to raise his average to .333.
On Deck: The Naturals open a six-game road trip today at Springfield. Righthanded pitcher Kyle Zimmer is set to pitch for the Naturals in the first game of a four-game set against the Cardinals. First pitch is set for 7:09 p.m.
On The Air: KQSM-FM 92.1
On The Web: www.nwanaturals.com.
Game 1
Arkansas 100 202 300 00 — 8 16 3
NW Arkansas 302 010 101 02 — 10 15 2
Oye, Graham (6), Morin (7), Carpenter (9), Maronde (11) and Ramirez; Marimon, Alexander (6), Bergmann (7), Jackson (10) and Pina, Canham (10). W - Jackson, 2-0. L - Maronde, 2-3. Sv - none. HRs - Arkansas, Hankerd (1); NW Arkansas, Eibner, 2 (15), Fletcher, 3 (11), Cuthbert (3), Calixte (7).
Game 2
Arkansas 000 000 000 — 0 4 2
NW Arkansas 001 001 50X — 7 10 2
Batista, Ramirez (5), Cisco (7), Chaffee (8) and Bandy; Brooks and Graterol. W - Brooks, 5-3. L - Batista, 3-7. Sv - none. HRs - none.