Andy Ferguson’s best start of the season turned sour with a rough sixth inning and a struggling Northwest Arkansas offense Friday night.
Ferguson, a Benton native who pitched at Arkansas State, retired the first nine batters he faced and didn’t give up a hit to the Tulsa Drillers until the sixth inning Friday night. It didn’t matter.
Angelys Nina hit an RBI single in the sixth, Kiel Roling followed with a single that scored Nina and the TulsaDrillers beat the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 2-0 on Friday night at ONEOK Field in Tulsa.
Ferguson didn’t make it out of the sixth inning after giving up 2 runs on 3 hits in 52/3 innings. But his start was wasted as the Naturals offense failed to generate any runs.
Northwest Arkansas had seven hits and drew eight walks - four in the first six innings off Tulsa starter Tim Gustafson - but was shut out for the sixth time this season after stranding 11 runners and grounding into four double plays.
Today’s game 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: Jason Adam (RHP, 2-8, 6.23 ERA); Drillers: Collin McHugh (RHP, 3-2, 2.87 ERA) SHORT HOPS Naturals infielder Rey Navarro will take the place of teammate Angel Franco, who has an ankle injury, on the North Division roster for Tuesday’s Texas League All-Star Game. Navarro is hitting .272 with 5 home runs and 32 RBI. … Right-hander Collin McHugh will make his first start for the Drillers tonight after being acquired by the Colorado Rockies in a trade Thursday that sent Rockies outfielder Eric Young Jr. to the New York Mets. McHugh was 0-1 with a 10.29 ERA in 3 appearances with the Mets earlier this year, and 3-2 with a 2.87 ERA in 9 starts at Class AAA Las Vegas before the trade.
THE WEEK AHEAD TODAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
SATURDAY at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
SUNDAY at Tulsa, 2:05 p.m.
MONDAY Off TUESDAY Texas League All-Star Game* WEDNESDAY Midland, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY Midland, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY Midland, 7 p.m.
*At Arvest Ballpark in Springdale
Sports, Pages 25 on 06/22/2013