The threat of rain may have delayed the start of the game, but it didn’t do anything to slow down Northwest Arkansas Naturals starter Aaron Brooks on Wednesday night.
Brooks retired the first 13 batters he faced and Matt Fields hit a three-run home run as the Naturals defeated the Midland RockHounds 9-5 before a crowd of 3,086 at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.
Showers in parts of Benton County led Naturals officials to bring out the tarp at around 6:30 p.m., but the rain never made it to Arvest Ballpark and the game began following a 30-minute delay.
None of that fazed Brooks, as the right-hander struck out seven before Vinnie Catricala singled to left field with one out in the fifth inning for the RockHounds’ first hit. Brooks allowed only 2 runs on 4 hits while striking out 8 in 6 innings. He did not issue a walk while improving to 3-1.
Fields hit his 19th home run of the season in the second inning, driving a pitch from Midland starter ZachNeal over the left-field fence to bring in Manny Pina and Brian Fletcher for a 5-0 lead. Fletcher finished 2 for 3.
Northwest Arkansas took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Orlanda Calixte reached on an error by Midland catcher David Freitas and advanced to third on a single by Fletcher. After a walk to Fields, Cheslor Cuthbert hit a sharp single into left field that brought in Calixte and Fletcher.
The Naturals added three runs in the third inning. Yem Prades broke an 0-for-25 stretch with a one-out single to right field, and Mitch Canham’s double to left field advanced Prades to third. Pina followed with a line-drive single to center field that drove in Prades and Canham.
Calixte’s single one out later drove in Pina for what looked like a comfortable 8-0 lead, but the RockHounds came back with two runs in the sixth inning and three in the seventh to pull to within 8-5.
D’Arby Meyers drove in Conner Crumbliss with a double to left field and Anthony Aliotti’s single to right field brought in Myers as Midland cut the deficit to 8-2.
Jon Keck came on in reliefof Brooks to open the seventh inning and promptly gave up three runs in only one-third of an inning. Walks to Vinnie Catricala and Freitas set up Tyler Ladendorf’s three-run home run to to left field that made it 8-5.
The Naturals managed to get one of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning. Cuthbert drew a leadoff walk, stole second base and scored on Prades’ single to right field for a 9-5 lead.
Cuthbert finished the night 2 for 3 with 2 RBI and 1 run scored for the Naturals, while Prades was 2 for 4 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored.
Today’s game
MIDLAND AT NW ARKANSAS WHEN 7 p.m.
WHERE Arvest Ballpark, Springdale RADIO KQSM-FM, 92.1, in Fayetteville WEBSITE nwanaturals.com PITCHERS Naturals: Brooks Pounders (RHP, 2-4, 4.62 ERA); RockHounds: Alex Leon (RHP, 4-4, 3.55 ERA) TICKETS $12 super premium, $10 premium, $8 reserved, $6 grass berm PROMOTIONS Thirsty Thursday and Buck Night. All 20 ounce Miller High Life drafts $2 and all small Coca-Cola fountain drinks are $1. Mozzarella sticks, peanuts and chips also $1.
THE WEEK AHEAD TODAY Midland, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY Midland, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY Frisco, 7 p.m.
SUNDAY Frisco, 6 p.m.
MONDAY Frisco, 7 p.m.
TUESDAY Off WEDNESDAY at Midland, 7 p.m.
TUESDAY’S GAME
South 6, North 0
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
Arkansas 2, Frisco 0
NW Arkansas 9, Midland 5
Corpus Christi 13, Springfield 1
San Antonio 1, Tulsa 0TODAY’S GAMES All times Central Midland at NW Arkansas, 7 p.m.
Tulsa at San Antonio, 7:05 p.m.
Springfield at Corpus Christi, 7:05 p.m.
Frisco at Arkansas, 7:10 p.m.
Sports, Pages 19 on 06/27/2013