The best team in the Texas League hasn’t been a good match for the struggling Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
Corpus Christi had 13 hits and scored in four innings of a 10-4 victory over the Naturals on Thursday night at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, Texas.
It was the Naturals’ second consecutive loss to the Hooks to open the three-game series, their fourth consecutive overall and their 10th in the last 11 games. The Hooks got a second-inning home run from Jonathan Meyer, who went 3 for 5 with 4 RBI and 3 runs scored and three hits and three RBI from Max Stassi to win for the fourth time in six games and improve to a Texas League-best 27-19.
The Naturals took a lead Thursday on Matt Fields’ second-inning home run, his 11th of the season, but Meyer homered, his fourth, in a three-run bottom of the second.
The Hooks added another run in the fourth, four in the fifth and two in the eighth.
Northwest Arkansas starter Brooks Pounders (1-2) gave up 6 runs on 8 hits and struck out 2 while walking 3 in 4 innings.
The Naturals, who will try to avoid their third series sweep of the season today, got a run in the third when Rey Hernandez tripled and scored on Alex McClure’s single, another in the seventh when McClure hit into a double play with the bases loaded and one in the ninth on Navarro’s home run, his third.
Bobby Doran (6-1) gave up 2 runs on 5 hits and struck out 5 in 5 innings for the Hooks.
MISSIONS 1, TRAVELERS 0
The Arkansas Travelers’ recent slump continued Thursday night in San Antonio.
The Travs had 10 hits Thursday night but stranded eight runners in a loss to the San Antonio Missions at Wolff Stadium.
It was the Travs’ second consecutive loss in its first trip to San Antonio this season, and third consecutive overall. Arkansas has been held to three runs during its three-game losing streak, its longest in over a month.
Today’s game NW ARKANSAS AT CORPUS CHRISTI WHEN 7:05 p.m. Central WHERE Whataburger Field, Corpus Christi, Texas RADIO KNEA-FM, 92.1, in Fayetteville WEBSITE nwanaturals.com PITCHERS Naturals: Jason Adam (RHP, 0-2, 8.22 ERA);
Hooks: Michael Foltynewicz ( RHP, 0-0, 1.13) THE WEEK AHEAD TODAY at Corpus Christi, 7:05 p.m.
SATURDAY at San Antonio, 7:05 p.m.
SUNDAY at San Antonio, 2:05 p.m.
MONDAY at San Antonio, 2:05 p.m.
TUESDAY Corpus Christi, 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY Corpus Christi, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY Corpus Christi, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY’S GAMES Corpus Christi 10, NW Arkansas 4 San Antonio 1, Arkansas 0 Frisco 1, Springfield 0 Midland at Tulsa, (n) TODAY’S GAMES All times Central NW Arkansas at Corpus Christi, 7:05 p.m.
Arkansas at San Antonio, 7:05 p.m.
Midland at Tulsa, 7:05 p.m.
Frisco at Springfield, 7:09 p.m.
Sports, Pages 18 on 05/24/2013