SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Arkansas begins a six-game home stand today, four games behind Arkansas in the Texas League North Division standings.
The Naturals could get some help both offensively and on the mound.
At A Glance
Northwest Arkansas Naturals Homestand
At Arvest Ballpark, Springdale
On The Air: KQSM-FM 92.1
Series Schedule
Today: vs. Corpus Christi, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday: vs. Corpus Christi, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday: vs. Corpus Christi, 7:05 p.m.
Friday: vs. San Antonio, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday: vs. San Antonio, 6:05 p.m.
Sunday vs. San Antonio, 6:05 p.m.
This Week’s Promotions
Today: It’s Arvest Two-for-Tuesday. Fans can enjoy 2-for-1 deals on tickets, selected hats along with wristbands for the Royals Kid Zone, game programs, scorecards and peanuts. Groups of 20 or more may also get reserve tickets in advance for half price.
Wednesday: If the Naturals win a home game on Wednesday all tickets will be good for a free reserved seat at teh following Wednesday home game. Fans can also buy a ticket and get one free by bringing proof of purchase of a packet of Pioneer gravy.Groups of 20 or more may purchase reserve tickets in advance for half price.
Thursday: It’s Buck Night as small Coke drinks, peanuts and mozzarella sticks are all $1. In addition, selected 16-ounce draft beer is $2. It will also be Lou Gehrig’s ALS Awareness Night.
Friday: The Naturals will sear special pink jerseys that will be autioned off durin ghte game with proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. It’s also a post-game Scout Night campount. Boy scouts, girls scouts and cub scout groups can purchase discounted tickets, receive a limited edition scout patch, watch a kid-friendly movie and enjoy a post-gam campout on the outfield grass at Arvest Ballpark. There will also be post-game fireworks.
Saturday: There will be a Louisville Slugger wiffle bat give-away and a post-game concert by Canaan Smith.
Sunday: Kids 12-and-under will eat for free and all kids can run the bases at Arvest following the game. Also it’s Bark in the Park as all dogs are admitted free with a valid ticket purchased by the owner.
Ticket Packages
• Super Premium A: $12
• Premium: $10
• Reserved: $8
• Grass Berm: $7
• Super Premium Family: $12
• Premium Family: $10
Online
story created on Monday 4/7/20
First-round draft pick Brandon Finnegan will join the Naturals today, while outfielder Lane Adams should be back with the Naturals by Wednesday, Northwest Arkansas manager Vance Wilson said.
Finnegan was the 17th overall pick in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft in June. The standout left-hander from Texas Christian has been lights out at Class A advanced Wilmington, allowing just one run over 15 innings of work.
Wilson said he will be used out of the bullpen.
Adams has been sidelined by a bone bruise for almost a month. He was hit by a pitch July 6 against Frisco. Adams went 2-for-3 in a rehab assignment at Burlington of the Rookie League on Sunday.
The Naturals (21-22) will have an interesting assignment tonight as they will face Mark Appel, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2013. The 6-foot-5 right-hander struggled at the Class A level, going 2-5 with a 9.74 ERA. However, he got a promotion and pitched five scoreless innings in his first Double-A start with Corpus Christi against San Antonio on Wednesday.
Northwest Arkansas went 3-3 on its latest road trip. Infielders Orlando Calixte and Angel Franco have proven to be a nice 1-2 punch offensively, along with Cheslor Cuthbert recently. Cuthbert has hit .389 with 6 RBIs in his last 10 games, while Calixte has driven in nine runs in the same span.
But third baseman Hunter Dozier has been struggling offensively recently. The 2013 first-round draft pick has just two hits in his last 37 at-bats (.054) to see his season average slip to .211.
However, left-hander Sam Selman has been outstanding since moving from the starting rotation to the bullpen in early July. The left-hander from Vanderbilt has not allowed an earned run over 13.2 innings, spanning 10 games out of the bullpen. He's struck out 14 and walked only five.
J.C. Sulbaran (7-8) will start on the mound for the Naturals tonight. The right-hander struggled his last time out, allowing six earned runs in just three innings of work in a loss at Tulsa. But he's been solid before that, going 4-4 with a stellar 2.73 ERA over his last 10 games.
The Naturals will have just seven home games remaining when this home stand ends Sunday against San Antonio.
Sports on 08/05/2014