SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Arkansas had nine innings worth of at-bats to overcome a disastrous top of the first.
It still wasn't enough.
How They Scored
Tulsa 6, Northwest Arkansas 4
Tulsa^200^010^111^—^6^10^2
NWA^000^010^111^—^4^9^3
C. Hernandez, Striz (7), Sitton (8), White (9) and O’Dowd. Ferguson, Alexander (8) and Gibbs. W – Hernandez, 3-4. L – Ferguson, 6-8. HRs – Tulsa, Cleary Jr. (2).
Taylor Featherston knocked in three runs, and Carlos Hernandez worked six strong innings on the mound as Tulsa dispatched the Naturals 6-4 on Monday night at Arvest Ballpark.
Featherston, batting in the three-hole, put Tulsa ahead quickly with a two-run double in the opening frame. Jonesboro native Delta Cleary started the game reaching on an error, then stole second and advanced to third on a Cristhian Adames base hit. Featherston knocked them both in on the second pitch of his plate appearance.
Hernandez didn't need any more cushion than that. He scattered five hits through his six innings and struck out six to just a single walk.
The teams traded individual runs in their respective halves of the seventh, eighth and ninth. Largely because of errors and mistakes, none of which were lost on Naturals manager Vance Wilson.
"You take the first hitter of the game," Wilson said. "We messed it up there at the first and obviously bam, they drop two runs. We let them have the momentum. Last couple innings, same thing. We manufactured off their mistakes, but we've got to catch and throw the ball."
The Naturals finished with three errors, leading to two unearned runs.
Featherston would knock-in Adames again in the fifth when he perfectly executed a hit-and-run with a blistering ball to the gap he'd turn into a triple.
The Naturals countered when Orlando Calixte singled home Ethan Chapman in the bottom of the inning, but Arkansas-native (Jonesboro) Delta Cleary Jr. tacked on a solo home run in the seventh to re-extend Tulsa's lead.
Naturals starter Andy Ferguson wasn't bad outside the first inning -- and to anyone else besides Featherston. He gave up four runs, three earned, on nine hits through seven innings, but didn't allow a walk and kept the Naturals within striking distance.
Featherston, Adames, Cleary and Will Swanner each had two hits for the Drillers. Calixte, Hunter Dozier and Chapman had two apiece for Northwest Arkansas.
J.C. Sulbaran is scheduled to pitch Tuesday's third game of the series against a Tulsa starter to be announced at 7 p.m.
SHORT HOPS
• Naturals pitcher Jason Adam was named Texas League Pitcher of the Week for July 7-13. Adams has tossed 12 straight scoreless innings over his last two outings and notched 11 strikeouts to just nine hits allowed during his current two-game winning streak.
• Tulsa manager Kevin Riggs was ejected in the bottom of the fourth when he came out of the dugout to argue with first base umpire Clay Park. Riggs was upset when Micah Gibbs was called safe after Park ruled Drillers first baseman Will Swanner bobbled the catch that clearly beat Gibbs.
On Deck: The Naturals host Tulsa for two more games in the homestand before hitting the road for another four-game set in Springfield starting Thursday.
On The Air: KQSM-FM 92.1
Sports on 07/15/2014