TEXAS LEAGUE

Naturals' Ferguson is hot while Travelers are not

Northwest Arkansas pitcher Andy Ferguson (Arkansas State/Benton) had his longest outing as a professional Wednesday, allowing 2 earned runs on 8 hits with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings to lead the Naturals to an 8-2 victory over the Arkansas Travelers at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.
Northwest Arkansas pitcher Andy Ferguson (Arkansas State/Benton) had his longest outing as a professional Wednesday, allowing 2 earned runs on 8 hits with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings to lead the Naturals to an 8-2 victory over the Arkansas Travelers at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.

SPRINGDALE -- June keeps getting better for Northwest Arkansas pitcher Andy Ferguson.

Ferguson, a right-hander from Benton who played at Arkansas State, went a professional career-long 7 2/3 innings in the Naturals' 8-2 victory over the Arkansas Travelers on Wednesday before an announced crowd of 3,603 at Arvest Ballpark.

Ferguson (5-6) has a 1.63 ERA in his last four starts, holding opponents to 5 earned runs in 27 2/3 innings, including two victories over the Travs. He has lowered his season ERA from 4.93 to 3.68 in that stretch.

"It's been a point of emphasis for me to try to stay consistent and repeat pitches in outings," Ferguson said. "It's a good sign for me. I've just got to keep doing it.

"That's a big separator between here and Triple-A and the big leagues, is repeatability."

Ferguson said his fastball and split-finger fastball were working for him Wednesday while his slider was hit and miss. He threw a career-high 111 pitches, including 67 strikes, while scattering 8 hits with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts.

"You throw strikes in this league, you've got a chance," Travs Manager Phillip Wellman said. "He's doing that right now.

"He's commanding his fastball and throwing it over the plate, which is big. He kept us off-balance, and they played good defense behind him."

Naturals Manager Vance Wilson said the biggest key to Ferguson's June surge is control.

"He's pitching in, he's knocking guys off the plate," Wilson said. "He's not just throwing the ball down the middle.

"He's throwing smart pitches, he's prepared. More than anything, he's limiting damage. There aren't a whole lot of rallies against him of three or four hits. He'll give up a hit or a walk, and then he gets out of it."

Ferguson retired the first two batters in the top of the eighth inning with a 7-1 lead, then the Travs loaded the bases on singles by Brian Hernandez and Andrew Heid, and a walk by Jett Bandy, who homered in the seventh inning.

Malcom Culver replaced Ferguson and walked Erik Kotmatsu to score Hernandez, then he struck out Eric Stamets and retired the Travs in order in the ninth inning.

"I wish I could have gotten through that eighth inning," Ferguson said. "I had my chances, but they put together some good at-bats."

The Naturals put together good at-bats throughout the game and had a season-high eight extra-base hits, including home runs by Jorge Bonifacio and Angel Franco and two doubles by Cheslor Cuthbert.

Cuthbert's RBI single put Northwest Arkansas ahead 1-0 in the first inning and the Naturals made it 4-0 against Travs starter Orangel Arenas (5-3) in the fourth inning on run-scoring doubles by Bonafacio and Mark Threlkeld.

"It's always easier when you can go out there and attack hitters and have a good lead," Ferguson said. "Our hitters did a great job."

Ferguson has held the Travs to 2 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings in two starts this month, including 6 scoreless innings in the Naturals' 6-0 victory at Dickey-Stephens Park on June 8.

"I grew up going to the Travs' games," Ferguson said. "So it's always good to put together a good performance against them."

Sports on 06/19/2014

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