SPRINGDALE -- Andy Ferguson looks to be in midseason form.
The Northwest Arkansas right-hander struck out six and gave up just two hits in six innings of work, and the Naturals used three doubles in a nine-hit attack to defeat Springfield 5-0 before 6,895 in Arvest Ballpark on Wednesday afternoon.
NW ARKANSAS 5, SPRINGFIELD 0
Springfield^000^000^000^—^0^4^0
NW Arkansas^001^040^00x^—^5^9^1
Springfield^AB^R^H^RBI^BB^SO^LOB^AVG
Tilson, CF^4^0^0^0^0^0^2^.314
Martini, RF^3^0^1^0^1^1^2^.261
Wilson, J, 2B^4^0^1^0^0^0^3^.242
Rodriguez, Jon, 1B^4^0^2^0^0^2^3^.355
Washington, DH^4^0^0^0^0^2^4^.207
Valera, B, LF^4^0^0^0^0^2^4^.203
Mejia, A, SS^4^0^0^0^0^1^2^.256
Wisdom, 3B^2^0^0^0^1^0^0^.150
Rosario, A, C^2^0^0^0^1^1^1^.211
Totals^31^0^4^0^3^9^21^
2B: Martini (4, Ferguson), Rodriguez, Jon (5, Williams, A).TB: Rodriguez, Jon 3; Wilson, J; Martini 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Rodriguez, Jon; Valera, B; Mejia, A 2; Wilson, J. Team RISP: 0-for-12. Team LOB: 7. SB: Rodriguez, Jon (2, 2nd base off Stumpf/De La Rosa, A). PO: Wisdom (2nd base by De La Rosa, A). FIELDING Pickoffs: Cornelius (Starling at 1st base).
NW Arkansas^AB^R^H^RBI^BB^SO^LOB^AVG
Coleman, SS^4^1^1^1^0^2^2^.379
Liddi, 2B^4^1^2^1^0^0^0^.246
Bonifacio, RF^3^0^0^1^0^1^2^.189
Fuenmayor, 1B^4^0^1^2^0^1^0^.295
Dozier, 3B^4^0^0^0^0^1^1^.215
Starling, CF^3^0^1^0^0^0^0^.176
Bianucci, DH^3^2^2^0^0^1^0^.353
De La Rosa, A, C^3^1^2^0^0^1^0^.100
Gore, LF^3^0^0^0^0^1^4^.211
Totals^31^5^9^5^0^8^9^
2B: Liddi (3, Cornelius), Bianucci (6, Cornelius), Fuenmayor (2, Cornelius). TB: Starling; Liddi 3; Fuenmayor 2; Coleman; Bianucci 3; De La Rosa, A 2. RBI: Liddi (11), Coleman (13), Bonifacio (10), Fuenmayor 2 (10). 2-out RBI: Liddi; Fuenmayor 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Bonifacio 2; Dozier. SF: Bonifacio. Team RISP: 5-for-10. Team LOB: 3. CS: Starling (1, 2nd base by Cornelius/Rosario, A). PO: Starling (1st base by Cornelius). FIELDING E: Liddi (1, throw). Pickoffs: De La Rosa, A (Wisdom at 2nd base).
PITCHING
Springfield^IP^H^R^ER^BB^SO^HR^ERA
Hald^2.0^0^0^0^0^0^0^2.81
Cornelius (L, 0-2)^4.0^9^5^5^0^4^0^7.50
Thomas^2.0^0^0^0^0^4^0^0.00
NW Arkansas^IP^H^R^ER^BB^SO^HR^ERA
Ferguson (W, 2-0)^6.0^2^0^0^2^6^0^0.45
Williams, A^1.0^1^0^0^0^1^0^12.00
Stumpf^2.0^1^0^0^1^2^0^2.13
WP: Ferguson. Umpires: HP: Bryan Fields. 1B: Ramon Hernandez. 3B: Derek Eaton.
T: 2:33. Att: 6,895.
Northwest Arkansas (10-9) has won four straight, while the Cardinals have dropped their last six games.
Ferguson gave up a first-inning double and worked out of a jam in the fourth after Springfield (5-14) started the inning with a walk and a bunt single. Ferguson (2-0) has held opponents scoreless in 18 of 20 innings this season and the former Arkansas State pitcher now has a 0.45 ERA.
"The action on Ferguson's pitches and his composure on the mound was something special," said Naturals manager Vance Wilson. "The biggest thing was his fastball command, and he threw a couple of back door sliders. Then he had that nasty splitter."
Six different Naturals had at least one hit. Alex Liddi, Anderson De La Rosa and Mike Bianucci had two hits apiece for the Naturals.
The Naturals broke the game open with four runs in the fifth inning for a 5-0 lead. Balbino Fuenmayor delivered the big blow with a two-out, two-run double. Dusty Coleman added an RBI on a bunt single while Jorge Bonifacio plated a run with a sacrifice fly.
Short hops
• Northwest Arkansas (10-9) is above .500 overall for the first time since April 5, 2014 when it was 2-1 at the start of last season.
• Naturals reliever Ali Williams came off the disabled list Wednesday and his first pitch to Springfield first baseman Jonathan Rodriguez was a double to left field. But Williams retired the next three Cardinals in order.
• Naturals catcher Anderson De La Rosa threw out Patrick Wisdom at second base to end the third inning. Wisdom walked and went to second on a groundout but the Cardinals third baseman was caught straying too far from the bag as De La Rosa threw a dart to shortstop Dusty Coleman.
Extra bases: Northwest Arkansas has shutout opponents three times this season. ... Three Naturals pitchers combined for nine strikeouts while giving up just four hits. ... Liddi has hit safely in the last five games and he is 10 for 21 over that span with six RBIs.
On Deck: The two teams will conclude the series tonight with a 7 p.m. start. The Naturals will send right-handed pitcher J.C. Sulbaran (0-2, 5.40 ERA) to the mound. Right-handed pitcher Andrew Morales (1-0, 1.69) will throw the first pitch for the Cardinals. Morales was drafted in the second round by St. Louis is last year's draft after going 42-3 in college.
Promotions: Buck Night on Thirsty Thursday.
On The Air: 1030-AM KFAY
On The Web: www.naturals.com
Sports on 04/30/2015