SPRINGDALE -- Arkansas needed only one big inning to take down Northwest Arkansas.
The Travelers scored five runs in the third inning and defeated the Naturals 5-2 Tuesday in Texas League action before a crowd of 2,920 at Arvest Ballpark. Arkansas collected five hits in the inning off Matt Murray (5-2), who contributed to the rally with a bases-loaded walk and a hit-batsman with the bases full.
Arkansas 5, Northwest Arkansas 2
Arkansas^005^000^000^—^5^11^1
Northwest Arkansas^000^020^000^—^2^10^0
Arkansas^AB^R^H^RBI^BB^SO^LOB^AVG
Maggi, 3B^4^1^1^0^0^0^1^.243
Johnson, S, 2B^4^1^0^1^1^1^3^.214
Hinshaw, CF^4^1^1^1^0^2^3^.273
Gailen, LF^4^0^0^1^0^0^1^.220
Hernandez, B, 1B^4^0^4^2^0^0^0^.254
Towey, RF^4^0^1^0^0^1^3^.222
Snyder, M, DH^4^0^1^0^0^3^3^.245
Bemboom, C^3^1^2^0^1^0^2^.262
Salcedo, SS^4^1^1^0^0^0^3^.267
Totals^35^5^11^5^2^7^19^
BATTING
2B: Hernandez, B 2 (22, Selman, Stumpf). SF: Gailen. Team LOB: 8. BASERUNNING
SB: Hinshaw 2 (11, 2nd base off Murray/Morin, P, 2nd base off Murray/Morin, P). FIELDING
E: Hernandez, B (12, fielding).
DP: (Hernandez, B).
NW Arkansas^AB^R^H^RBI^BB^SO^LOB^AVG
Torres, Ra, 2B^4^1^3^2^0^0^0^.271
Mondesi, SS^5^0^1^0^0^2^4^.240
Adams, L, CF^4^0^1^0^1^2^3^.288
Liddi, LF^5^0^1^0^0^2^5^.269
Dozier, 3B^3^0^0^0^1^0^3^.220
Bonifacio, J, RF^4^0^1^0^0^1^3^.235
Morin, P, C^4^0^0^0^0^2^3^.349
Schwindel, 1B^3^0^1^0^1^1^2^.216
Gibbs, DH^3^1^2^0^0^0^1^.291
a-Starling, PH-DH^1^0^0^0^0^1^0^.274
Totals^36^2^10^2^3^11^24^
a-Struck out for Gibbs in the 9th.
BATTING
2B: Liddi HR: Torres, Ra (2, 5th inning off McGowin, 1 on, 0 out). Team LOB: 11. BASERUNNING
SB: Mondesi (13), Adams, L (18). FIELDING
DP: 2 (Schwindel-Mondesi-Schwindel, Torres, Ra-Mondesi-Schwindel).
Arkansas^IP^H^R^ER^BB^SO^HR^ERA
McGowin (W, 8-7)^5.0^7^2^2^1^7^1^4.87
Hyatt (H, 2)^2.0^1^0^0^2^1^0^4.93
O’Grady (H, 9)^1.0^0^0^0^0^1^0^2.41
Mahle (S, 12)^1.0^2^0^0^0^2^0^2.53
NW Arkansas^IP^H^R^ER^BB^SO^HR^ERA
Murray (L, 5-2)^3.0^7^5^5^1^3^0^4.10
Selman^3.0^3^0^0^0^2^0^5.52
Stumpf^2.0^1^0^0^1^1^0^4.18
Nina^1.0^0^0^0^0^1^0^6.69
Umpires: HP: Mike Cascioppo. 1B: Jake Wilburn. 3B: Scott Costello.
T: 2:50.
Att: 2,920.
Kyle McGowin (8-7) got the win by holding the Naturals to 2 runs and 7 hits in 5 innings.
Brian Hernandez went 4 for 4 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI for the Travelers (23-16), who outhit the Naturals 11-10. Ramon Torres had a two-run home run and Raul Mondesi a triple for Northwest Arkansas (14-24).
Both teams put their first two runners on base in the third inning. Drew Maggi was credited with an infield single on a bunt to load the bases for Arkansas, which received a walk and a hit batter to force in two runs. Blake Gailen followed with a sacrifice fly before Hernandez capped the rally with a two-run double.
"We took advantage of some things and executed in that inning," Arkansas Manager Bill Richardson said. "It's the other (scoreless) innings I'm worried about."
Northwest Arkansas put runners in scoring position with one out in the third, but McGowin worked out of the jam with consecutive strikeouts against Mondesi and Lane Adams. Northwest Arkansas also put two runners on in the seventh and ninth innings but did not score.
The Naturals left 11 men on base to eight for the Travelers.
"We didn't execute defensively," Northwest Arkansas Manager Vance Wilson said. "Offensively, we left three guys on third base and couldn't get the big hit when we needed it."
SHORT HOPS
• Micah Gibbs started at catcher after joining the Naturals Tuesday for the third time this season. He appeared in eight games at Omaha and batted .136 with one home run and three RBI. The move put the Naturals active roster at 25.
• Catcher Anthony Bemboom batted twice in the third inning when Arkansas rallied for five runs. Bemboom started the inning with an infield single and finished it when he lined out to Jorge Bonifacio in right field.
Extra Bases: Northwest Arkansas fell to 54-54 overall after winning a first-half divisional championship. ... Matt Murray lasted three inning for Northwest Arkansas and left after giving up five runs on seven hits. It was the sixth start for Murray, who has also worked as a reliever for the Naturals. ... Former Naturals infielder Christian Colon went 3 for 5 Tuesday but it wasn't enough in Omaha's 8-6 loss to Nashville. Brett Eibner (Arkansas) went 1 for 6 for the Storm Chasers while Craig Gentry (Arkansas) went 2 for 5 with 2 stolen bases for the Sounds. ...
On Deck: The series will continue tonight with right-hander Albert Suarez (8-7, 3.44 ERA) going for Arkansas against Naturals right-hander Brooks Pounders (0-1, 3.86 ERA).
Promotions: Half-price group night
On The Air: 92.1-FM, The Ticket
On The Web: www.naturals.com
Sports on 08/05/2015