SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Arkansas got off to a quick start for the second consecutive night, but Corpus Christi had the answer Saturday at Arvest Ballpark.
Hooks starter Kyle Westwood stopped a personal three-game losing streak and A.J. Reed drove in three runs to lead Corpus Christi to a 7-2 win over the Naturals (18-30, 58-60).
Corpus Christi 7, Northwest Arkansas 2
Corpus Christi^010^220^011^—^7^11^0
Northwest Arkansas^100^000^001^—^2^7^2
Corpus Christi ^AB ^R ^H ^RBI ^BB ^SO ^LOB ^AVG
Vasquez, D, RF ^5 ^1 ^2 ^1 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^.192
Hernandez, T, CF ^5 ^1 ^1 ^0 ^0 ^1 ^2 ^.220
Kemmer, DH ^5 ^1 ^2 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^3 ^.316
Reed, 1B ^4 ^1 ^2 ^3 ^0 ^1 ^2 ^.322
Mayfield, 2B ^4 ^2 ^2 ^1 ^1 ^1 ^1 ^.273
Heras, LF ^4 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^2 ^4 ^.264
Mier, SS ^2 ^0 ^0 ^1 ^1 ^0 ^1 ^.246
Moon, 3B ^3 ^1 ^2 ^1 ^1 ^1 ^3 ^.268
Gonzalez, A, C ^4 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^1 ^3 ^.283
Totals ^36 ^7 ^11 ^6 ^3 ^7 ^19 ^
BATTING
2B: Reed. 3B: Kemmer. TB: Mayfield 2; Kemmer 4; Reed 3; Hernandez, T; Moon 2; Vasquez, D 2. RBI: Mier (48), Moon (13), Reed 2 (25), Mayfield (14), Vasquez, D (9). SAC: Heras.SF: Mier; Reed. RISP: 5-for-13. LOB: 8. SB: Mayfield (2), Kemmer (7), Moon (15). DP: (Westwood-Reed).
NW Arkansas ^AB ^R ^H ^RBI ^BB ^SO ^LOB ^AVG
Torres, Ra, SS ^4 ^1 ^1 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^.292
Mondesi, 2B ^4 ^0 ^2 ^0 ^0 ^1 ^0 ^.243
Adams, L, RF ^4 ^0 ^1 ^1 ^0 ^1 ^1 ^.278
Liddi, DH ^4 ^0 ^1 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^2 ^.276
1-Gore, PR-DH ^0 ^1 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^.288
Bonifacio, J, LF ^3 ^0 ^1 ^0 ^1 ^0 ^1 ^.238
Starling, CF ^3 ^0 ^0 ^1 ^0 ^2 ^4 ^.262
Dozier, 3B ^4 ^0 ^1 ^0 ^0 ^2 ^4 ^.219
Schwindel, 1B ^3 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^1 ^2 ^.231
Morin, P, C ^3 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^0 ^1 ^0 ^.341
Totals ^32 ^2 ^7 ^2 ^1 ^8 ^14 ^
1-Ran for Liddi in the 9th.
BATTING
2B: Torres, Ra (6), Mondesi (10), Liddi (31). TB: Mondesi 3; Dozier; Torres, Ra 2; Bonifacio, J; Adams, L; Liddi 2. SF: Starling. RISP: 2-for-7. LOB: 5. E: Mondesi (14, throw), Torres, Ra (2, fielding).
Corpus Christi ^IP ^H ^R ^ER ^BB ^SO ^HR ^ERA
Westwood (W, 8-6) ^8.0 ^6 ^1 ^1 ^1 ^7 ^0 ^4.50
Minaya ^1.0 ^1 ^1 ^1 ^0 ^1 ^0 ^3.16
NW Arkansas ^IP ^H ^R ^ER ^BB ^SO ^HR ^ERA
Binford (L, 4-7) ^4.2 ^8 ^5 ^3 ^2 ^1 ^0 ^5.03
Murray ^3.0 ^1 ^1 ^1 ^1 ^5 ^0 ^4.10
Stumpf ^1.1 ^2 ^1 ^1 ^0 ^1 ^0 ^4.13
WP: Murray.
Pitches-strikes: Westwood 102-68, Minaya 20-12, Binford 93-59, Murray 48-28, Stumpf 16-12.
Umpires: HP: Matthew Czajak. 1B: Lee Meyers. 3B: Nestor Ceja.
T: 2:43. Att: 5,721.
Westwood (8-6) allowed a run in the bottom of the first, but limited the damage, and his teammates came back strong. The 6-foot-3 right-hander went eight innings, allowing just the one run on six hits. He struck out seven and walked just one.
Northwest Arkansas started the bottom of the first with three consecutive hits to get on the board. But Westwood struck out Bubba Starling and got Hunter Dozier to ground out to wiggle out of further trouble, leaving the bases loaded. He allowed just three hits over the next seven innings.
Northwest Arkansas Manager Vance Wilson said his team was a little impatient in that first inning, after scoring four in the first inning on Friday night.
"In the last month and a half our pitch selection has been poor and it happened that inning," Wilson said. "We swung at his pitch. We're trying to get guys to understand who's in trouble in that situation. We took some swings like we were the one in trouble.
"We had'em on the ropes there and let 'em off. That team's too good to do that."
The Hooks (27-22, 75-44), who won the first-half South Division title, tied the game with an unearned run in the second, two more in the fourth and two in the fifth.
Reed, a second-round pick from Kentucky, finished 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs. He now has 26 RBIs in 32 games for the Hooks, since being promoted from Class A Advanced Lancaster. The first baseman singled and scored in the fourth, contributed a two-run double in the fifth and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the ninth.
Four other Hooks had two hits each.
Wilson said Naturals starter Christian Binford (4-7) struggled to locate his pitches. He gave up five runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings.
"He was up in the zone," Wilson said. "Even when he threw strikes and got outs, I thought he was too much in the upper half of the zone. I know they're trying to change his slider grip a little bit. But too many pitches up in the zone for Christian."
Short Hops
• Raul Mondesi was the only Northwest Arkansas player with more than one hit, finishing 2 for 4 with a double. He matched his hit total for the previous three games combined.
Extra Bases: Bubba Starling went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts after missing the past four games because of illness, but drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning. ... The Naturals had a chance to win three games in a row for the first time since June 16. ... Westwood threw 102 pitches, including 68 for strikes.
On Deck: The Naturals close out a six-game homestand by hosting Corpus Christi tonight at 6:05. RHP Brooks Pounders (1-2 2.08) will start on the mound for Northwest Arkansas, while RHP Michael Feliz (5-2 2.37) will pitch for the Hooks.
Today's Promotion: It's Bark in the Park as dogs will be admitted to the game for free accompanied by its owner with a paid admission. Kids under 12 also eat free.
On The Air: KQSM-FM 92.1
On The Web: www.nwanaturals.com
Sports on 08/16/2015