SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Arkansas returned to Arvest Ballpark for the first time in 12 days and entered Friday's doubleheader with the Texas League's best home record.
That didn't matter to Frisco, which used a sweep to take the season series from the Naturals. The RoughRiders (37-47, 8-6) used a three-run home run by light-hitting Luis Marte to take a 6-2 decision in the opener, then completed the sweep with a 5-0 victory in the second game.
Game 1
Frisco 6, Northwest Arkansas 2
Frisco^200^040^0^—^6^8^0
NW Arkansas^010^001^0^—2^5^1
Frisco^AB^R^H^RBI^BB^SO^LOB^AVG
Williams, LF^3^2^3^0^0^0^0^.286
Marte, L, SS^4^2^2^3^0^0^1^.213
Cordell, CF^3^1^1^1^1^1^0^.357
Mazara, RF^3^0^0^1^0^1^1^.287
Burg, DH^4^0^0^0^0^1^3^.333
Beck, P, 1B^3^0^1^1^0^0^1^.227
Adams, T, 3B^3^0^0^0^0^0^2^.207
Robinson, D, 2B^2^1^0^0^1^0^0^.222
Cantwell, C^3^0^1^0^0^1^1^.203
Totals^28^6^8^6^2^4^9^
HR: Marte, L (1). RBI: Cordell (6), Mazara (44), Marte, L 3 (5), Beck, P (19). SF: Mazara. Team LOB: 5.
NW Arkansas^AB^R^H^RBI^BB^SO^LOB^AVG
Adams, L, LF^3^1^1^0^0^0^1^.256
Mondesi, SS^3^0^0^0^0^0^2^.258
Bonifacio, J, RF^3^0^1^1^0^0^0^.242
Liddi, 1B^2^0^0^0^1^1^0^.288
Dozier, 3B^3^0^0^0^0^2^2^.215
Starling, CF^3^1^1^1^0^2^2^.255
Evans, C^3^0^1^0^0^2^0^.269
Schwindel, DH^3^0^0^0^0^0^1^.375
Torres, Ra, 2B^3^0^1^0^0^0^1^.250
Totals^26^2^5^2^1^7^9^
HR: Starling (4). RBI: Starling (15), Bonifacio, J (49). Team LOB: 4. SB: Torres, Ra (1), Bonifacio, J (3), Liddi (7). E: Liddi (7). PB: Evans (2).
Frisco^IP^H^R^ER^BB^SO^HR^ERA
Payano (W, 3-2)^5.0^3^1^1^0^4^1^5.02
Pirela, Je^2.0^2^1^1^1^3^0^3.08
NW Arkansas^IP^H^R^ER^BB^SO^HR^ERA
Reed (L, 1-1)^4.2^8^6^5^2^0^1^4.32
Culver^1.0^0^0^0^0^1^0^4.50
Selman^1.1^0^0^0^0^3^0^3.28
HBP: Williams (by Selman).
Pitches-strikes: Payano 59-42, Pirela, Je 32-23, Reed 81-55, Culver 11-9, Selman 24-12.
Umpires: HP: Sean Allen. 1B: Ramon Hernandez. 3B: Derek Eaton.
T: 2:03.
Game 2
Frisco 5, Northwest Arkansas 0
Frisco^030^100^1^—^5^9^0
NW Arkansas^000^000^0^—^0^4^0
Frisco^AB^R^H^RBI^BB^SO^LOB^AVG
Williams, CF^4^1^4^2^0^0^0^.295
Marte, L, SS^3^0^0^0^0^2^2^.203
Cordell, RF^4^0^0^0^0^2^3^.326
Mazara, LF^4^0^0^0^0^1^1^.283
Burg, C^2^2^2^1^1^0^0^.368
Beck, P, 1B^2^1^1^2^1^1^0^.230
Adams, T, 3B^3^0^1^0^0^0^0^.209
Robinson, D, 2B^3^1^1^0^0^1^3^.223
Wise, DH^2^0^0^0^1^2^4^.240
Totals^27^5^9^5^3^9^13^
2B: Robinson, D (15).
HR: Beck, P (2), Burg (3), Williams (9). RBI: Beck, P 2 (21), Williams 2 (35), Burg (5). SAC: Marte, L. Team LOB: 5. CS: Williams (8), Wise (1).
NW Arkansas^AB^R^H^RBI^BB^SO^LOB^AVG
Torres, Ra, SS^3^0^1^0^0^1^1^.273
Starling, CF^3^0^1^0^0^1^2^.256
Bonifacio, J, RF^3^0^0^0^0^2^3^.240
Liddi, 3B^3^0^0^0^0^0^3^.285
Dozier, DH^2^0^0^0^1^0^1^.213
Schwindel, 1B^3^0^0^0^0^1^1^.273
Morin, P, C^2^0^1^0^0^0^0^.356
Adams, L, PH^1^0^0^0^0^1^1^.254
Diekroeger, 2B^2^0^0^0^1^1^1^.257
Gore, LF^2^0^1^0^0^1^1^.298
Totals^24^0^4^0^2^8^14^
2B: Starling (11). Team LOB: 5. SB: Diekroeger (2). CS: Morin, P (1). DP: (Morin, P-Liddi).
Frisco^IP^H^R^ER^BB^SO^HR^ERA
Leclerc (W, 3-4)^6.0^4^0^0^1^6^0^4.87
Faulkner^1.0^0^0^0^1^2^0^4.74
NW Arkansas^IP^H^R^ER^BB^SO^HR^ERA
Binford (L, 2-4)^5.0^7^4^4^1^6^2^5.17
Zimmer^1.0^1^0^0^2^2^0^0.00
Peterson, M^1.0^1^1^1^0^1^1^3.78
WP: Leclerc, Zimmer.
Pitches-strikes: Leclerc 77-47, Faulkner 20-12, Binford 79-46, Zimmer 36-19, Peterson, M 11-8.
Umpires: HP: Ramon Hernandez. 1B: Derek Eaton. 3B: Sean Allen.
T: 2:03. Att: 6,571.
"We faced two good arms," Northwest Arkansas manager Vance Wilson said of Frisco starters Victor Payano and Jose Leclerc. "Those guys have real good arms, and pitched well.
"Seven-inning games are tough because they're momentum shifters. They scored early, jumped on us and it was always like we were swimming up water. But you have to tip your hat because those pitchers were tough on us."
Marte, who had hit only .193 with no home runs and two RBIs through 14 Double-A games, belted a Cody Reed pitch over the left-field fence and into Frisco's bullpen. That was the crushing blow as the RoughRiders batted around in the fifth inning and scored four runs to pull away.
Home runs also helped Frisco against Naturals starter Christian Binford (2-4) in the second game. Preston Beck hit a two-run shot as part of a three-run second inning, then Alex Burg and Nick Williams each hit solo home runs to lead off the fourth and seventh innings, respectively.
"Our pitching staff has been good, but we didn't execute," Wilson said. "We were up in the zone a lot. Reed made a lot of mistakes, obviously, and Binford worked quickly through some innings but also made some mistakes. Two guys not known for home runs hurt us."
Short Hops:
• Bubba Starling put Northwest Arkansas (44-40, 4-10) on the scoreboard in the first game when he belted a second-inning home run over the left-field fence and on top of the Bullpen Cafe's roof. He also added a leadoff double in the fourth inning of the second game, which extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
• Kyle Zimmer, the overall No. 5 draft pick in 2012, made his third relief appearance and returned to Arvest Ballpark for the first time since 2013. The right-hander pitched the sixth inning of the second game and worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam with back-to-back strikeouts.
• Frisco starter Jose Leclerc (3-4) was dominant in the second game, allowing just four hits through six innings. The Naturals' biggest threat was runners on first and third with nobody out in the sixth, but he retired the next three batters and preserved the shutout.
Extra Bases: The Naturals employed some unusual defensive shifts with the bases empty against left-handed hitters Nomar Mazura and Drew Robinson in the first game. Third basemen Hunter Dozier and Alex Liddi moved behind second base, while shortstops Raul Mondesi and Ramon Torres scooted closer to third. ... Catcher Micah Gibbs, who was on the seven-day disabled list because of a strained calf, was promoted Friday to Triple-A Omaha. ... The Naturals had won seven straight games against left-handed starters before losing the first game to Victor Payano (3-2), who drew a spot start since Jake Thompson was pitching for Team USA against Cuba.
On Deck: The Naturals remain home today, where they start a three-game series with the Midland RockHounds. Northwest Arkansas sends left-hander Jonathan Dziedzic (4-5, 4.07) to the mound for the 6:05 p.m. start, while Midland's starter has yet to be determined.
Today's Promotion: Tonight's game will feature the Big Country Bash, with a concert by Drake White & The Big Fire following the game. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m., and there will be a happy hour in the Craft Beer Corner until 5:30 p.m.
On The Air: KQSM-FM 92.1
On The Web: www.nwanaturals.com
Sports on 07/11/2015