SPRINGDALE -- Tulsa kept its second-half momentum going and Northwest Arkansas reeling with a 3-2 win Thursday night at Arvest Ballpark.
Jeremy Rathjen hit his fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot in the fifth inning, to snap a 1-1 tie. Naturals first baseman Balbino Fuenmayor hit his Texas league-leading 15th home run in the bottom of the ninth, but reliever Eric Stults retired the final two hitters to close out the win.
Tulsa 3, Northwest Arkansas 2
Tulsa^001^020^000^—^3^11^1
Northwest Arkansas^100^000^001^2^3^2
Tulsa^AB^R^H^RBI^BB^SO^LOB^AVG
Torreyes, SS^3^0^0^0^2^0^2^.243
Lavin, CF^5^1^3^0^0^0^0^.214
Drake, RF^5^0^1^1^0^1^3^.284
Anderson, La, 1B^3^0^0^0^2^1^2^.244
Farmer, C^5^0^1^0^0^1^4^.316
Cunningham, 3B^4^0^0^0^0^1^1^.237
Zarraga, DH^4^0^2^0^0^0^1^.256
Samson, 2B^4^1^2^0^0^1^3^.222
Rathjen, LF^4^1^2^2^0^1^0^.194
Totals^37^3^11^3^4^6^16^
BATTING
2B: Drake (8). HR: Rathjen (4). TB: Samson 2; Rathjen 5; Drake 2; Zarraga 2; Lavin 3; Farmer. RBI: Drake (22), Rathjen 2 (11). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Samson; Anderson, La 2; Farmer 2; Torreyes. RISP: 1-for-9. LOB: 11. CS: Torreyes (1, 2nd base by Sulbaran/Evans), Cunningham (1, home by Culver/Evans).
E: Cunningham (4, fielding).
NW Arkansas^AB^R^H^RBI^BB^SO^LOB^AVG
Adams, L, CF^4^1^1^0^0^1^2^.274
Starling, DH^4^0^0^0^0^1^3^.221
Bonifacio, J, RF^4^0^0^1^0^1^0^.239
Fuenmayor, 1B^4^1^1^1^0^1^0^.346
Dozier, 3B^3^0^0^0^1^2^0^.208
Evans, C^4^0^0^0^0^1^2^.280
Diekroeger, SS^3^0^0^0^0^0^1^.280
Gore, LF^3^0^1^0^0^0^0^.262
Davis, L, 2B^1^0^0^0^1^0^0^.000
a-Liddi, PH-2B^1^0^0^0^0^1^1^.288
Totals^31^2^3^2^2^8^9^
a-Struck out for Davis, L in the 8th.
BATTING
2B: Adams, L (4). HR: Fuenmayor (15). TB: Gore; Fuenmayor 4; Adams, L 2. RBI: Bonifacio, J (42), Fuenmayor (47). RISP: 0-for-4. LOB: 4.
SB: Gore (26).
E: Sulbaran (4, pickoff), Dozier (10, throw).
Tulsa^IP^H^R^ER^BB^SO^HR^ERA
Stripling (W, 1-1)^5.0^1^1^1^2^4^0^4.00
Stults (S, 1)^4.0^2^1^1^0^4^1^3.60
NW Arkansas^IP^H^R^ER^BB^SO^HR^ERA
Sulbaran (L, 4-6)^6.0^8^3^3^1^3^1^4.68
Stumpf^1.0^1^0^0^2^2^0^3.92
Culver^2.0^2^0^0^1^1^0^3.58
WP: Stripling, Sulbaran.
Umpires: HP: Mike Cascioppo. 1B: Jake Wilburn. 3B: Scott Costello.
T: 2:31. Att: 3,749.
Northwest Arkansas manager Vance Wilson said his team struggled offensively as the Naturals managed just three hits.
"Bad approach," Wilson said. "I thought hitting coach Brandon Moore had a good game plan, we just didn't execute it. The pitching did an outstanding job, You go six innings, give up three runs in our ballpark. If we get that every night, we're going to win some ballgames. The problem is the offense has got to pick it up. A little disappointed in tonight."
Naturals starter J.C. Sulbaran (4-6) took the loss, allowing three runs on eight hits over six innings. He also allowed his 14th home run of the season, which leads the Texas League.
Tulsa improved to 3-0 in the second half and has now won five consecutive games, while the Naturals drop to 0-3 and have now lost seven of eight.
Drillers starter Ross Stripling (1-1) gave up a run on just one hit over five innings in his second start of the season. He struck out four and walked two.
Tulsa manager Razor Shines said his team is definitely playing better baseball lately and he's encouraged by Stripling's effort, since he is coming back from Tommy John surgery.
"It's attributed to hard work," Shines said. "These guys have gotten better and I've seen with my own eyes. I'm excited about what might happen this second half. We are playing better baseball. Our starter went out and did a nice job for us. He kept us right there."
Short Hops:
• Drillers center fielder Peter Lavin finished 3-for-5 with three singles and a run scored.
• Naturals shortstop Raul Mondesi, was not in the lineup on Thursday, but he was selected to participate in the Sirius/XM All-Star Futures Game to be played July 12 at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Extra Bases: Naturals outfielder Terrance Gore stole his Texas-League leading 26th base in the eighth inning. ... The Drillers had a runner tagged out at the plate when Nate Samson bunted through a pitch on a squeeze attempt in the eighth inning. ... Stults, who started the season with the Atlanta Braves, pitched four innings to notch his first save of the season.
On Deck: The Naturals will send RHP Christian Binford (2-2, 5.12 ERA) to the mound against Tulsa in the second game of a four-game series. The Drillers will counter with Jharel Cotton (0-0, 1.50 ERA) for the scheduled 7:05 p.m. start. Binford has won his last two starts, allowing just one run over his last 11 innings.
Today's Promotion: There will be a post-game fireworks display.
On The Air: KQSM-FM 92.1
On The Web: www.nwanaturals.com
Sports on 06/26/2015