TEXAS LEAGUE

Minor league baseball: Garcia, Cards slow down Naturals

SPRINGDALE -- It took a major league pitcher on a rehab assignment to temporarily cool off the Texas League's hottest team Friday night.

Jaime Garcia -- who was attempting a return to the St. Louis Cardinals roster before suffering a spring training injury -- held Northwest Arkansas to six hits over six innings, and Springfield ended the Naturals' five-game winning streak with a 6-5 decision at Arvest Ballpark.

Springfield 6, Northwest Arkansas 5

Springfield^030^011^100^—^6^12^0

NW Arkansas^000^002^030^—^5^10^1

Springfield^AB^R^H^RBI^BB^SO^LOB^AVG

Tilson, CF^4^0^1^1^0^1^2^.290

Martini, LF^4^0^1^0^1^0^3^.304

Wilson, J, 2B^5^0^0^0^0^2^7^.229

Garcia, A, DH^3^1^1^0^2^0^0^.205

Ohlman, C^5^2^2^0^0^1^3^.279

Hazelbaker, RF^4^1^2^1^0^0^0^.267

Diaz, A, SS^3^1^1^2^2^0^2^.242

Washington, 1B^5^0^2^2^0^2^2^.225

Mejia, A, 3B^3^1^2^0^1^0^2^.253

Totals^36^6^12^6^6^6^21^

2B: Diaz, A (5). 3B: Mejia, A (1). HR: Hazelbaker (1). TB: Hazelbaker 5; Mejia, A 4; Diaz, A 2; Martini; Tilson; Ohlman 2; Washington 2; Garcia, A. RBI: Diaz, A 2 (7), Washington 2 (14), Hazelbaker (3), Tilson (6). SAC: Hazelbaker. SF: Tilson. SB: Martini (5). CS: Diaz, A (3), Garcia, A (2). FIELDING — DP: (Wilson, J-Diaz, A-Washington).

NW Arkansas^AB^R^H^RBI^BB^SO^LOB^AVG

Mondesi, SS^5^0^1^0^0^1^2^.250

Furcal, 2B^4^1^1^0^1^0^2^.429

Bonifacio, J, RF^4^1^2^0^1^1^2^.231

Fuenmayor, 1B^4^2^2^3^0^0^2^.365

Liddi, PR^0^0^0^0^0^0^0^.248

Dozier, 3B^5^1^1^0^0^2^3^.231

Bianucci, DH^4^0^0^0^0^3^3^.331

Evans, C^4^0^1^2^0^1^1^.250

Gore, CF^3^0^2^0^1^0^0^.295

Chapman, LF^4^0^0^0^0^1^5^.205

Totals^37^5^10^5^3^9^20^

2B: Fuenmayor (9), Evans (1). HR: Fuenmayor (8). TB: Mondesi; Gore 2; Dozier; Furcal; Fuenmayor 6; Evans 2; Bonifacio, J 2. RBI: Fuenmayor 3 (27), Evans 2 (2). GIDP: Furcal. SB: Chapman (1), Gore (14). FIELDING — E: Fuenmayor (3, fielding).

PITCHING

Springfield^IP^H^R^ER^BB^SO^HR^ERA

Garcia, J (W, 1-0)^6.0^6^2^2^0^6^1^3.00

Barraclough^1.0^0^0^0^1^2^0^0.00

Baker, C^1.0^4^3^3^1^1^0^5.00

Wyatt (S, 2)^1.0^0^0^0^1^0^0^2.37

NW Arkansas^IP^H^R^ER^BB^SO^HR^ERA

Sulbaran (L, 3-3)^5.2^9^5^5^4^2^1^3.96

Culver^1.1^3^1^1^0^0^0^3.45

Williams, A^1.0^0^0^0^2^3^0^8.38

Nina^1.0^0^0^0^0^1^0^7.53

WP: Barraclough, Sulbaran. HBP: Fuenmayor (by Wyatt). HP: Ron Teague. 1B: Clay Park. 3B: Clayton Hamm. T: 3:02. Att: 6,594.

Garcia, who allowed five runs on six hits in 2.2 innings during his last start at Triple-A Memphis, was much more effective this time. The veteran left-hander reached his 90-pitch limit when he struck out Hunter Dozier to end the sixth, and his only flaw came moments earlier when Balbino Fuenmayor belted his eighth home run of the season -- a two-run shot well over the 400-foot mark in center field.

"You run into that in the minor leagues," Northwest Arkansas manager Vance Wilson said. "The guy was good, really good. He had a lot of movement and a really good cutter.

"It's funny: you see a guy that's been in the big leagues, you see him like that and wonder why. It's good for our guys to face him. With that being said, we battled back and stayed the game and made it close at the end."

The Naturals (22-12) scored three runs in the eighth and had the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position when Ethan Chapman hit one back to the mound. They also had two on in the ninth when Hunter Dozier lined out to first to end the game.

Short Hops:

• Northwest Arkansas starter J.C. Sulbaran (2-2) allowed five runs on nine hits over 5.2 innings. The right-hander also issued four walks and ran into trouble when Springfield scored three runs in the second.

• Furcal, the former major leaguer who joined the Naturals on Thursday after a stint at Class A-Advanced Wilmington, went 1-for-3 against Garcia -- his teammate during the Cardinals' 2011 World Series championship season. Furcal grounded out the first two at-bats before belting his single in the sixth.

• Fuenmayor's home run allowed him to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, the Texas League's longest active streak, and put him tied with Mike Bianucci for the team lead and league in home runs. He later added an RBI double in the eighth.

Extra Bases: The loss also snapped the Naturals' 10-game home win streak, dating back to April 20, and was only the third loss at Arvest Ballpark this season. ... Naturals SS Raul Mondesi returned from the disabled list and was back in the lineup Friday after missing 32 games due to a lower back injury. ... Lefty pitcher Jonathan Dziedzic also returned to the team after a spot start Thursday for Triple-A Omaha against Round Rock, and infielder Logan Davis was sent to Rookie-level Idaho Falls. ... Springfield manager Dann Bilardello was ejected by home plate umpire Ron Teague during an argument between the first and second innings.

On Deck: Northwest Arkansas and Springfield return to Arvest Ballpark for the third game in their four-game series, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. today. The Naturals will have right-hander Miguel Almonte (3-1, 3.21 ERA) on the mound, while the Cardinals will counter with right-hander Thomas Lee (2-2. 6.68).

Today's Promotion: The first 2,000 fans to today's game will receive a replica Naturals road gray jersey courtesy of Tyson Foods. Gates will open at 5 p.m.

On The Air: KQSM-FM 92.1

On The Web: www.nwanaturals.com

Sports on 05/16/2015

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