MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Dozier home run gives Naturals win in 10

Third baseman Hunter Dozier throws a runner out against the San Antonio Missions at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, AR on Friday, August 10, 2014.
Third baseman Hunter Dozier throws a runner out against the San Antonio Missions at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, AR on Friday, August 10, 2014.

SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Arkansas continued its winning ways Sunday.

Hunter Dozier hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th as Northwest Arkansas rallied to defeat Springfield 3-2 in front of 3,550 fans in Arvest Ballpark. Northwest Arkansas (24-12) has won eight of its last nine games.

Northwest Arkansas 3, Springfield 2

Springfield^010^010^000^0^—^2^9^1

NW Arkansas^000^001^001^1^—3^9^0

One out when winning run scored.

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

Tilson, CF^5^0^0^0^0^2^5^.276

Martini, RF^5^0^1^0^0^1^0^.292

Diaz, A, SS^4^0^1^0^1^0^1^.243

Rodriguez, Jon, 1B^5^1^1^1^0^2^3^.288

Ohlman, C^3^0^0^0^2^1^0^.270

Garcia, A, LF^4^1^2^0^1^0^3^.211

Valera, B, 2B^4^0^1^0^1^0^3^.217

Washington, DH^5^0^3^0^0^1^2^.243

Mejia, A, 3B^3^0^0^1^0^1^5^.250

Totals^38^2^9^2^5^8^22^

2B: Diaz, A (6, Murray). HR: Rodriguez, Jon (4, 5th inning off Murray, 0 on, 2 out). TB: Valera, B; Rodriguez, Jon 4; Washington 3; Garcia, A 2; Diaz, A 2; Martini. RBI: Mejia, A (8), Rodriguez, Jon (16).

2-out RBI: Rodriguez, Jon. Runners left in scoring position, out: Rodriguez, Jon 2; Tilson 3; Garcia, A; Mejia, A. SF: Mejia, A. Team RISP: 2-for-12. Team LOB: 12. FIELDING E: Ohlman (3, throw). Outfield assists: Garcia, A (Gore at home). DP: (Mejia, A-Ohlman).

Pitching

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

Franco, 2B-SS^4^1^1^0^1^0^2^.339

Furcal, SS^2^0^0^0^0^1^0^.333

Gore, LF-CF^2^0^1^1^0^0^0^.293

Bonifacio, J, RF^5^0^0^0^0^3^4^.231

Fuenmayor, 1B^4^0^2^0^1^0^0^.370

Dozier, 3B^5^1^2^1^0^1^3^.238

Evans, C^3^1^1^0^0^1^1^.286

Bianucci, DH^3^0^0^0^1^1^1^.320

Liddi, LF-2B^3^0^1^0^1^0^3^.261

Chapman, CF^3^0^1^0^0^1^0^.214

a-Gibbs, PH-LF^1^0^0^0^0^0^2^.344

Totals^35^3^9^2^4^8^16^

a-Grounded out for Chapman in the 9th.

2B: Franco (11, Reyes, Ar). HR: Dozier (3, 10th inning off Nazario, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Gore; Dozier 5; Chapman; Fuenmayor 2; Evans; Liddi; Franco 2. RBI: Gore (5), Dozier (14). 2-out RBI: Gore. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Franco; Bonifacio, J 2. IDP: Liddi.

Team RISP: 2-for-7.Team LOB: 10.

Pitching

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

Reyes, Ar^6.0^4^1^1^2^6^0^3.65

Donofrio (H, 2)^1.0^1^0^0^1^0^0^3.60

Wyatt (BS, 1)^2.0^3^1^1^1^2^0^2.57

Nazario (L, 0-1)^0.1^1^1^1^0^0^1^4.09

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

Murray^5.2^8^2^2^2^3^1^5.40

Stumpf^1.1^0^0^0^0^2^0^2.53

Culver^1.0^1^0^0^1^1^0^3.24

Nina (W, 2-1)^2.0^0^0^0^2^2^0^6.61

WP: Murray. IBB: Franco (by Wyatt). HBP: Evans (by Reyes, Ar), Gore (by Wyatt). Umpires: HP: Clayton Hamm. 1B: Ron Teague. 3B: Clay Park. T: 3:19. Att: 3,550.

Dozier, a first-round draft pick in 2013, hit his third home run of the year with one out in the 10th inning. Springfield scored single runs in the second and fifth innings for an early 2-0 lead.

"Big home run, and, obviously, we are trying to get Dozier going," said Naturals manager Vance Wilson. "He has looked better of late and he is really driving the ball. That was awesome. We were a little flat early, but that was a good comeback."

Northwest Arkansas tied the game at 2-2 in the ninth inning when Springfield pitcher Heath Wyatt hit Terrance Gore with the bases loaded.

Northwest Arkansas cut the lead to 2-1 in the sixth inning when Angel Franco led off with a double and he scored from third when Springfield catcher Michael Ohlman's throw to second on Gore's steal sailed into the outfield.

Balbino Fuenmayor then extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a single but Cardinals left fielder Anthony Garcia threw out Gore at the plate on the play.

Naturals relievers Daniel Stumpf, Malcom Culver and Aroni Nina kept Springfield scoreless for 4 1/3 innings while combing for eight strikeouts.

Short Hops

• Fuenmayor also had a single in the eighth inning and he is batting 16 for 36 (.444) over the last seven games.

• Catcher Micah Gibbs pinch hit in the ninth and then went to left field in the 10th inning. He caught one fly ball in the 10th.

• Springfield left 12 runners stranded while the Naturals left 10 on base,

Extra Bases: Northwest Arkansas starter Matt Murray didn't figure in the decision for the Naturals after giving up two runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. He struck out three and walked two. ... Jorge Bonifacio struck out three times as his seven-game hitting streak ended.

On Deck: Arkansas comes to town today for a four-game series. The Naturals will send 6-foot-6, 220-pound right-handed pitcher Christian Binford to the mound today for the 7 p.m. start. Binford, who was 1-4 with a 5.86 ERA at Triple-A Omaha before being assigned to the Naturals, was drafted in the 30th round of the 2011 draft. Arkansas has not announced a starter.

Promotions: $1 hot dogs and Baseball Bingo

On The Air: 92.1 The Ticket KQSM

On The Web: www.naturals.com

Paul Nielsen can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAPaul.

TRAVELERS 2, DRILLERS 1 (11)

TROY SCHULTE

ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Wade Hinkle didn’t break out of his weekend-long slump Sunday, but he did just enough to give the Arkansas Travelers another one-run victory over the Tulsa Drillers.

Hinkle’s sacrifice fly to center field in the eighth inning was deep enough to score tagging Sherman Johnson from third base, and the Travs beat the Drillers 2-1 in 11 innings in front of an announced crowd of 6,239 at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.

The game-winning RBI ended a four-game series in which the Travs hit only .175 and were held to nine total runs, but won three games thanks to their pitching and by taking advantage of their opportunities late in games — especially against the Drillers.

Sunday’s game was the ninth decided by one run in 12 games against the Drillers this season. The Travs have won seven of those, including three this series. Four of the Travs’ victories over the Drillers have come in their final at bat.

“It’s tremendous for their development,” Arkansas Manager Bill Richardson said. “The more they’re there, the more they get used to that environment. That’s all you can ask for. The way we take care of the baseball and the way we’re pitching it, it’s going to give us a chance.” It was also good for Richardson to see one of his most struggling hitters drive in the winning run.

Hinkle entered Sunday’s game 1 for 11 in the first three games of the series and 4 for 25 over the first seven games of the homestand. Things didn’t improve Sunday when the first baseman flew out twice, grounded out once and walked in his first four plate appearances. That’s part of why Hinkle wasn’t surprised when after Johnson doubled to lead off the 11th and moved to third on Drew Maggi’s sacrifice bunt that Tulsa pitcher Blake Smith intentionally walked Brian Hernandez and Cal Towey to load the bases to get to Hinkle.

Hinkle said he wasn’t insulted by the two walks.

“They challenged me,” he said. Hinkle worked the count full, then fouled off a pitch before lofting one to center field, which was caught by center fielder Travis Witherspoon but Johnson scored easily to cap a homestand in which the Travs went 3-5 and Hinkle hit .071, but all left pleased with Sunday’s outcome.

Sports on 05/18/2015

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