Northwest Arkansas Naturals return home looking for offense

SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Arkansas returns to Arvest Ballpark tonight looking for some offense.

The Naturals have excelled on the mound, posting an ERA of 3.08 in June, but that hasn't translated into wins. They have won just four of 13 games in the month heading into Tuesday's road trip finale in North Little Rock, averaging fewer than three runs per game.

At A Glance

Northwest Arkansas Naturals Homestand

At Arvest Ballpark, Springdale

ON THE AIR KQSM-FM 92.1

SERIES SCHEDULE

TODAY vs. Springfield, 7:05 p.m.

THURSDAY vs. Springfield, 7:05 p.m.

FRIDAY vs. Springfield, 7:05 p.m.

SATURDAY vs. Springfield, 6:05 p.m.

SUNDAY vs. Arkansas, 2:05 p.m.

MONDAY vs. Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.

TUESDAY vs. Arkansas, 7:05 p.m.

WEDNESDAY vs. Arkansas 12:05 p.m.

THIS WEEK’S PROMOTIONS

TODAY Groups of 20 or more can purchase $4 reserve tickets in advance.

THURSDAY It’s Buck Night with peanuts and mozzarella sticks on sale for $1, along with small Coke fountain drinks. In addition, 16-ounce draft beers are $2 at specific locations as part of Thirsty Thursday.

FRIDAY It’s Star Wars Night as the Naturals will be wearing Star Wars-themed jerseys, which will be available via silent auction during the game. Proceeds will benefit the Turkey Ford School District in Wyandotte, Okla. There will also be postgame fireworks.

SATURDAY The first 2,000 fans will receive a Salvador Perez T-shirt jersey. The Naturals will also host a free youth baseball clinic during the day. There will also a happy hour from 4:35-5:35 p.m. prior to the game at the Bullpen concession stand down the right-field line. There will be specials on a variety of beer.

SUNDAY The first 1,000 fans will receive a special Father’s Day-themed Naturals cap. All fans are invited to the outfield to play catch for 15 minutes after the game. Fans should bring gloves and balls. Kids 12 and younger eat free.

MONDAY Discounted tickets are available for Ozark Electric customers. Bring your bill or co-op connections card to the box office to receive $5 premium tickets each Monday. Hot dogs are $1.

TUESDAY Brats are $1, while groups of 20 or more can purchase $4 reserve tickets in advance.

WEDNESDAY It’s Summer Camp day where local campers can receive discounted tickets, if purchased in advance.

Ticket Packages

• Super Premium A: $12

• Premium: $10

• Reserved: $8

• Grass Berm: $7

• Super Premium Family: $12

• Premium Family: $10

ONLINE www.nwanaturals.com

Northwest Arkansas started a nine-game road trip with with a shot at the North Division title, but the Naturals dropped seven of eight going into the first half finale. They are sitting in third in the North Division with less than a week left in the first half.

"We had a meeting before the road trip and told them their destiny is in their hands," Naturals manager Vance Wilson said. "But this road trip has not been kind to us offensively. We've been pretty poor situationally."

Northwest Arkansas is hitting just .231 with runners in scoring position this month.

A lone bright spot offensively has been infielder Corey Toups, who came up from Class A-Advanced Wilmington less than three weeks ago. He's hitting .318 in 12 games this month.

"The kid's a gamer," Wilson said. "He loves to battle and has a great approach. He's been a bright spot in this gloom area for us offensively."

Pitching in general has been strong for the Naturals, but Jake Junis has been tremendous. The 23-year-old right-hander has allowed just five earned runs in the last 50 innings, spanning his last eight starts. He's 6-3, which is tied for second in the Texas League in wins, and his 2.49 ERA ranks among the top 10 going into Tuesday's start against Arkansas.

Wilson said he's made great adjustments in his first year in Double-A.

"In A-Ball, you can get away with some stuff," Wilson said. "The biggest thing is he's learned to use his off-speed stuff at the right times. He's learned to get his off-speed stuff over for strikes where there's a margin for error on the fastball."

Sports on 06/15/2016

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