SPRINGDALE -- Arkansas pitcher Jordan Kipper made history on a chilly, damp Tuesday night at Arvest Ballpark, but it's the kind the Northwest Arkansas Naturals would like to forget.
Kipper tossed a no-hitter, retiring the final 26 Naturals in a row and facing the minimum 27 batters, in the Travelers' 6-0 win over the Naturals.
The lone blemish on the right-hander's night was a walk to Ramon Torres on a 3-2 pitch leading off the bottom of the first inning. However, he was erased on Ryan O'Hearn's inning-ending double play.
It was the first time the Naturals have been no-hit in the team's history and the second no-hitter thrown at Arvest Ballpark. It was the Travelers' first no-hitter since 2010 when right-hander Ryan Brasier no-hit Tulsa, winning 4-0.
Kipper (3-2) had allowed 16 earned runs over his last three starts, spanning 15 innings. But he used a hard sinker to induce lots of ground balls, struck out eight and walked just one.
He said the key was keeping the ball down in the strike zone.
"I just got back to trusting myself and trusting my stuff," said Kipper, who was a ninth round pick in the 2014 draft. "I think I got back to doing what I do best and that's working down in the zone and allowing my defense to work behind me. Last few times times out I had a few get elevated on me, so just getting back to the emphasis being down."
The Naturals (18-19) didn't have many hard shots off Kipper. Northwest Arkansas' best chance at a hit was probably a long drive by Mauricio Ramos leading off the eighth. Arkansas left fielder Eric Hinshaw hauled it in with one hand on the wall.
Naturals manager Vance Wilson credited Kipper's work, but also said his team's approach at the plate wasn't good either.
"He did a good job, moved the ball in and out," Wilson said. "We had a poor approach. Typically that's what happens in a no-hitter. Sloppy in the field. They said he was cutting balls away, so everything was moving. We didn't do a very good job getting the ball up."
Arkansas (14-24) got all the runs it would need with a single tally in the first against Naturals starter Kyle Zimmer (0-1) and another in the second. The Travelers added another in the seventh, two more in the eighth and another single tally in the ninth.
Cal Towey and Bo Way led the Travelers' 11-hit attack with three hits each. Hinshaw also had a solo home run in the seventh.
Zimmer started the game and pitched one inning, after being called up from Class A advanced Wilmington earlier in the day. The 24-year-old right-hander, who has been plagued by injuries since being picked in the first round of the draft in 2012, threw 22 pitches 11 for strikes and left his start early.
Wilson wasn't sure why Zimmer came out one inning, but he got a sign from pitching coach Steve Luebber while he was in the third-base coaching box.
"I'm not sure what's going on with Zimmer," Wilson said. "Obviously something's going on, I saw Luebber flash to me when I was coaching third. I couldn't tell you what. We were expecting him to go three."
On Deck: The Naturals continue their series against Arkansas, sending right-hander Matt Strahm (2-2 2.68 ERA) against RHP Tyler Carpenter (0-2 4.76 ERA) for the 11:05 a.m. start.
Today's Promotion: It's School Kids Day as kids, teachers and chaperones from around Northwest Arkansas are offered discounted tickets.
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On The Web: www.nwanaturals.com
Sports on 05/18/2016