Minor League baseball: Naturals' fast start leads to playoff berth

SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Arkansas quickly removed all the dramatics out of a winner-take-all game Monday afternoon.

The Naturals jumped out Arkansas with three runs in the first inning and went on clinch the Texas League's second-half North Division title with an 8-0 victory over the Travelers at Arvest Ballpark.

Northwest Arkansas (65-75, 36-34) advances to the best-of-five North Division Championship Series against first-half winner Springfield. The first two games will be played Wednesday and Thursday in Springfield, then the series shifts Friday to Arvest Ballpark, which will host games Saturday and Sunday if necessary.

"The biggest thing was they knew what they were playing for," said Naturals manager Vance Wilson, whose team will enjoy postseason play for the second straight year. "They talked about (Sunday) night's game, which was unbelievable and how much stress and pressure there was.

"They came out relaxed and prepared, which as a staff that's all you can ask. They were ready to go, and it was awesome."

Ryan O'Hearn gave Northwest Arkansas all the offense it eventually needed when his first-inning single drove in Corey Toups, who was hit by a pitch. Frank Schwindel followed with a two-run double off the left-field wall for a 3-0 cushion, and that marked the end for Arkansas starter Alex Klonowski (1-3).

That trend would continue throughout the day as the Travelers used eight pitchers, one short of the Texas League record for a nine-inning game set by Houston in 1954. Naturals starter Josh Staumont (2-1), meanwhile, overcame a shaky start and pitched six scoreless innings.

"It was probably Staumont's best game of the year," Wilson said. "It was what we needed, and I was proud of all the guys there. They contributed to this, and I couldn't be prouder of a group of guys."

Staumont picked up two strikeouts to get himself out of a two-on, one-out jam and found smooth sailing the rest of the way. The right-hander allowed just four hits and ended his outing with his 12th strikeout, tying a season-high he set while in Class A-Advanced Wilmington.

He became the first Naturals pitcher to record 10 or more strikeouts three times in a single season. He fell just one strikeout short of the team record set by Danny Duffy in 2013.

"As a pitcher, you have to know situations when you need strikeouts." Staumont said. "In that early situation, we needed two strikeouts because putting the ball into play doesn't really help us.

"When you get a lead early, it's a lot easier to play. When you have these guys backing you defensively and making plays like they did, it's a night and day difference."

Northwest Arkansas added a run in the third when Humberto Arteaga tripled into the right-field corner and scored on Logan Moon's sacrifice fly, then put the game away with a four-run fourth. The Naturals did all their damage with two outs, with Mauricio Ramos and O'Hearn belting back-to-back two-run doubles off the left-center field fence.

Short Hops:

• O'Hearn led Northwest Arkansas' offensive attack with three hits and three RBIs, and all nine players had either a hit or a walk.

• The Naturals finished the regular season with a 39-31 record in home games and won seven of their last eight day games.

• Northwest Arkansas has clinched the North Division's second-half titles four times and has reached the postseason six times during its nine years of existence.

On Deck: Northwest Arkansas will get today off before heading into postseason play Wednesday at Springfield. Wilson said he wouldn't know what the Naturals' pitching rotation will look like until some time today.

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Sports on 09/06/2016