Baseball: Naturals roll over Corpus Christi

SPRINGDALE -- The Northwest Arkansas bats finally awakened Tuesday night at Arvest Ballpark.

The Naturals exploded for a seven-run second inning en route to an easy 12-3 win over Corpus Christi (4-2) in Texas League baseball.

Northwest Arkansas 12, Corpus Christi 3

Corpus Christi^001^000^002^—^3^6^5

Northwest Arkansas^072^020^10x^—^12^17^1

Corpus Christi^AB^R^H^RBI^BB^SO^LOB^AVG

Laureano, RF^5^0^1^1^0^0^1^.115

Ferguson, CF^4^0^1^0^1^1^4^.150

Davis, J, DH^4^0^1^1^0^2^2^.217

Singleton, 1B^3^0^0^0^1^1^1^.300

Mayfield, 3B^4^1^1^0^0^1^3^.273

Garcia, Ale, LF^4^1^1^0^0^2^0^.167

Woodward, C^3^0^0^0^1^1^0^.143

Hyde, 2B^4^0^0^0^0^3^3^.214

Nunez, A, SS^3^1^1^1^0^2^0^.273

Totals^34^3^6^3^3^13^14^

BATTING 2B

Nunez, A (1, Lovvorn); Garcia, Ale (1, Selman). TB: Mayfield; Ferguson; Nunez, A 2; Davis, J; Garcia, Ale 2; Laureano.RBI: Davis, J (2); Nunez, A (1); Laureano (2). 2-out RBI: Davis, J; Nunez, A; Laureano. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Singleton; Mayfield 2; Davis, J; Ferguson 2./Team RISP: 2-for-9. Team LOB: 8.

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

Dewees Jr., CF^4^2^3^1^2^0^0^.286

Escalera, LF^6^1^3^2^0^1^4^.261

Duenez, DH^5^1^3^2^0^1^4^.304

Schwindel, 1B^5^0^2^2^0^1^4^.333

Ramos, 3B^2^1^0^0^1^1^2^.333

a-Diaz, C, PH-3B^1^0^0^0^1^0^2^.000

Arteaga, SS^5^0^0^0^0^2^5^.222

Evans, C^5^2^0^0^0^1^4^.150

Moon, RF^4^3^3^3^1^1^0^.214

Sosa, R, 2B^5^2^3^1^0^1^3^.267

Totals^42^12^17^11^5^9^28^

a-Walked for Ramos in the 6th.

BATTING

2B: Moon (1, Thompson). 3B: Duenez (1, Sneed). HR: Moon (1, 2nd inning off Sneed, 2 on, 1 out). TB: Schwindel 2; Moon 7; Duenez 5; Sosa, R 3; Dewees Jr. 3; Escalera 3. RBI: Moon 3 (3); Escalera 2 (3); Duenez 2 (4); Schwindel 2 (6); Sosa, R (2); Dewees Jr. (3). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Duenez; Schwindel; Sosa, R; Arteaga 2; Escalera 2. GIDP: Ramos; Duenez. Team RISP: 10-for-19. Team LOB: 11.

Corpus Christi^IP^H^R^ER^BB^SO^HR^ERA

Sneed^1.1^6^7^6^2^1^1^12.46

Thompson^2.2^4^4^1^1^3^0^1.93

Dorris^3.0^5^1^1^2^4^0^1.80

Freeman^1.0^2^0^0^0^1^0^2.45

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

Lovvorn^6.0^2^1^1^2^8^0^1.50

Beal^2.0^1^0^0^0^3^0^0.00

Selman^1.0^3^2^2^1^2^0^19.29

WP: Freeman. HBP: Nunez, A (by Selman).

Umpires: HP: Justin Robinson. 1B: Reid Gibbs. 3B: Cody Oakes.

T: 2:58. Att: 3,714.

Northwest Arkansas (2-4) came into Tuesday having scored a league-low 14 combined runs in its first five games. The most runs the Naturals had scored in a game was six, but they bested that total in the second inning alone.

Northwest Arkansas manager Vance Wilson said getting out of the top of the first inning without allowing a run, despite making an error on the first batter of the game was big.

"The one inning was big obviously and Logan hit a big home run, but (Alfredo) Escalera had a big two-strike hit. I thought our approach was much better. The guys had been working on it. Kinda get some of the anxiousness out on this road trip. Obviously great game to go on the road though."

Logan Moon started the offensive outburst with a three-run home run in the bottom of the second off Corpus Christi starter Cy Sneed (1-1). Samir Duenez added a two-run triple down the right-field line in the big inning.

Moon broke out of an early season slump in a big way, going 3-for-4 with a walk, three RBIs and three runs scored, after starting the season 0-for-10 with eight strikeouts. But Duenez, Donnie Dewees and Escalera added three hits each as Northwest Arkansas pounded out 17 hits in the game.

Naturals starting pitcher Zach Lovvorn (1-1) was the beneficiary of his team's offensive explosion. Wilson said he was good for a second consecutive start.

"He was great," Wilson said. "The biggest thing he's got to learn how to win.Unfortunately, he a really good year last year on a not very good team record-wise. The kid's a really good pitcher. The biggest thing is his ability to finish guys. He's come up with that power curve. It's something that's a wipe-out finish pitch that will play at the big league level."

The right-hander suffered from a lack of offensive support last season, going 2-15 in Class A advanced Wilmington despite a 3.95 ERA. He had a similar experience in his first Double-A start, getting the loss despite giving up just one hit and one run in 5 2/3 innings in the season opener. Three San Antonio pitchers combined to shut out the Naturals in a 4-0 loss Thursday.

Lovvorn allowed a run on two hits over six innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

Short hops

• The Hooks committed five errors, after having just one error in the first five games combined

• Outfielder Terrance Gore, who was optioned by the Kansas City Royals after Monday night's game, is expected to join the Naturals in San Antonio.

On Deck: The Naturals have an off day today before starting a six-game road swing at San Antonio on Thursday night at 7:05 against the Missions. LHP Matt Tenuta will be the starting pitcher for Northwest Arkansas.

On The Air: KQSM-FM 92.1

On The Web: www.nwanaturals.com.

Sports on 04/12/2017

Upcoming Events