SPRINGDALE -- Samir Duenez stood at second base and threw his hands into the air in disbelief.
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals' first baseman came to the plate in the seventh inning needing a triple to hit for the cycle, and hit a shot into the left-field corner that looked like a sure triple. Instead, the ball bounced hard off the dirt near the foul line and over the wall for a ground-rule double.
Today's Game
DRILLERS AT TRAVELERS
WHEN 7:10 p.m.
WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock
RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas
WEBSITE travs.com
PITCHERS Travelers: LHP Anthony Misiewicz (8-4, 4.54 ERA); Drillers: TBA
TICKETS $13 box, $9 reserved ($6 kids), $7 general admission ($5 kids). Gates open one hour before the start of the game.
PROMOTIONS Woo Pig Sooie Theme Night
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY vs. Tulsa, 7:10 p.m.
FRIDAY vs. Tulsa, 7:10 p.m.
SATURDAY vs. Tulsa, 6:10 p.m.
SUNDAY vs. Tulsa, 6:10 p.m.
MONDAY off
TUESDAY vs. Frisco, 7:10 p.m.
WEDNESDAY vs. Frisco, 7:10 p.m.
Duenez's double capped a 4-for-4 night to help the Naturals earn a 7-2 victory over the Arkansas Travelers at Arvest Ballpark on Wednesday in front of 3,471 fans. The victory gave the Naturals the series victory heading into a four-game road trip that starts today in Springfield.
"I was thinking about the cycle on my last at-bat," Duenez said. "But that happens sometimes. I'm just trying to do what I know to do and try to help the team. The most important thing is we won."
Naturals starter Josh Staumont (1-2) recovered from a rough start to the game to earn the victory. Staumont gave up hits to the first three Arkansas batters and allowed the Travs to score two runs. Staumont was solid over the next 4 innings without allowing a run, and went 5 2/3 innings and struck out 2.
"He's really been working on a lot of mechanical things," Naturals Manager Vance Wilson said. "More than anything, I thought he competed very well, not just with himself, but also with the other team."
Northwest Arkansas used solo home runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 3-2 lead, then tacked on four more runs in the fifth inning. Duenez had one of the home runs, and nine-hole hitter Cody Jones blasted a 450-foot shot to right.
Naturals reliever Yunior Marte worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the eighth. A hit batter and two walks filled the bases, but Marte got a strikeout, pop-up and ground out to escape without any damage.
Braden Bishop went 3-for-5 to lead the Travelers who got two hits apiece by Chuck Taylor and Kyle Waldrop.
Alfredo Escalara had a home run, double and three RBI for the Naturals, and Jones added a single and stolen base for Northwest Arkansas.
Sports on 08/03/2017