SPRINGDALE -- Nick Dini made sure a pair of base-running gaffes didn't hurt Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday night at Arvest Ballpark.
Dini crushed a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Naturals (16-21) a 4-2 win over Arkansas.
The Naturals catcher snapped a 2-for-37 slump to give his team the win, after Northwest Arkansas lost a pair of runners on bad base-running. Elier Hernandez, who started on second base in the bottom of the 10th was thrown out trying to advance on a ball that got away from the catcher.
Jecksson Flores then hammered a ball into the left-center field gap for an easy double, but he tried to advance to third and was also thrown out easily.
Anderson Miller then reached on an error before Dini ripped a 1-0 pitch from Arkansas reliever Matt Festa (1-1) 411 feet for his first home run of the season. It was Dini's only hit of the night in four at-bats.
"Honestly, it's been tough, so I was just trying to put the bat on the ball," Dini said. "I wasn't thinking homer. I know if I do that's when I get in some trouble. I was just trying to be short and quick to the ball."
Dini said he was confident the Naturals, who have now won nine of 14, would get going.
"Coming out of spring training I knew we had a good bunch of guys here. I knew we were going to have a good team. It's funny when you play the game, as soon as one gets going then the next guy gets going. It's how the offense meshes together. We've been swinging the bat really well and hopefully we just keep it going."
Luis Vasquez (2-0) picked up the win win a scoreless inning of relief. He struck out back-to-back hitters in the top of the 10th with the lead run at third base. He has not allowed an earned run in six appearances.
The Naturals took a 2-1 lead on two-out RBI-single by Luis Villegas in the bottom of the fifth, but Arkansas (19-18) tied it with a two-out single by Adam Law in the seventh. But Miller threw out Joe DeCarlo trying to score to end the inning.
Short Hops
• There were three base runners thrown at the plate, two by Northwest Arkansas and one by Arkansas.
• Both starting pitchers were solid, but got no-decisions. Northwest Arkansas left-hander Foster Griffin allowed two runs on eight hits over seven innings. He struck out five and walked two. Andrew Moore also allowed two runs on five hits. He struck out one and walked two.
• Northwest Arkansas infielder Nicky Lopez notched his fourth triple of the season to tie him with teammate Donnie Dewees Jr. for the Texas League lead.
On Deck: Zach Lovvorn (1-2 4.85 ERA) will start on the mound for today's 11:05 a.m. game. Arkansas counters with Chase De Jong (3-2 4.38 ERA).
Today's Promotion: It will be the third of four Education Days at Arvest Ballpark as students, teachers and chaperones are offered discounted tickets.
On The Air: KQSM-FM 92.1
On The Web: www.nwa naturals.com
Sports on 05/16/2018