'Hounds rough up Naturals in series opener

Northwest Arkansas shortstop Nicky Lopez runs to first base after making contact Friday against Midland at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale. Visit nwadg.com/photos for more photos from the game.
Northwest Arkansas shortstop Nicky Lopez runs to first base after making contact Friday against Midland at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale. Visit nwadg.com/photos for more photos from the game.

SPRINGDALE -- Three was Midland's number on Friday night.

Midland had a pair of three-base hits and put up two three-run innings to beat Northwest Arkansas, 11-3, in the opener of a three-game series before 5,863 at Arvest Ballpark.

Midland (24-24) came into the series leading the Texas League in strikeouts, and did fan eight times on Friday, but put the bat on the ball plenty.

Speedy Tyler Ramirez tripled in a run in a three-run third inning, and Eli White added another triple in the fifth inning that scored two runs in another three-run frame in the fifth inning.

Those were two of Midland's 19 hits in the game as the RockHounds pounded out hits in all nine innings by all nine hitters in the lineup.

Midland scored one run in the first, three in the third and three in the fifth, which plenty of support for lefty Jesus Luzardo.

"That was a big confidence booster," Luzardo said.

Luzardo, the No. 5 rated prospect in Oakland's organization according to Baseball America, went five innings and gave up five hits and one run. Friday was just the 20-year-old's 20th career start and just sixth on the Double-A level after being promoted at the end of April.

"You really have to make adjustments mid-at bat," Luzardo said. "It's not even throughout the game or mid-inning, it's like you read a hitter and see what he does with this swing or this take. You have to see what you're doing next."

Luzardo threw 81 pitches in his outing.

"Probably my breaking ball and curve ball was working the best," Luzardo said. "I really didn't have that much command on my fastball and changeup like normal, but I felt comfortable with my breaking ball."

Elier Hernandez belted a solo homer with one out in the fourth inning for the Natural's only run off Luzardo.

Hernandez had three hits for Northwest Arkansas (23-25), adding a single to lead off the sixth inning and scoring on a single by Corey Toups along with an RBI-single in the seventh.

Midland had a homer by Tyler Marincov, three doubles and 13 singles to go with its two triples for 29 total bases.

Brett Vertigan, J.P. Sportman, Sean Murphy, Tyler Marincov, Ramirez and White had a multiple-hit game for Midland.

White had four hits, scored three times and drove in three runs. Ramirez also had four hits and scored three runs while driving in one. Both were a homer away from the cycle.

SHORT HOPS

• Midland improved to 3-1 on its current road swing through the Natural State, including two wins in North Little Rock over the Travelers before Friday's win against the Naturals.

• Midland starter Jesus Luzardo was originally a third-round draft pick by the Washington Nationals in 2016 but was traded to Oakland in a five-player deal last summer in July.

• Northwest Arkansas fell to 6-8 in series openers this season after winning four of its previous six series openers in May.

On Deck: The Naturals host Midland in the middle game of the three-game home series on Saturday. Northwest Arkansas will go with Zach Lovvorn (2-2, 5.31) on the mound while Midland will start righty Ben Bracewell (3-4, 3.06). Lovvorn is making his first start of the season against Midland after going 0-1 against the RockHounds last year. Bracewell, an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State, is starting for the first time this year against the Naturals but is 2-0 lifetime in three previous appearances versus Northwest Arkansas.


Tonight's Promotion: Gorilla Glue is sponsoring Naturals Dri-Fit T-Shirt night with the first 2,000 fans receiving a one-of-a-kind T-Shirt. Saturday also means Happy Hour at Arvest Ballpark from 4:35 to 5:35 p.m. in the Bullpen Craft Beer Bar located down the first-base line. Fans can enjoy half-price deals on over 100 different alcoholic beverages.

Media Partners: Power 105.7 and 98.3 K-Keg.

On The Air: KQSM-FM 92.1

On The Web: www.nwanaturals.com

Preps Basketball on 05/26/2018

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