SPRINGDALE -- The Northwest Arkansas pitching staff worked out of several jams and all nine batters recorded at least one hit as the Naturals defeated Midland 6-2 on Friday night before 4,502 fans in Arvest Ballpark.
Four Naturals pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts and Midland left 12 runners stranded. The Naturals (3-5) turned double plays in the fourth and fifth innings.
Minor League Baseball
Northwest Arkansas 6, Midland 2
Midland^001^010^000^—^2^10^0
Northwest Arkansas^320^000^01x^—^6^10^1
Peters, Long (4), Doolittle (7) and Blair; Dziedzic, Peterson (4), Murray (6), Nina (19) and De La Rosa.W- Peterson, 1-0. L- Peters, 0-2. HRs-Midland, Pinder (3).
Naturals starter Jonathan Dziedzic recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the third inning after Midland had loaded the bases. Reliever Matt Murray ended the eighth with consecutive strikeouts after the RockHounds put two aboard with one out.
"We executed," Naturals manager Vance Wilson said of the pitching. "Dziedzic did a nice job getting out of that jam. I was proud of the guys because they battled through it. Midland can swing the bats.""
Northwest Arkansas jumped on Midland starter Tanner Peters early with three runs in the first inning and two more in the second for a 5-0 lead. Balbino Fuenmayor hit an RBI double in the first while Mike Bianucci added a run-scoring single.
Hunter Dozier, the Royals top pick in the 2013 draft, then upped the lead to 5-0 with his second double of the year. Four of the Naturals first five runs scored with two outs.
Short Hops:
• Northwest Arkansas and Midland both finished with 10 hits. The Naturals hit three doubles.
• Chad Pinder had both of the Midland's RBIs, including a solo home run in the fifth inning that cut the Naturals lead to 5-2.
• Dziedzic went three innings and he struckout six, including three in the first inning, and walked two. He gave up three hits and left with the Naturals leading 5-1.
Extra Bases: Outfielder Terrance Gore rejoined the team after spending two days with Kansas City. Gore appeared in 11 regular season games with the Royals last season. ... Naturals catcher Anderson De La Rosa picked up his first RBI of the season after being hit in the rib cage by a pitch with the bases loaded in the first inning
On Deck: The two teams conclude the three-game series tonight at 6:05 p.m. The Naturals will send LHP Brandon Finnegan (0-1, 9.00 ERA) to the mound while Midland will counter with RHP Jake Sanchez (0-1, 3.86 ERA). Finnegan is the No. 2 prospect in the Royals farm system according to Baseball America.
Today's Promotion: Arvest Ballpark Calendar Giveaway by Arvest Bank. The first 2,500 fans will receive a calendar and fans exiting the game will receive a sample from Burt's Bees.
On The Air: KQSM-FM 92.1
On The Web: www.nwanaturals.com
Paul Nielsen can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAPaul.
Sports on 04/18/2015