Wichita holds off Northwest Arkansas

SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Arkansas got into an early hole Wednesday night and just couldn't quite climb out.

The Naturals left the bases loaded in the eighth and the ninth and dropped an 8-5 decision to first-place Wichita in front of 1,983 at Arvest Ballpark.

Northwest Arkansas (37-36) trailed 8-1 five innings and had the tying runs on base in both the eighth and ninth innings, but the Wind Surge was up to the challenge.

Wichita reliever Ryan Mason struck out Brhet Bewley to end the game. The Naturals (37-36) loaded the bases in the eighth with one out. But Brewer Hicklen struck out and Wichita third baseman Spencer Steer made a leaping grab of a line drive off the bat of Dennicher Carrasco to keep the lead at three runs for the Wind Surge.

Naturals manager Scott Thorman liked his team's fight, but needed one more hit.

"We gave ourselves a chance," Thorman said. "We're a line-out from tying the game in the eighth and a double from tying it up in the ninth. They're resilient. They keep battling. We just came up short today."

First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, who was called up a little more than a week ago, has made a big impact for the Naturals already. He hit a pair of home runs and drove in four on the night and now has four homers in his short time with the Naturals. Freddy Fermin also went 3-for-4 on the night with a home run.

The Naturals also got solid relief efforts from James Cuas and Andres Sotillet, who combined for 4.2 scoreless innings to give Northwest Arkansas a chance at a comeback.

BJ Boyd led Wichita with three hits, including a home run, and three RBIs, while Steer added two hits, including a two-run homer.

The Naturals tried to make it a game with a four-run sixth inning. Pasquantino and Fermin went back-to-back -- both homers going well over 400 feet -- to get within 8-5.

Wichita starter Austin Schuffer (3-7) picked up his first win in July, allowing five runs on six hits over 5.1 innings. He pitched 3.2 hitless innings to start, but allowed three homers. He struck out nine and walked two.

The Wind Surge bullpen came up big late to help the right-hander earn the victory. Three relievers combined for 3.2 scoreless innings. Mason notched his sixth save.

Wichita jumped in front 3-0 in the top of the second keyed by consecutive extra-base hits. Boyd's RBI-double down the left-field line drove in Andrew Bechtold with the first run of the game. He scored on Aaron Whitfield's triple down the right-field line.

Whitfield would later score when the attempted pick-off throw by Naturals catcher MJ Melendez sailed over the third baseman's head and down the line.

Pasquantino broke up the no-hitter with a two-out solo home run to right-center field to get the Naturals within 4-1. But Steer countered with four in the fifth. Steer hit a two-run shot and Boyd followed with a solo blast two batters later for a 7-1 Wichita lead.