(Per: Northwest Arkansas Naturals)
SPRINGDALE, AR – After taking the first game of a twi-nighter, the Naturals bullpen was tagged with a five-run fourth Monday evening as the Missions prevailed 10-4 in the second game of a doubleheader at Arvest Ballpark. Northwest Arkansas took game one by a 5-4 final.
An error by San Antonio shortstop Jeudy Valdez opened the door for the Naturals to take an early 1-0 lead in game two. Johnny Whittleman had an RBI double after Paulo Orlando reached on the error.
That lead was extended to 3-0 in the second inning as the Naturals took advantage of another mistake by San Antonio. Yem Prades led off with a double, his fourth hit of the twinbill, and with one out, Kurt Mertins reached on a second error by Valdez. Both runners moved up 90 feet on a groundout by Ben Theriot before Rey Navarro hit a two-run single up the middle.
San Antonio (5-6) got its own pair of runs on a miscue in the next inning to cut the lead to 3-2. With the bases loaded, Sharlon Schoop, in right field for the Naturals, dropped a fly ball off the bat of San Antonio cleanup batter Nathan Freiman and then threw wild of the second base bag. Two runs scored, but Chris Dwyer was able to get a groundball and a pair of strikeouts to escape the frame.
That ran up Dwyer’s pitchcount and ended his outing after just three innings as he got a no-decision. He was charged with two runs, one earned, off three hits. He fanned six and walked three.
The Missions erupted offensively in the fourth as they victimized Naturals’ reliever Elisaul Pimentel, on in relief of Dwyer. Pimentel walked Jason Hagerty and Felix Cabrera to start the frame and both came in on a one-out triple from Jeudy Valdez. Pimentel (0-1) then walked Jedd Gyorko, which prompted his removal in favor of southpaw Buddy Baumann, called on to face the cleanup hitter Freiman.
Baumann fanned Freiman but allowed an RBI single to Edison Rincon. Cody Decker then worked a walk to load the bases and Ali Solis, the backup catcher, hit a two-run single to put the Missions up by a 7-3 advantage. They added a pair more runs in the fifth as Freiman added a two-run double off of reliever Andrew Dobies.
Cody Decker’s solo shot in the sixth extended the San Antonio lead to 10-3.
Juan Oramas (1-1) started for San Antonio and allowed three unearned runs in five innings of work. He allowed three hits, walked three, and fanned four for the win.
Paulo Orlando hit an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh to pull within 10-4.
The Naturals (4-7) were without outfielder Wil Myers for both games on Monday. Myers reported to the ballpark with a fever around 100 degrees and was out of the lineup and not present in the dugout or clubhouse for either game.
The series will wrap up Tuesday evening as right-hander Jake Odorizzi (1-1, 6.35) takes the hill looking to bounce back from a rough Opening Night outing that saw him exit before the first inning completed. In a matchup of highly-regarded prospects he’ll oppose right-hander Keyvius Sampson (1-0, 1.93) for the Missions. Game time is 7:05 PM and it can be heard on News/Talk 1030 KFAY. The game will also be broadcast live on Milb.TV (subscription required).
