SOD POODLES SCORE FIVE IN 9TH FOR 9-5 WIN OVER NATURALS

SPRINGDALE, AR – For the second night in a row, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and Amarillo Sod Poodles traded runs back and forth, but the Sod Poodles came out on top

Eight different Naturals collected hits, including a 2-for-4 day from left fielder Tucker Bradley and a solo home run in the third inning from third baseman Jake Means, his first of the season.

Means’ homer gave the Naturals a 1-0 lead, then Nate Eaton singled, stole two bases and scored on an errant throw in the fourth, putting the Naturals back ahead 2-1.

In the fifth, Michael Massey doubled home two runs to put the Naturals up 4-2, but was out at third trying to stretch his double into a triple.

After Massey’s double, 10 of the next 11 Naturals were set down, with Amarillo scoring runs in the sixth and seventh off Yefri Del Rosario to tie the score at 4-4.

In the ninth, Amarillo tagged Zach Willeman for five runs on four hits and two walks to take a 9-5 lead, with Holden Capps coming on to secure the final two outs and stop the bleeding.

Northwest Arkansas did not go down without a fight in the ninth, however, as Bradley and Maikel Garcia singled back-to-back with two outs in the ninth, Bradley’s scoring Sebastian Rivero, to bring the tying run on deck.

Starting pitcher Angel Zerpa earned a no-decision, allowing two runs with three strikeouts across 5.0 innings. He started his outing with three scoreless innings, stretching his scoreless streak to 12.1 innings, the longest of any Naturals pitcher this year.

The Naturals look to even the series back up Friday at 7:05 p.m. CT against Amarillo, with left-hander Dante Biasi making his secon start of the year.