Naturals Hold Hooks in Check

SPRINGDALE – Lefty Dante Biasi fired five innings of one-hit shutout ball to lead the Naturals to an 8-2 win over Corpus Christi before 5,408 fans Thursday afternoon at Arvest Ballpark.

The Hooks, who now lead the series, 2-1, were held to two knocks (both singles) on the day. Corpus Christi had averaged seven runs per game in its prior 18 contests.

Northwest Arkansas capitalized on seven Hooks walks, converting five of those free passes into runs.

Jose Alvarez reached base three times for CC, including a lead-off single in the third. Luke Berryhill accounted for the other base hit, a two-out RBI single in the seventh.

After the Hooks cut the deficit to 5-2, the Naturals answered with a three spot in the home seventh. Two of the runs were unearned.

Corpus Christi starter Jaime Melendez absorbed the loss, allowing two runs in four innings of work. At one point, the 20-year-old from Puebla, Mexico struck out five in a row.

Derek West was the lone pitcher to finish Thursday without being charged a run. West retired five of the six men he faced.

Enmanuel Valdez and Justin Dirden had their hitting streaks snapped at nine and six games, respectively.

Julio Robaina is slated to pitch for the Hooks Friday night. Robaina will be opposed by fellow southpaw Anthony Veneziano. First pitch 7:05.