NATURALS BOUNCE BACK WITH BIG 13-3 WIN OVER CARDINALS
SPRINGFIELD, MO – The Northwest Arkansas Naturals struck for five runs in the third inning and held a lead for the rest of the night, progressively adding more runs as the game went on, beating the Springfield Cardinals 13-3 at Hammons Field Wednesday. The Naturals exploded for 15 hits, with
SPRINGFIELD, MO – The Northwest Arkansas Naturals struck for five runs in the third inning and held a lead for the rest of the night, progressively adding more runs as the game went on, beating the Springfield Cardinals 13-3 at Hammons Field Wednesday.
The Naturals exploded for 15 hits, with five multi-hit performances and all nine starters in the order collecting at least one, each scoring a run as well, while eight different players drove in runs.
Nate Eaton doubled home Michael Massey to start the scoring in the third inning, then scored alongside Seuly Matias on a Sebastian Rivero double moments later. Logan Porter singled in Rivero, and John Rave singled across Robbie Glendinning to cap the five-run inning, where the Naturals sent ten to the plate.
After the Cardinals countered with a run in the bottom half, Glendinning responded in the fifth inning with a two-run homer, his fourth long ball of the year.
Springfield struck for two in the eight, but the Naturals countered with a six-run ninth inning, pushing the score to the 13-3 that held to be final.
Rave singled across Rivero and Glendinning, then Maikel Garcia singled home Porter. Loftin doubled for the third time in the game, scoring Rave and Garcia, then Massey singled across Loftin to finish off the six-run inning.
Loftin is just the seventh Natural to double three times in one game, with two-baggers in the first, eighth and ninth innings. The last to do so was Ryan O’Hearn on June 26, 2016, at Tulsa.
Eaton, Rivero, Glendinning and Rave each collected two-hit games, with Rivero and Glendinning scoring three times as well. Rave led the way with three runs batted in, while Loftin, Rivero and Glendinning each had two RBI.
Marcelo Martinez delivered a stellar start for Northwest Arkansas, earning a win in his first Double-A start of the year. The left-hander allowed just one run on two hits and one walk, while striking out seven across 6.0 innings.
Stephen Woods Jr. followed Martinez with 2.0 innings, allowing two runs with two strikeouts and Zach Willeman pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning, shutting the door to finish the game.
The Naturals look to bounce back Wednesday night at Hammons Field at 6:35 p.m. CT, as left-hander Dante Basi makes his third start for the Naturals.