HOFFMANN FIRES SIX ONE-RUN INNINGS FOR FIRST DOUBLE-A VICTORY AS NATURALS END SERIES AGAINST TULSA WITH AN 8-1 WIN 

SPRINGDALE, AR – Northwest Arkansas Naturals starting pitcher Andrew Hoffmann turned in his best outing since joining the club last month, with six one-run innings in an 8-1 win over the Tulsa Drillers to secure a series split.

Hoffmann allowed just one run on three hits with six strikeouts over 6.0 innings, his first quality start with the Naturals and eighth overall this year, between High-A Rome and Double-A.

The right-hander was followed by three scoreless innings from Nate Webb and Dante Biasi, who combined for nine strikeouts. Webb struck out three straight after putting the first on in the seventh, then Biasi struck out six of the nine he faced, working around a walk, hit and error, as the final nine outs of the game for Tulsa hitters were all strikeouts.

Northwest Arkansas was first onto the scoreboard, as Jake Means delivered an RBI single in the second inning that scored CJ Alexander, who stretched his hitting streak to six games. After the Drillers scored a run to tie the game in the third, the Naturals countered with a seven-run fourth inning to knock Tulsa starter John Rooney out of the game. Robbie Glendinning led off the fourth with a solo home run on the first pitch, his team-leading 17th of the season. Seuly Matias grounded out to bring across John Rave, then Tucker Bradley snuck a single past the Drillers’ drawn-in infield for two more runs. Logan Porter singled in one and Rave singled home two for his second hit of the inning to cap the seven-run frame.

The Naturals only managed one hit and three walks over the final four innings, but already had more than enough runs on the scoreboard to hold on for a win.

After an off day Monday, Northwest Arkansas hits the road Tuesday for a six-game series in North Little Rock against the Arkansas Travelers.