NATURAL SHUT OUT TRAVS FOR SECOND STRAIGHT GAME TO SPLIT SERIES

SPRINGDALE, AR – For the second straight game, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals kept the Arkansas Travelers off the scoreboard, with a 4-0 shutout win Sunday afternoon to secure a series split and climb back to .500.

Anthony Veneziano twirled another brilliant outing, as the left-hander threw 6.0 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out six, his third straight start of six innings or more.

Jake Brentz followed Veneziano, pitching a scoreless seventh as the start of his Major League rehab assignment, then Yefri Del Rosario and Andres Sotillet each pitched scoreless innings to finish off the game.

After erasing a leadoff singe in the first inning with a double play, Veneziano did not put another run on until there were two outs in the fourth inning. From the fifth through the end of the eighth, he Brentz and Del Rosairo combined to retire 10 in a row, as the Naturals’ pitching staff held the Travelers scoreless for the final 19 innings of the week.

Northwest Arkansas’s offense gave Veneziano early run support, as the team took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Maikel Garcia walked and stole second to lead off the inning, moved to third on a Tucker Bradley single and scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Logan Porter.

Three more runs scored in the third inning, as Porter doubled, Seuly Matias was hit by a pitch and they both scored on a two-run double from John Rave. Rave then scored moments later on a single from Tyler Cropley, the final run of the afternoon.

Cropley reached base in all four of his trips to the plate, also being hit by a pitch three times, tying a Naturals record. Bradley and Brhet Bewley each had two hits, with Bewley drawing a walk as well.

The Naturals return to action at Arvest Ballpark Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. to kick off a six-game series with the Springfield Cardinals, to conclude the first half of the season.