NATURALS DROP BLOWOUT TO DRILLERS, 23-7

SPRINGDALE, AR ­– After a pair of wins to open the week, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals went back-and-forth with the Tulsa Drillers for the first four innings, but the Drillers quickly blew ahead, as the Naturals lost 23-7.

After falling behind by a pair of runs in the top of the first, the Naturals tied things back up in the bottom of the first, on a two-run homer from Nick Loftin, his 12th home run of the year.

Tulsa scored three runs between the second and third innings to jump out ahead, then Seuly Matias used the long ball again to tie the game, a three-run homer, his 14th of the season, to even the score at 5-5.

Each team scored a run in the fourth, including a single from Tucker Bradley and fielding error that scored Morgan McCullough to re-tie the game at 6-6.

From the fifth inning on, however, it was all Tulsa. The Drillers scored seven runs in the fifth, six in the seventh inning and four in the eighth, outscoring the Naturals 17-1 over the final five innings of the game ... Naturals infielder Brhet Bewley took over on the mound with two outs in the bottom of the eighth and recorded the final four outs of the game, throwing 1.1 scoreless innings – the only of six Natural pitchers that didn't allow a run.

First baseman CJ Alexander homered for the second straight game, as he blasted a solo shot to right field in the eighth, the game's final run.

Center fielder John Rave reached base three times, as did McCullough in his Arvest Ballpark debut.

Starting pitcher Jon Bowlan earned a no-decision, allowing six runs (four earned) on six hits with six strikeouts over 3.2 innings of work.

COPA weekend continues at Arvest Ballpark, Friday at 7:05 p.m. CT with left-hander Anthony Veneziano on the mound.