NATURALS DROP FIFTH STRAIGHT IN 2-1 LOSS TO TRAVELERS

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR – Starting pitcher Drew Parrish struck out eight across 5.2 innings but was tagged for two runs in the sixth inning, as the Arkansas Travelers squeaked out a 2-1 win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Friday night at Dickey-Stephens Park.

The Naturals’ left-hander battled toe-to-toe with Travelers starter Levi Stroudt, as the night started with five scoreless innings between the two sides. Parrish struck out the side in the first, only allowing a walk and two hits over the first five innings, retiring 10 of 11 batters from the second inning through the end of the fifth.

Arkansas finally got to Parrish in the sixth, breaking the scoreless tie on a bloop single, before he exited the game with the bases loaded and two outs, down 1-0. Jonah Dipoto walked in an inherited runner, but kept the deficit at two runs, also pitching a scoreless seventh, before Zach Willeman threw a 5-pitch, 1-2-3 eighth inning.

For the seventh straight start, Parrish pitched 5.0 innings or more, totaling 5.2 innings on a career-high 100 pitches, with eight strikeouts, his third start this year with seven or more.

For the second night in a row, Northwest Arkansas hitters could not offer much run support, scratching across just four hits, two coming off the bat of center fielder Nick Loftin.

The Naturals broke a 16-inning scoreless drought in the eighth inning, as Michael Massey plated Tucker Bradley with a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-1. After Maikel Garcia walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and stole third base, he was stranded at third base as the tying run to end the inning and the Naturals were shut down in the ninth, retired in order.

Now on a five-game losing streak, the Naturals will try and bounce back Saturday at 7:05 p.m. CT in the fifth game of six against the Travelers.