NATURALS DROP SERIES OPENER TO HOOKS, 8-7

SPRINGDALE, AR ­– The Northwest Arkansas went back-and-forth with the Corpus Christi Hooks Tuesday night, but came up a run short as the Hooks took the series opener, 8-7.

After Corpus Christi jumped out 2-0 in the top of the first inning, the Naturals cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the frame, as Logan Porter drew a bases-loaded walk to score Nick Loftin.

In the third inning after the Hooks scored two more, Loftin doubled to begin the inning, then scored on a Seuly Matias sacrifice fly. Robbie Glendinning and Porter both walked, then came around on a two-run double from Jake Means to tie the game, his second in as many trips to the plate.

Northwest Arkansas jumped ahead in the fourth, as the inning opened with three straight hits, from Maikel Garcia, Loftin and Michael Massey. Garcia scored on Massey’s single, then Loftin crossed on a sac fly from Glendinning to push the advantage to two runs.

Loftin and Massey each collected three hits in the game, with Loftin scoring all three times while Massey added his Double-A best 45th RBI in the fourth inning.

Corpus Christi chipped away at the Northwest Arkansas lead, though, as scoring a run in the fifth and then leading off the seventh with a home run to tie the game.

Alec Marsh made the longest start of his career, striking out nine across a career-best 6.1 innings, while throwing 96 pitches. He excited with the score tied at 6-6 and reliever Yefri Del Rosario allowed his first three batters to reach base, the third being a three-run triple that put the Hooks ahead for good.

Del Rosario struck out his next two and Jonah Dipoto struck out four across 2.0 scoreless innings to follow him but the Naturals could only add one additional run, as Matias led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run, his eighth homer of the year.

The Naturals return to action and will try to get back to a .500 record, Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. CT, as left-hander Drew Parrish makes his team-leading ninth start of the season.