SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Arkansas is on an impressive hot streak to start the season, and the Arkansas Travelers were just in the way Thursday night.
The Naturals polished off a four-game sweep of the Travs with a 10-4 victory in front of 3,894 fans at Arvest Ballpark to improve to 8-0 against Arkansas in the season series. The Naturals also improved their home record to 18-3 and are 22-3 in their past 25 games.
Today’s game
ARKANSAS AT SPRINGFIELD
WHEN 7:10 p.m. Central
WHERE Hammons Field, Springfield, Mo.
RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas
WEBSITE travs.com PITCHERS Travs: Nate Smith (LHP, 3-3, 3.35 ERA); Cardinals: Arturo Reyes (RHP, 0-1, 3.65)
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY at Springfield, 7:10 p.m.
SATURDAY at Springfield, 6:10 p.m.
SUNDAY at Springfield, 6:10 p.m.
MONDAY at Springfield, 12:10 p.m.
TUESDAY San Antonio, 7:10 p.m.
WEDNESDAY San Antonio, 7:10 p.m.
THURSDAY San Antonio, 7:10 p.m.
"It's was a frustrating series, there is no doubt about that," Travs Manager Bill Richardson said. "[The Naturals] are a good team. We competed with them pretty well in the first couple games, but they were swinging the bats well tonight and it got away from us a little bit."
The Naturals (28-12) opened up a 6½-game lead over the second place Travs (21-18) in the Texas League North division standings.
While the Naturals won three consecutive one-run games to start the series, they pounded out 20 hits and roughed up Travelers pitchers all night Thursday.
The Naturals opened a 2-0 lead in the third, made it 3-0 in the fourth and 6-1 by the home half of the fifth inning. Naturals scored in six different innings and posted more than one run in an inning three times.
The Travs move on to Springfield tonight at 7:10 p.m. to face the last-place Cardinals.
"It's all about development. That's what we are trying to do," Richardson said. "We'll just go back and get some rest and come back tomorrow with a chance to put the uniform on and compete."
Naturals Manager Vance Wilson downplayed the team's hot streak. The Naturals have won five consecutive and had an 11-game winning streak during the recent surge.
"We just try to break everything down into four-game series," Wilson said. "We plan it out with our pitching and how we're going to set the lineup. After each one is up we move on and start another one.
"The kids have believed in it, and that is part of the reason why we are playing well."
Arkansas starter Alan Busenitz (1-4) gave up 6 earned runs and 2 home run in 4⅔ innings, dropping his ERA to 6.63.
Zach Wright led the Travs offense with a 2-for-3 night as Arkansas managed only seven hits.
Sports on 05/22/2015