SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Arkansas came through with clutch two-out hitting to outlast the Arkansas Travelers 8-6 on Wednesday afternoon at Arvest Ballpark.
Logan Moon gave Northwest Arkansas the lead for good, slapping a two-out, two-run single up the middle to snap a 5-5 tie in the bottom of the seventh. The Naturals came through with two outs all day long, scoring six of their eight runs after two men were out.
Naturals Manager Vance Wilson said his team did a good job hitting with two outs earlier in the season, but they have struggled lately.
"I think in the month of April we had like 40 two-out RBIs, and going into this series we had like 15 this month," Wilson said. "It changes everything. The two-out hits sustain rallies. The guys did a good job up and down the lineup today."
The Travelers pulled within 7-6 in the eighth on Eric Aguilera's 10th home run of the season, a solo shot off Northwest Arkansas reliever Tim Hill. But the Naturals countered with an insurance run in the bottom of the inning as Terrance Gore singled, stole second and third, and scored on Corey Toups' sacrifice fly.
Naturals reliever Mark Peterson retired the Travelers in order with two strikeouts in the ninth to notch his first save.
Frank Schwindel went 3 for 4 and drove in a run to pace the Naturals' 14-hit attack. Gore, Mauricio Ramos and Jack Lopez added two hits each.
Arkansas trailed 5-2 after five innings but rallied to tie the game with two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh. The first two batters in the seventh singled to put runners on first and third for the Travelers. Forrestt Allday then hit into a 4-6-3 double play to score the tying run, but Alex Yarbrough struck out to end the threat.
Arkansas Manager Mark Parent said the difference was his team couldn't come back with a shutdown inning after scoring against the Naturals.
"Simple fact is they just beat us today," Parent said. "We just made mistakes, got picked off. We did all kinds of silly things wrong that we haven't been doing. We get back to even, and then we give up a run next inning. It's disheartening for an offense that's not that good."
Aguilera finished 4-for-4 with a home run, double, two runs scored and two RBI for the Travs. Stephen McGee added two hits and an RBI.
Today’s game
ARKANSAS AT SPRINGFIELD
WHEN 7:10 p.m.
WHERE Hammons Stadium, Springfield, Mo.
RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas
WEBSITE travs.com
PITCHERS Travelers: Jordan Kipper (RHP, 6-3, 3.29 ERA); Cardinals: Trey Nielsen (RHP, 6-6, 3.38)
TRAVELERS WEEK AHEAD
TODAY at Springfield, 7:10 p.m.
FRIDAY at Springfield, 7:10 p.m.
SATURDAY at Springfield, 6:10 p.m.
SUNDAY at Springfield, 2:10 p.m.
MONDAY Off
TUESDAY Texas League All-Star game, at Springfield, Mo.
WEDNESDAY Off
Sports on 06/23/2016