Northwest Arkansas erupted for four runs in the second inning, and that was more than enough as the Naturals claimed a 7-1 victory over Tulsa in Texas League baseball action Friday night at ONEOK Field in Tulsa.
Frank Schwindel put Northwest Arkansas (32-42 overall, 3-1 second half) on the scoreboard when he led off the second with a double and scored on Logan Moon’s single. Jack Lopez, the Naturals’ ninth hitter, followed with a three-run home run, his fifth of the season, off Tim Shibuya (0-4).
That was all the offense Eric Skoglund (4-5) needed as the left-hander matched his longest outing of the season. He threw seven innings and allowed one unearned run off just three hits in his strongest outing since May 21, when he shut out the Drillers (40-33, 3-1) on two hits over six innings.
Schwindel, who was earlier named Northwest Arkansas’ representative for the Bass Pro Shops Home Run Derby during the Texas League All-Star break, showed off his power with a pair of blasts. He hit a solo home run to left-center field off Shibuya in the fourth, then added a solo shot in the seventh to deep left field off reliever Michael Johnson for his 11th of the year.
Schwindel’s three extra-base hits fueled the Naturals’ 14-hit attack as four other players had two hits apiece and all but one player had at least one hit.
The two teams resume their series today with a 7:05 p.m. game. Right-hander Ashton Goudeau (2-4, 2.97) gets the start for Northwest Arkansas, while Tulsa counters with righty Chase De Jong (7-4, 2.64).
TRAVELERS 4, CARDINALS 0
Starting pitcher Tyler Carpenter and three Arkansas Travelers relievers were nearly untouchable Friday night as the Travs beat the Springfield Cardinals 4-0 at Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo. Carpenter picked up his fourth victory of the season by allowing 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 2 in 5 innings. Jose Molina allowed one hit in his 1 2/3 innings of relief before Josh Roenicke and Alan Busenitz combined for 2 1/3 hitless innings.
Springfield starter J.C. Sulbaran matched Carpenter through five innings, but Jabari Henry’s 10th home run of the season also scored Eric Aguilera to put the Travs up 2-0 in the sixth inning. The Travs tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh off of reliever Heath Wyatt. Forrestt Allday hit a oneout single to left field, then stole second base. Caleb Adams followed with a two-run home run to left, his second of the season.
Aguilera contributed three of the Travs’ seven hits, raising his season batting average to .289.