Arkansas Travelers righthander Dylan Unsworth carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning when Northwest Arkansas Naturals second baseman Corey Toups broke the streak with a double to center field.
An inning later, Unsworth gave up two hits, a walk and three earned runs as the Naturals came back to win 3-2 in the first game of Monday’s doubleheader at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
The Naturals took the nightcap by the same margin, sweeping the doubleheader 3-2.
The Travs led 1-0 before the top of the sixth behind a 371-foot home run to right field by right fielder Kyle Waldrop in the second inning. The hit was Waldrop’s first extra-base hit in 15 games.
“I just tried to get on base, start something, and I got a hitter’s count and put a good hit on it,” said Waldrop, who went 1-for-2 with a walk. “I’ve been putting together some good at-bats. Hopefully, I can keep it going.”
Unsworth had won four of his previous five starts, and a Travs rally in the seventh inning nearly relieved him of the loss. Second baseman Nelson Ward singled, shortstop Jeff Kobernus walked, and center fielder Ian Miller drove in Ward with a single down the rightfield line. Kobernus was on second when Naturals right-hander Jake Newberry forced Travs third baseman Adam Law into a game-ending fielder’s choice.
Naturals right-hander Corey Ray (5-4, 4.15 ERA) earned the victory after pitching six innings, with five hits, one earned run, three walks and two strikeouts.
The first half of the Texas League season closed after the end of the second game, but its result did not affect the standings. The Naturals had clinched the North Division first-half title in their 4-1 victory over the Tulsa Drillers on Saturday night.
Starting today, the standings will reset, and the North Division’s top team in the second half will play the Naturals in a playoff semifinal to decide which team will face the South Division champion for the league title. If the Naturals finish first again, the team with the second-best record will advance.
The Naturals have played in the Texas League championship in each of the past two seasons, where they lost both series to the Midland Rock-Hounds. In 2016, the Naturals earned their playoff berth by winning the second-half title. In 2015, they won the first half of the season. No team that finished at the top of the firsthalf standings has won the league title since the league implemented the split season format in 2013.
GAME 2
Jose Sanchez doubled and singled, and Ashton Goudeau tossed five scoreless innings as the Northwest Arkansas Naturals defeated the Arkansas Travelers 3-2 in the second game of a doubleheader on Monday.
Tim Hill struck Joey Wong out with runners on first and third to end the game for his second save of the season.
Goudeau (3-6) picked up the win after he struck out five while allowing two hits.