The Arkansas Travelers won the Texas League North Division first-half title by the slimmest of margins and own a spot in the playoffs next month because of it.
But the Northwest Arkansas Naturals still own the Travs on the field.
Kort Peterson hit an RBI triple and scored a run to spark a four-run 12th inning as the Naturals beat the Travs 8-4 in front of 5,291 on Tuesday night at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
It was the Naturals third straight victory over the Travs, fifth in the last six games, and improved their season advantage to 16-5.
Despite the success, Naturals hitting coach Leon Roberts, filling in for vacationing Manager Mike Rojas, dismissed any definitive statements the series record has on the quality of the two teams.
"It's just luck of the draw," he said. "I don't think there's any rhyme or reason against any one team. You just hit stretches where you play good and they don't play quite as good that day. It's just hard to figure out."
Travs Manager Daren Brown complimented the Naturals athleticism but did note that one of his team's five victories came on June 19, which broke a tie between the two teams and awarded the Travs the first-half title and a playoff berth.
"We beat them the one game that we needed to," Brown said. "But they have seven or eight guys that can really run, they keep the pressure on you the whole time. Sometimes there's just a team that you don't play well against and we haven't all the time."
Peterson, a day after totaling three hits in a 3-2 Naturals' victory had three more hits and drove in two runs, while Khalil Lee scored twice.
But the Travs kept answering in extra innings. The Naturals scored once in the 10th and 11th innings before their four-run 12th. Ryan Scott scored in the 10th and Eric Filia in the 11th to keep the game going for the Travs.
The Naturals scored four runs with the help of a Travs error and a wild pitch in the 12th. In all, the Travs committed two errors, one that gave the Naturals a first-inning lead, threw two wild pitches, and allowed a run score on a passed ball.
"That makes it tough when you feel like you're giving them stuff in extra-inning games," Brown said. "Sometimes you get beat, but I thought we gave them some opportunities and they took advantage of them."
Erasmo Ramirez, with the Travs on a major league rehab assignment, held the Naturals to 2 runs, 1 of which was earned, and struck out 6 over 5 innings, while Naturals starter, Luis Lugo held the Travs to 2 runs on 5 hits and struck out 5 over 6 2/3 in his first start of the season.
It was Peterson who finally delivered the needed blow. After coming a triple short of the cycle on Monday, the right-fielder singled in the first and 10th innings, and tripled to right-center field in the 11th.
He's hitting .440 (11 for 25) during the current six-game road trip, while raising his batting average to .262.
"He's made some subtle adjustments," Roberts said, "and he's tearing the cover off the ball."
Sports on 08/01/2018