Travs hold on, sneak past Naturals

Down by one run after scoring once in the top of the ninth inning Monday, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals were poised to tie the game or take the lead with a runner at third base and the potential winning run at the plate with one out.

But shortstop Donnie Walton and second baseman Jordan Cowan turned a double play on a ground ball from Travis Jones to give the Arkansas Travelers a 4-3 victory in front of 2,651 at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.

The Naturals took an early lead when Taylor Featherston doubled to start the second inning and scored on an RBI single by Kort Peterson, then Nick Heath hit a bunt single to start the third, stole second base and scored on

a throwing error by Joseph Odom for a 2-0 lead.

The Travelers took the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning. Jake Fraley’s RBI single scored Aaron Knapp, Evan White scored on a single from Chris Mariscal, and Fraley scored on Cowan’s single through the hole at second base to give

the Travs a 3-2 lead.

Cowan added an RBI single in the seventh to push the lead to 4-2 before Anderson Miller scored for the Naturals in the ninth on an RBI single by Meibrys Viloria.

Reliever Zac Grotz (1-1) earned the victory for the Travs after allowing 1 hit with 6 strikeouts in 32/3 innings. Robinson Leyer earned his first save after allowing 1 earned run on 2 hits with a walk and a strikeout over the final 11/3 innings.

Naturals starter Arnaldo Hernandez (2-1) lasted 5 innings, allowing 3 runs — none earned — on 7 hits with a walk and 6 strikeouts.