Texas League baseball

TRAVELERS 5, WIND SURGE 2

Tanner Kirwer and Robbie Tenerowicz each homered as the Arkansas Travelers defeated the Wichita Wind Surge on Friday night at Riverfront Stadium in Wichita, Kan., to clinch the first-half championship in the Texas League North Division.

The Travs took their third consecutive victory and their fifth in the past six games, improving to 43-24 for the season and stretching their lead to two games over Tulsa in the Texas League North standings. Tulsa lost to Northwest Arkansas on Friday night.

The Texas League’s first half concludes Sunday. San Antonio won the South Division title.

Kirwer hit a solo home run, his third, in the third inning and Tenerowicz added a two-run shot, his 12th, in the fifth.

Travs starter Emerson Hancock (9-2) allowed 2 runs on 7 hits over 6 innings with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts to earn the victory. Devin Sweet worked a perfect ninth to collect his third save.

Wind Surge starter Carlos Luna (14) gave up 3 runs on 9 hits in 4 1/3 innings.

NATURALS 5, DRILLERS 4

Tyler Tolbert and Peyton Wilson both homered to give Northwest Arkansas the early lead and the Naturals held on late to edge the Tulsa Drillers on Friday night at ONEOK Field in Tulsa.

Tulsa scored twice in the bottom of the ninth inning against Naturals closer Steven Cruz. But Cruz got Eddys Leonard to fly out with two runners on to end the game and notch his sixth save.

Beck Way (1-5) picked up the win, allowing a run in 3 2/3 innings of relief. He struck out five and walked one.

Parker Bates went 3 for 3 out of the nine-hole in the batting order, drove in a run and also scored a run for the Naturals.

Tolbert hit a two-run home run, his second of the season, to give the Naturals a 3-1 lead in the top of the fifth.

Tulsa grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a solo homer by Jose Ramos. It was his 14th of the season. Northwest Arkansas tied it 1-1 on Wilson’s third home run of the season in the top of the fourth.