Bullpen helps Naturals hang on

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals’ bullpen backed a strong start from Chris Dwyer by leaving the game-tying run on second base in the ninth inning Sunday for a 4-3 victory to hold off a late rally by the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo.

Naturals reliever Buddy Baumann allowed an RBI double and walked the next two hitters, but he then struck out Oscar Taveras to close out the game for his first save of the season.

The Cardinals were limited throughout the night by Dwyer but scored three runs in the final two innings.

The left-handed Dwyer had allowed 16 runs in 10 2 ⁄3 innings during his past three starts but his outing Sunday looked more like three starts in May when he allowed 3 runs over 18 2 ⁄3 innings.

Dwyer (4-6) allowed 5 hits, 2 earned runs, issued 2 walks and struck out 6 while picking up the victory, helping the Naturals split the four-game series.

Dwyer worked around a two-out double in the second inning, a two-out walk in the third, a two-out error in the sixth and a two-out single in the seventh.

The Naturals struck first in the fourth when Eric Duncan hit a two-run home run off Springfield starter Seth Mannes, driving home Paulo Orlando, to take a 2-0 lead.

Northwest Arkansas added another run in the seventh to extend its lead to 3-0 when a bunt scored a runner from third. Carlo Testa doubled to start the inning and advanced to third when Nick Van Stratten reached on a fielder’s choice.

Yem Prades then picked up an RBI with a sacrifice bunt and reached base on an error. Maness then walked Orlando to load the bases, and the right-hander was pulled from the game.

But Springfield reliever Justin Wright entered the game and pitched around the jam, striking out Duncan and then John Whittleman to end the scoring threat in the seventh.

After knocking Dwyer out of the game, the Cardinals got a two-run single from Taveras in the eighth off reliever Ryan Dennick that cut the Naturals’ lead to 3-2. Xavier Scruggs then singled but right fielder Nick Van Stratten preserved the Naturals’ lead when he threw out Jermaine Curtis at home.

Prades then hit his fourth home run of the season to left field, extending the lead to 42 entering the bottom of the ninth inning.

Naturals reliever Bryan Paukovits struck out pinchhitter Travis Tartamella for the first out of the inning before surrendering a single to Adam Melker and then was relieved by Baumann.

His first pitch to Kolten Wong was hit down the rightfield line that scored Melker, cutting the lead to just a run.

Consecutive walks to Jose Garcia and Curtis put the tying run on second and the winning run on first. But Baumann struck out Taveras, the Texas League’s leading hitter at .324, to end the game.