Sod Poodles rally, knock off Naturals

SOD POODLES 7, NATURALS 5

SPRINGDALE — Northwest Arkansas went scoreless over the final six innings and fell 7-5 to Amarillo on Saturday night at Arvest Ballpark.

The Naturals let a 5-2 lead slip away against the Sod Poodles in front of an announced crowd of 5,857, the largest of the season.

The teams combined for six home runs, with Amarillo’s Leandro Cedeno launching two.

Catcher Sebastian Rivero, second baseman Ryan Grotjohn and designated hitter Michael Massey (his fourth of the season) all went deep for Northwest Arkansas.

Former University of Arkansas Razorback Dominic Fletcher was 2 for 4 with a pair of RBI singles for the Sod Poodles, who had 10 hits.

“When you make a mistake against that team, they’re going to make you pay,” Naturals Manager Chris Widger said. “We didn’t get away with it tonight. That team, it seems like one through nine, every guy has good at-bats. There’s no easy outs there, and they constantly have guys on base. You just have to make better pitches.”

Holden Capps (0-1) took the loss, allowing three runs ( all earned) on four hits during three innings of relief.

Naturals starter Alec Marsh struck out seven in four frames but surrendered three homers.

Rivero and Logan Porter had two hits each as Northwest Arkansas finished with eight. After yielding five runs and three homers early, Sod Poodles starter Brandon Pfaadt (1-1) found a groove, retiring the Naturals in order during each of his final three innings. The righty gave up 5 hits in 6 innings, striking out 7.

“I think we lost a little bit of our aggressiveness at the plate,” Widger said. “He can make pitches. We knew he was a tough pitcher coming in. I just think that we took too many fastballs tonight.”

Amarillo ( 11- 9) scored twice in the seventh, moving ahead 7-5. Jancarlos Cintron doubled, stole third and scored on a bang-bang play at the plate on a grounder fielded by Grotjohn, who threw home to Rivero. Fletcher then delivered a run-scoring single that just eluded shortstop Maikel Garcia.

Massey’s two-run homer made it 5-2 after three.

But with the Sod Poodles down 5-4 in the fifth, Fletcher’s RBI flare to left forged a 5-all tie.

The Naturals grabbed the lead in the second with a two-out rally. Rivero’s solo shot, his third round-tripper of the series, got Northwest Arkansas on the board. Logan Porter singled and scored on Grotjohn’s fences- clearing blast to right for a 3-2 edge.

The Sod Poodles had two on with no outs in the third. But Marsh struck out the side, all swinging, to end the threat.

With two away in the first, Amarillo’s Andy Yerzy homered to right-center for a 1-0 lead.

Cedeno’s second-inning homer put the visitors up 2-0.

“When you make a mistake against that team, they’re going to make you pay.”

Naturals Manager Chris Widger