RoughRiders hammer Naturals

Frisco made it rough on four Northwest Arkansas pitchers Saturday night in a 15-2 drubbing of the Naturals in front of a crowd of 4,406 at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.

It was the sixth consecutive loss for Northwest Arkansas.

The RoughRiders, who jumped out to a 10-1 lead after three innings, pounded out 17 hits with nine going for extra bases. Second baseman Rougned Odor went 4 for 6 with 1 double and 2 home runs to lead the Frisco attack.

Naturals starter Greg Billo (0-1) gave up 8 hits, walked 2 and allowed 8 runs in two-plus innings. He gave up a two-run double to Trever Adams to score Odor and Jake Smolinski in the top of the first as the RoughRiders grabbed a 2-0 lead.

After a run-scoring ground out by Luis Sardinas, Odor hit a two-run home run to left field to give Frisco a 5-0 lead in the second. The RoughRiders finished off Billo with three consecutive singles in the third, but Andy Ferguson (Benton) couldn’t limit the damage as he allowed those three runners to score and then two more in the same inning as the Naturals trailed 10-1.

Ferguson allowed Odor’s second home run of the night, a solo shot to right field in the top of the fifth as Frisco went up 11-1.

Neither Noel Arguelles nor Hassan Pena could escape Frisco’s offense in relief of Ferguson. Arguelles allowed two runs in 12/ innings, including

3 Smolinski’s first home run of the season in the eighth as the RoughRiders led 13-2.

Pena gave up a two-run home run to Jordan Brown in the ninth for the RoughRiders’ final runs after Odor started the inning with a double.

Justin Tripp’s home run and Ethan Chapman’s RBI single to score Parker Morin in the fifth provided the Naturals only runs. Morin’s three hits led the Naturals who finished with eight.

Alec Asher (1-1) gave up 5 hits in 6 innings and allowed 2 runs, including Tripp’s home run for the RoughRiders. He also struck out six.

Ryan Rodebaugh and Edwar Cabrera combined for six strikeouts in three innings of relief.