Royals Minor League Report: Naturals Sweep Doubleheader

Felix Arronde threw five no-hit innings in Game 2, and Chase Jessee earned the win in Game 1 as Northwest Arkansas swept Springfield 4-2 and 4-2. Colton Becker tripled and doubled in the nightcap. Henry Ramos went 3-for-5 with a home run in Columbia's 7-3 loss at Myrtle Beach, where Blake Wolters allowed six runs, one earned, over 4 2/3 innings. Gavin Cross tripled in Omaha's 5-1 loss to Louisville. Quad Cities was postponed.

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Storm Chasers Strand Twelve In 5-1 Loss To Louisville

Stephen Kolek absorbed the loss with 4 1/3 innings, eight hits, three runs allowed, one earned, four strikeouts, and no walks in a 5-1 defeat to Louisville. Two unearned runs came across in a three-run third inning, when a fielder's choice combined with a throwing error, followed by a sacrifice fly and an RBI double, pushed the Bats to a 3-0 lead.

The bullpen kept Omaha within range. Beck Way struck out three over 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Bailey Falter worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Eli Morgan retired both batters he faced, including a strikeout. Eric Cerantola gave up a solo home run and an RBI double in the ninth, charged with two earned runs over an inning of work.

Omaha had its chances. Tyler Tolbert and John Rave each went 2-for-4 with a walk, and Tolbert added a stolen base. Gavin Cross tripled in the ninth and scored on Dustin Dickerson's sacrifice fly, the only run the Storm Chasers managed. Luke Maile collected a single and a walk. Kameron Misner walked once. Dickerson drew two walks.

The Storm Chasers stranded 12 runners, and despite six hits, were unable to bunch them. The Bats added two more in the ninth on a solo home run and an RBI double off Cerantola, padding the margin to four.

Naturals Rally Past Springfield 4-2 In Game 1 Of Doubleheader

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals erased an early two-run deficit and pulled away with a two-run sixth inning to take Game 1 of the doubleheader, 4-2. Frank Mozzicato gave the Naturals three innings and was charged with two runs allowed, both unearned, after a first-inning unraveling. He struck out three and walked three.

The bullpen took it from there. Hunter Owen worked one inning of one-hit relief. Chase Jessee earned the win with two scoreless innings, two strikeouts, and no walks. Brandon Johnson closed with a scoreless seventh that included one walk and a strikeout to lock down the save.

Springfield took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single and an RBI groundout, but the Naturals chipped away. Omar Hernandez's groundout in the bottom of the second drove home Daniel Vazquez to make it 2-1. The score evened in the third when Brett Squires' grounder was misplayed at first base, allowing Colton Becker to score and the rally to continue.

Justin Johnson delivered the decisive blow in the bottom of the sixth, lining a two-run single up the middle to score Rudy Martin Jr. and Hernandez for the 4-2 lead. Becker singled, walked, scored once, and stole a base. Hernandez had a hit, an RBI, a run, and a stolen base. Vazquez added a hit and a run. The Naturals took advantage of two Springfield errors.

Arronde's Five No-Hit Innings Lift Naturals To Game 2 Sweep

Felix Arronde fired five no-hit innings to anchor the Northwest Arkansas Naturals' 4-2 win in Game 2 of the doubleheader sweep over Springfield. Arronde walked two and struck out three while shutting out the Cardinals across the first five frames before turning the ball over to the bullpen.

The Naturals broke through with a two-run second. Jorge Alfaro reached on a hit by pitch and Canyon Brown singled, setting up Colton Becker, who lined a triple to right that scored both for a 2-0 advantage. Sam Kulasingam pushed the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth on a line-drive single to center, scoring Carson Roccaforte after Roccaforte and Rudy Martin Jr. opened the inning with consecutive singles.

Springfield got back into it in the top of the sixth, when Caden Monke gave up an RBI single that brought home two runs and trimmed the gap to one. Northwest Arkansas answered immediately. In the bottom of the sixth, Becker doubled to right with two outs and scored on Justin Johnson's RBI single up the middle for a 4-2 lead.

Tommy Molsky locked it down with a scoreless seventh, allowing one walk and earning the save. Becker's triple, double, and two RBI led the offense. Roccaforte went 1-for-4 with a run scored. Kulasingam had a hit, an RBI, and a walk. Johnson singled, drove in a run, and stole a base. Brown added a hit. The Naturals collected seven hits and held Springfield to two.

Quad Cities: Postponed

The River Bandits' game was postponed.

Wolters Knocked Around As Fireflies Drop Series Finale 7-3

Blake Wolters lasted 4 2/3 innings in the Columbia Fireflies' 7-3 loss at Myrtle Beach, charged with six runs but only one earned across four hits and three walks while striking out five and giving up two home runs. The Pelicans put four on the board in the bottom of the first on back-to-back sacrifice flies followed by a two-run home run, and added a solo shot in the second to push the lead to 5-0.

Andy Basora steadied the bullpen with 1 1/3 innings of one-hit, scoreless relief and a strikeout. Yeri Perez allowed two hits, two walks, and one earned run on a solo home run over two innings.

Columbia chipped at the lead late but never threatened the result. Sean Gamble's seventh-inning groundout drove home JC Vanek to break the shutout. The Pelicans answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth. Henry Ramos closed the night with a two-run blast in the ninth to bring Columbia within four.

Ramos paced the offense, going 3-for-5 from the leadoff spot with the home run and two RBI. Stone Russell collected two hits, including a double, and drew a walk. Josh Hammond doubled. Brooks Bryan and Roni Cabrera each singled. Vanek walked twice and scored both Columbia runs aside from Ramos. Three Columbia errors helped the Pelicans tag Wolters with five unearned runs, while the Fireflies left eight on base.

Top-20 Prospect Performance

1. Carter Jensen: DNP
2. Blake Mitchell: DNP
3. David Shields: DNP
4. Kendry Chourio: DNP
5. Ben Kudrna: DNP
6. Sean Gamble: 0-for-5, 1 RBI
7. Josh Hammond: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 K
8. Ramon Ramirez: DNP
9. Drew Beam: DNP
10. Asbel Gonzalez: DNP
11. Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-4, 3 K
12. Felix Arronde: 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 0 HR
13. Luinder Avila: DNP
14. Daniel Vazquez: 1-for-6, 3 K, 1 R
15. Steven Zobac: DNP
16. Carson Roccaforte: 2-for-7, 1 BB, 1 R
17. Blake Wolters: 4 2/3 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 2 HR
18. Michael Lombardi: DNP
19. Warren Calcaño: DNP
20. Frank Mozzicato: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 0 HR

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