Connor Scott didn’t hit the ball especially hard, but his swinging bunt down the first-base line was exactly what the Naturals needed.
Scott’s slow chopper to the right side scored Jack Pineda from third base in the eighth inning, snapping a 3-3 tie and lifting Northwest Arkansas to a 4-3 win over Midland on Thursday evening at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale.
The first baseman’s RBI single proved to be the game-winner, though the play unfolded in unusual fashion. Midland reliever Domingo Robles came off the mound to field the ball but never made a throw to first, allowing Pineda to score.
“It was one of those where you just put the ball in play and good things happen,” Naturals manager Antonio Bautista said.
Brandon Johnson (1-2) pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the win, retiring the RockHounds in order in the ninth to close out the victory. It was his second straight strong outing after earning a one-out save on Wednesday.
The Naturals (24-29) manufactured the winning run in unconventional fashion. Daniel Vazquez led off the eighth with a single, and Pineda was hit by a pitch. Both runners advanced when Robles (2-1) balked, and Rudy Martin Jr. was intentionally walked to load the bases.
That’s when Scott delivered his slow roller.
“We talked about it before I went up there,” Scott said. “They were pitching me tough all night, so we were looking for something I could put in play and make something happen.”
It was also Scott’s first hit against a left-handed pitcher this season, a small but meaningful milestone for the first baseman who’s been working to improve that part of his game.
The victory gave the Naturals two wins in the four-game series against the RockHounds. Northwest Arkansas finished the homestand at 4-3 and heads back on the road for a seven-game trip beginning Monday in Tulsa.
Offensively, Scott, Vazquez and Jorge Alfaro each finished with two hits. Alfaro also scored twice and drove in a run, providing stability at the top of the order.
“That was a tough series, and to come away with a win tonight feels good,” Bautista said. “We’ve been playing better baseball here lately, and hopefully we can carry this momentum on the road.”
Source: NWA Democrat Gazette
