NWA Week in Review: August 27 – September 3
Weekly Record: 4-5
Overall Record: 70-70, 35-35 in the second half
Standings: 3rd  (5.5 GB)
Weekly +/-: -1  (41 runs scored, 42 runs allowed)

Transactions:
8/27 – Anderson Miller placed on temporary inactive list
8/27 – Rudy Martin assigned to NWA
8/29 – Anderson Miller activated from temporary inactive list
8/29 – Rudy Martin assigned to Wilmington
8/29 – Andrew Edwards sent on rehab assignment to Idaho Falls
9/1 – Logan Porter assigned to NWA
9/1 – Nick Dini placed on DL
9/3 – Ian Kennedy sent on rehab assignment to NWA

Articles Over Naturals from this year’s team
Nicky Lopez (promoted)
Elier Hernandez (promoted)
Anderson Miller
Jake Newberry (promoted)
Jecksson Flores
Arnaldo Hernandez (promoted)
Pedro Fernandez
Samir Duenez
Foster Griffin
Emilio Ogando

Overview.  The Naturals finished their season with a .500 record for both halves of the Texas League schedule.  The Naturals played 9 games over their final 8 days with a 4-5 record. Jon Perrin started the April 17 game getting the loss and lasting just 1.2 innings allowing 6 runs, only 3 ER, on 3 H, 3 BB, and 2 K.  Walker Sheller threw 2.1 innings in relief before Grant Gavin and Yunior Marte each threw 2.0 innings to finish the game. Jecksson Flores was 2-4 with a double and Erick Mejia was 1-3 with a double in the game.  

Scott Blewett got a no decision going 8.0 innings on Tuesday allowing 4 ER on 8 H, 1 BB, and 4 K.  Franco Terrero took the loss in the bottom of the 9th allowing an unearned run on 2 H. The Naturals only had 6 hits in this game.  Flores was 1-2 with a BB, R, and a SB. Erick Mejia stole his 34th base on the season in this game.

Foster Griffin started the first game of the double header getting a no decision and only last 2.2 innings allowing 3 ER on 5 H, 2 BB, and 1 K.  Cristian Castillo got the win going 3.1 innings in relief allowing 1 ER on 3 H, 0 BB, and 7 K. Yunior Marte finished the game with a scoreless inning.  The Naturals put up 12 runs on 12 H en route to the win. Flores went 3-4 with 2 doubles and 6 RBI. Flores also added 2 R and was caught stealing. Samir Duenez went 2-4 with a home run and 3 RBI.  Alex Liddi was on the cycle watch by the end of the night going 3-4 with a home run, triple, R, and 2 RBI.

The Naturals should have saved some of those 12 runs for game two.  The Nats were shutout losing 1-0. Luis Lugo took the loss in 4.1 innings allowing 1 ER on 4 H, 2 BB, and 7 K.  Andres Machado threw 1.2 perfect innings in relief with 3 K. The Naturals had 5 hits, each from a different player.

Jace Vines picked up a win on Thursday going 6.1 innings allowing 3 ER on 7 H, 1 BB, and 6 K.  Duenez was 2-4 with an RBI and R. Kelvin Gutierrez was 1-3 and 2 BB.

Emilio Ogando got beat up on Friday going just 2.1 innings allowing 5 ER on 5 H, 2 BB, and 2 K.  In fact, each Naturals pitcher gave up a run in this one. Duenez went 2-4 with an RBI and Xavier Fernandez went 2-2 with a double and BB.  

Perrin finally got into the win column on the season Saturday going 5.2 innings allowing 0 R on 3 H, 1 BB, and 7 K.  Mejia went 2-4 with a double, R, and RBI. Duenez was 2-5 with 3 RBI. Gutierrez went 2-3 with a home run, R, RBI, and BB.  Anderson Miller went 2-4 with a home run, 2 R, and RBI. Fernandez went 4-4 with 2 doubles, 3 R, and 1 RBI.

Blewett gave up 2 ER on 4 H, 2 BB, and 4 K in his final 6.2 innings of the season Sunday.  Gutierrez and Mejia both had a multi hit game.

Ian Kennedy finished the season for the Naturals making a 4.0 inning rehab start in which he got the loss allowing 6 ER on 7 H, 2 BB, and 5 K.  Griffin threw the next 4.0 innings allowing 2 ER on 6 H, 1 BB, and 4 K. Duenez went 2-3 with a home run. Alfredo Escalera went 2-4 with 2 solo home runs on the day.  Flores went 0-2 before being lifted for a pinch hitter and claimed the Texas League batting title with a .314 average on the season. There were a few players who had higher averages on the season but they didn’t have enough at bats to qualify.  Xavier Fernandez hit .328 but didn’t qualify for lack of ABs.