SPRINGDALE, Ark.—The Wichita Wind Surge fell 10-1 in the series opener against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Northwest Arkansas hit three consecutive home runs against Wichita in the bottom of the third, just the second time a team has done that against the Wind Surge in team history.
Rodolfo Durán looped an RBI single to center field to put Northwest Arkansas on the board in the bottom of the first. Wichita opponents have now scored first against the Wind Surge for five consecutive games.
Durán and the Naturals four and five hitters Josh Lester and Luca Tresh laced back-to-back-to-back solo home runs two frames later to march ahead to a 4-0 lead. The occurrence is the second time ever a team has slugged three consecutive round-trippers against Wichita.
Ben Ross clubbed a solo shot of his own to left field in the top of the fifth to give the Wind Surge their lone run of the game. Ross’ third home run of the season would be matched by Josh Lester leaving the yard again in right-center on a two-run blast in the bottom half of the inning for a 6-1 Northwest Arkansas advantage.
The Naturals brought in four further runs on a trio of run-scoring hits across their halves of the seventh and eighth innings, eclipsing 10 runs for the third time this season and the second against Wichita, who went down to wrap the ballgame in the ninth.
Jaylen Nowlin received his first loss in a little over a month and second against Northwest Arkansas, now standing at 3-3 on the season. Despite giving up five earned runs on seven hits and a walk, he struck out six Naturals hitters.