TEXAS LEAGUE : Clark’s big day spurs Naturals
Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008
TULSA — Cody Clark did as much as a third-string catcher could be expected to do for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Tuesday.
Clark, a Fayetteville native and former Arkansas Razorback, started Tuesday with Kiel Thibault still injured and backup Adam Donachie getting a day off. He responded with his best game of the season, going 3 for 3 with 1 home run, 4 RBI and an outstanding defensive effort to help the Naturals defeat Tulsa 7-4 at Drillers Stadium.
Clark is hitting. 381 (8 for 21 ) over his past six games and raised his season average from. 162 to. 225 Tuesday. He had singles in the second and fourth innings, a two-run home run to left in the sixth and a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
The third inning included a bizarre play during which Clark made his presence felt defensively.
Tulsa (14-24 ), which relies heavily on speed like the Naturals (20-18 ), got greedy on the base paths, and Clark made the Drillers pay for their mistake.
Naturals starter Rowdy Hardy hit Corey Wimberly to start the inning, and Wimberly stole his 14 th base of the year to move into scoring position.
Dexter Fowler singled Wimberly to third but was caught in a rundown trying to steal his 11 th base. Before the Naturals could catch Fowler, Wimberly broke for home and shortstop Angel Sanchez threw to Clark, who applied the tag successfully.
Fowler, who finished 4 for 4, saw an opportunity to take third, but Clark made a perfect throw to third baseman Mario Lisson to complete the double play.
Clark’s third home run of the year gave the Naturals a 6-3 lead in the sixth inning and forced out Drillers starter Ching Lung Lo (1-6 ), who took the loss.
Four double plays by the Naturals in the first five innings spared Hardy from a potentially disastrous outing. Although he earned his first victory of the year and did not allow a walk, Hardy (1-3 ) gave up 3 earned runs and 9 hits in 5 innings before Naturals Manager Brian Poldberg sent in Greg Atencio to start the sixth.
Atencio struck out 5 batters and allowed 1 run in 3 innings before Jarrod Plummer retired the Drillers in order in the ninth to earn his third save.
The teams exchanged tworun home runs in the first two innings, with Geraldo Valentin hitting his second of the year for the Naturals in the first and Tony Blanco answering in the bottom of the second for Tulsa.
Clark and Ed Lucas each had three hits for the Naturals.
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