Record on the Season: 22-28
It was another rough week for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals as they went 2-5 on the week against the Tulsa Drillers. The pitching staff gave up 11 earned runs in Monday’s competition and 15 earned runs in Thursday’s. Only one player averaged more than one hit per game with six failing to tally multiple hits in the week. It was a rough seven days with an extra game being played and the team falling further below .500 after initially entering that territory last week. On the season, the team has now fallen into fourth in their division as Tulsa takes their spot in third.
Pitcher of the Week
Eric Cerantola edges out the competition in a pretty off week for the staff so we can acknowledge what he is doing so far this season. Throwing 5.2 innings of two-run ball, Cerantola only allowed two base runners all game. These runners came via hit and his only major mistake was a homerun to the Drillers second baseman, Taylor Young. Cerantola helped lead the Naturals to their second of two wins on the week with a great performance.
On the season, he has quietly impressed. His 2.41 ERA is the third-best on the squad (min. 20 IP) while being second in innings pitched (41.0). He’s accumulated 55 punchouts over those innings putting him behind only Mason Barnett. He has struggled with walks this season, allowing 33 free passes, which has hurt his bloated 1.39 WHIP. If he can cut back on the walks he could be a legitimate bullpen option in coming years.
Hitter of the Week
Josh Lester is the easiest answer in a week of very light and spread-out hitting. The 29-year-old slashed .391/.440/.609 over 23 at-bats. Lester started all but one game for the Naturals this week and tallied nine hits, seven RBI, and three extra-base hits. It’s pretty easy to identify him as the only source of consistent offense in the lineup this week.
He hasn’t shown a lot of pop this season but Lester put up another home run this week to bring his total to three. His slash for the year is a healthy .299/.370/.410 putting him surprisingly near the top of the team in two of those categories. Lester continues to create great depth within the organization, pushing younger guys to get better or lose their spots.
Other Notables
Noah Cameron made his return, throwing 3.0 innings of shutout ball. He only K’d one batter and allowed two hits in the outing.
Rodolfo Duran batted .365/.500/.636 in limited plate appearances. He put together a double and a triple, adding to his already impressive under-the-radar season.
Gavin Cross walked four times to only one strikeout. He had a slow week at the plate but good hitters find a way on base when the bat isn’t working. He seems to be figuring it out down at AA.
What’s Next
The Naturals will host the Wind Surge TWO (2!) nights dedicated to dollar-priced food items. Wichita is last in the division and looks to pass up the Naturals if they put together a great week. The Royals’ affiliate is put into a sink-or-swim situation. We will see if the young guns can figure it out and battle back or slip further as the season develops.