SPRINGDALE, AR – Daniel Vázquez had three hits, Sam Kulasingam drove in three runs and Carson Roccaforte hit his team-leading sixth homer for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (14-11), who defeated the Springfield Cardinals (7-18) on Friday night at Arvest Ballpark, 7-5, to win their fourth-straight game. The Naturals continue their six-game set against the Cardinals on Saturday, with first pitch at 6:35 PM CT.
Vázquez capped off a three-run fifth for the Nats with a two-run single into center. He plated Brett Squires and Kulasingam, who crushed an RBI triple to left-center field earlier in the frame. Kulasingam’s first triple of the season put the Nats on the board, and Vázquez made it 3-2.
NWA tacked on two more in the sixth when Roccaforte hit a two-run shot into the berm beyond the right-field wall. Roccaforte’s sixth home run of the season gave the Naturals a 5-2 advantage.
While hitting from the left side, Kulasingam lined a ball down the left-field line to plate Colton Becker and Rudy Martin Jr. in the eighth inning, which gave the Naturals a 7-5 lead late in the contest. Augusto Mendieta (1-0) dealt 1.2 scoreless and picked up his first win of the year, with the Naturals winning 7-5 and securing a series victory. NWA’s four-game winning streak is its longest of 2026.
The Naturals face off against the Cardinals in the penultimate game of the six-game series Saturday at 6:35 PM CT. Fans can enjoy pregame “Happy Hour” specials at the Bullpen Party, as well as postgame Fireworks, presented by Chick-fil-A. Fans can get their tickets at NWANaturals.com for the remainder of the homestand.
As always, fans can follow along through the Naturals' TV broadcast, available with a subscription to MLB.tv or the MiLB App and for free through the Bally Live Sports App. Additionally, you can listen to the radio call of all 138 games with the "Voice of the Naturals", Shawn Murnin, on the MiLB app and NWANaturals.com.