The NW Arkansas Naturals have the second-best record in the Texas League and lead their division by four games, but only garnered one postseason All-Star. That All-Star was recently promoted catcher Salvador Perez.

The Omaha Storm Chasers put together impressive offensive middle innings to pound the New Orleans Zephrys 14-1. With the game tied at 1-1, Omaha scored one run in the 4th, three runs in the 5th, five runs in the 6th, three runs in the 7th, and one run in the 8th. Storm Chasers starter Luis Mendoza was the recipient of all the offense, as he allowed one run on seven hits over six innings. Every Omaha hitter had at least one hit (seven players had multi-hit games).

Clinging to a 1-0 lead, the Springfield Cardinals put together five, two-out hits in the bottom of the 4th inning to break the game open, as they defeated the Naturals 9-0. The Naturals collected just two hits in the loss, both by Mario Lisson. Deryk Hooker returned from the DL for Springfield and allowed just one hit over six shutout innings. Jeremy Jeffress got the start for the Naturals, but took a line drive off his leg in the first inning and left with an ankle contusion. The Naturals now begin a series with Tulsa, who sit four games back in the standings.

The Wilmington Blue Rocks and Salem Red Sox played two on Friday night (sound familiar?). The first was a completion of a suspended game from seven weeks earlier with the Blue Rocks leading 2-0 in the second inning. Michael Mariot, who started the game back then, restarted the game on Friday night. He took the loss, as three Blue Rocks errors cost them five runs in the 7-4 loss (they have the worst fielding-percentage in the league). Stolmy Pimentel, who the Blue Rocks hit around last weekend, limited them to two runs on seven hits over 5.2 innings to pick up the win.

In the second game, it took an outstanding throw from Blue Rocks right fielder Nick Van Stratten to preserve the 6-5 win. With the bases loaded and just one out in the bottom of the 7th inning, Derrik Gibson hit a fly ball slightly into foul territory. Van Stratten made the catch and threw a laser home to get Pete Hissey for the game’s final out (I so wish there was video). This was all after the Blue Rocks led 6-2 after three innings. Red Sox starter Ryan Pressly took the loss, as he allowed six runs (two earned) over six innings. On the season against the Blue Rocks, Pressly is 0-5 with a 6.39 ERA. Bobby Jenks will start for the Red Sox in a rehab appearance on Saturday night.

The Blue Rocks closer for two months in 2009, Juan Abreu, was called up to the big leagues by the Houston Astros. He was traded to the Astros from the Atlanta Braves for Michael Bourn at the trading deadline this July. Blue Rocks catcher Jose Bonilla, who hasn’t played since August 16th, was finally put on the DL with a lower body injury. He was replaced on the roster by another catcher, Travis Jones (who was up not too long ago from Kane County).

Despite scoring five runs in the top of the 3rd inning and tying the game at 7-7 in the 4th inning, the Kane County Cougars were thrashed 19-7 by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. The Timber Rattlers bullpen (Brian Garman and Maverick Lasker) completely shut down the Cougars offense after the starter was taken out three batters into the 4th inning. They allowed just one hit (and no walks) over the final six innings while striking out seven.

The Omaha Storm Chasers took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. However the Memphis Redbirds scored scored two runs in the bottom of the 3rd, four runs in the bottom of the 5th, and three runs in the bottom of the 6th. Omaha starter Mike Montgomery lasted just 4.1 innings while allowing six runs on eight hits. He also walked three. Five Redbirds hitters collected two hits each in the 9-4 win.

NW Arkansas Naturals’ starter Chris Dwyer held a no-hitter through five innings. He walked two and struck out six through five. Then the Midland RockHounds BUSTED out in a big way. Dwyer retired the first batter of the 6th and then five straight RockHounds reached base. The RockHounds scored five runs in the 6th and six runs in the 7th. Midland pounded the Naturals 11-3.

The Wilmington Blue Rocks scored first in the top of the first on a Carlo Testa RBI ground out (after Whit Merrifield singled and stole second and third base). The Myrtle Beach Pelicans scored two runs in the 2nd and another six in the bottom of the 3rd. In the six-run 3rd inning, the Pelicans collected four hits and three walks. Justin Grimm made his first Carolina League start for the Pelicans and allowed just three hits over six scoreless innings to earn the win.

The Kane County Cougars collected five hits against Wisconsin Timber Rattlers starter Tyler Thornburg, but couldn’t get any runs across as he pitched a complete game. Thornburg did not walk a batter while striking out eight. Sugar Ray Marimon was the hard luck loser. He allowed two runs on four hits over eight innings.

All four Royals minor league teams were in action Friday night, with two coming out victorious.

*Albuquerque Isotopes 10, Omaha Storm Chasers 6: It was another tough night on the Storm Chasers starting pitching, as this time veteran Jeff Suppan (who was just signed last week) was ripped. He allowed seven runs on seven hits and three walks in just four innings of work. He also allowed two homers. The Isotopes scored four runs in the bottom of the first. The Storm Chasers collected more hits (11) than the Isotopes (7), but they committed more errors (3) and walked six batters.

Offensively, the Storm Chasers had their chances, and squandered bases-loaded opportunities. First baseman Eric Hosmer and second baseman Johnny Giavotella collected six of the team’s 11 hits. The two teams meet again on Saturday with Danny Duffy making the start for Omaha.

*NW Arkansas Naturals 5, San Antonio Missions 4: The Naturals broke a 2-2 tie in the 5th on a two-run double off the bat of shortstop Christian Colon (Colon had two hits). The Naturals would hold a 4-2 lead until the 8th when Missions first baseman Cody Decker hit a 2-run homer off Patrick Keating to tie the game and send it into extra innings. The game would stay tied until the 11th, when catcher Salvador Perez led off the inning with a walk. Anthony Seratelli would run for him and move to third on Mario Lisson’s one out single. Outfielder Nick Van Stratten would end the game with a walk-off RBI single to send the fans home happy (it was his second hit of the night). It was a big night for Van Stratten, as his possible-homer saving catch from the night before was ranked #2 on Sportcenter’s Top 10 last night.

This game was deemed as a great pitching matchup between the Naturals John Lamb and the Missions Casey Kelly. Neither figured in the decision and neither pitched that well. Lamb allowed two runs on four hits and two walks in just three innings (he struck out two). Kelly allowed three runs on five hits and one walk over 4.1 innings (he struck out one). However the relief from Mario Santiago of the Naturals saved the game. He pitched four shutout innings behind Lamb and only allowed two hits while striking out five.

*Myrtle Beach Pelicans 3, Wilmington Blue Rocks 1: It was a lackluster performance for the Blue Rocks in Myrtle Beach on Opening Night. The offense collected just five hits, while the Pelicans had 13. Tim Melville started for the Blue Rocks and allowed three runs on eight hits and three walks over four innings. The three runs the Pelicans scored all came in the first inning. The Pelicans pitching was dominant, as they struck out 16 batters, with starter Neil Ramirez striking out nine.

*Kane County Cougars 7, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 6: Despite allowing 11 hits, the Cougars picked up their first victory of the season. The bullpen of Matt Mitchell, Chase Boruff, and Chaz Byrne combined to go five innings and allow just one run on six hits, while striking out nine. Geulin Beltre and Alex Llanos each had two hits, with Llanos picking up a two-out, two-run double in the second inning.