AMARILLO, TX — Javier Vaz and Carson Roccaforte each homered while Spencer Nivens added three hits in a back-and-forth contest that ended with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (29-26, 62-62) earning an 8-7 win over the Amarillo Sod Poodles (34-21, 66-58) at Hodgetown in Amarillo, Texas. The Naturals remain three games behind the Tulsa Drillers for the final playoff spot in the North Division. Amarillo and Northwest Arkansas continue their series on Saturday with a 7:05 PM CT first pitch.
Vaz got the scoring started in the opening frame. The lefty smashed the sixth pitch of the opening at-bat over the right-field wall to give NWA a 1-0 lead. Amarillo tied the game quickly in the bottom of the first and the contest stayed tied until the fourth.
NWA scored three runs in the fourth. Julio E. Rodriguez grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Brett Squires to give the Nats the lead back, and a wild pitch later in the inning scored Nivens to make it 3-1. Colton Becker stole second, one of his three steals on the night, and an errant throw allowed Rodriguez to score…