Big Offensive Night Not Enough
July 25, 2007 - Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release
The Arkansas Travelers pulled to within one game of first place in the Second Half North Division Standings, rallying from a 5-0 deficit to defeat the Springfield Cardinals by a score of 13-8 on Wednesday night at Dickey-Stephens Park.
The win for the Travs is their eighth straight, their longest winning streak since 2001.
Freddy Sandoval and Sean Rodriguez each had four hits to pace the Travs offense, which put up 13 runs and 16 hits.
Trailing 5-0 in the second, Sean Rodriguez put Arkansas on the board with a solo shot to left, his 12th of the year to make it 5-1 against Cards' starter Cory Rauschenberger.
After Arkansas got another back in the second to make it 5-2, they took the lead for good by scoring five in the fifth, chasing the Springfield starter.
Sandoval's two-run triple made it a 5-4 game. Sean Rodriguez picked up an infield single to bring home Sandoval to tie the game at 5-5. Chris Russ was called out of the bullpen and with two outs, got Matt Pali to hit a routine fly ball to left-center field. There was miscommunication between center fielder Colby Rasmus and left fielder Sean Danielson though, as the ball went off the glove of Rasmus for an error, allowing two runs to score as the Travs took the lead for good at 7-5.
Rauschenberger (7-7) was chased after just 4 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs, five earned, on eight hits.
The Travs padded their lead, scoring two in the sixth to go up 9-5.
Springfield got two back in the seventh inning, as Jose Martinez chased home a run with an RBI double and Danielson brought home a run with an RBI groundout, making it 9-7.
The teams kept trading runs, as Arkansas got one in the seventh to make it 10-7, before Juan Richardson answered in the eighth with a solo home run, his 15th, to make it 10-8.
Arkansas put it away with three in the bottom of the eighth against reliever Kyle McClellan, the first runs he's allowed since joining the team from Palm Beach, as the Travelers took a commanding 13-8 lead.
Springfield jumped on Travs' starter and eventual winner Fernando Rodriguez, taking a 3-0 first-inning lead. Juan Richardson had a sac fly and Bryan Anderson capped the frame with a two-run double.
Sean Danielson's two-run homer to right field in the second gave Springfield a 5-0 lead.
Rodriguez (6-1) would settle down to work three scoreless innings to finish his night. He worked five total frames, allowing five runs on ten hits, but earned the win.
Both Danielson and Juan Lucena had three hits each to pace Springfield's 16-hit attack.
The Cards (19-13) have now dropped three straight and lead Arkansas (18-14) by just one game in the North Division standings. Springfield will send Eric Haberer (9-4) to the mound on Thursday night, as he takes on Wichita right-hander D.J. Mattox (0-3). Game one of the Wichita series on Thursday night begins at 7:00pm.
The Cardinals will return to Hammons Field on Tuesday, July 31st, as they take on the Arkansas Travelers in a three-game home stand. Justice Jewelers and the Cardinals will be giving away a one-carat Diamond as well as cubic zirconias to 1,000 fans ages 21 and over, all thanks to Justice Jewelers. Tickets for all Cardinals home games can be purchased by calling (417) 863-2143 or online at www.springfieldcardinals.com. Go Cards and Get Your RED On!
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Texas League Stories from July 25, 2007
- Travs Rally For Eight Straight Win - Arkansas Travelers
- Big Offensive Night Not Enough - Springfield Cardinals
- Tulsa Effort Falls Short - Tulsa Drillers
- Incessant Rain 2, Baseball 0 - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Pullin Promoted, Travs Receive Kennard & Johnson - Arkansas Travelers
- Hooks Update - Corpus Christi Hooks
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