Cardinals Walk off in 16th, 7-6, Before 6,994 Fans
Published on June 8, 2013 under Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release
Springfield, MO - In the second-longest game in Springfield Cardinals history, the Cards outlasted the Arkansas Travelers for the 7-6 victory in 16 innings before the standing-room-only crowd of 6,994 fans at Hammons Field on Friday night. With the win, Springfield moves back to within just one game of Arkansas for 1st place in the North Division with 12 games remaining in the First Half.
Springfield LHP Anthony Ferrara retired the first three in a row in the top of the first, but the Travelers (30-28) got the bats going in the top of the second. A pair of infield singles and a walk loaded the bases to start the second frame, before Ferrara dealt a strikeout to CF Travis Witherspoon. LF Drew Heid came up next and bounced a grounder towards the mound that grazed off Ferrara's glove and redirected past SS Jake Lemmerman for a two-run base hit, lifting Arkansas in front, 2-0.
Springfield (29-29) raced in front in the bottom of the third inning against LHP Michael Roth. 2B Luis Mateo was hit by a pitch to start the stanza and quickly swiped second base. After a strikeout, Roth began working to LF Nick Longmire, making his Springfield debut. During the plate appearance Roth uncorked a pair of wild pitches on consecutive offerings, advancing Mateo ninety feet each time and working him in from second base to make it 2-1. With the bases clear, Longmire placed an infield single up the middle to get a runner right back on. DH Mike O'Neill worked a walk, before a ground out to first base by CF James Ramsey advanced the runners to second and third. With two on and two down, 3B Ruben Gotay ripped a two-run double inside the left field line, swinging Springfield in front, 3-2. Gotay then came home on an RBI base hit by 1B Xavier Scruggs, capping the four-run rally for the 4-2 lead.
The Travelers cut the deficit down to one run in the top of the fifth inning. C Carlos Ramirez started the frame with a double to left field, and then tagged and took third on a DH Rolando Gomez fly out to center. SS Jimmy Swift bounced an RBI ground out to third, bringing in Ramirez to slice the Cardinals lead to 4-3.
Arkansas struck again in the top of the eighth to square the score. With one on and two down, Arkansas worked consecutive walks to load the bases, before Heid drew a third straight free pass to force in the tying run, 4-4.
After both teams navigated through their halves of the ninth, the Travs took the lead with a pair of runs in the 10th. With two on and one away, Witherspoon placed an RBI base hit to center field, bringing home 2B Taylor Lindsey from second base. On the play, Ramsey's throw from center field redirected off the mound and enabled the runners to take an extra ninety feet, putting men on at second and third. Heid followed with an RBI squeeze bunt, allowing 3B Kaled Cowart to dart home from third base for the two-run advantage, 6-4.
However, Springfield had an answer in the bottom of the 10th. O'Neill started the comeback with a base hit to reach first base with no outs. After a foul out, Gotay belted a game-tying two-run homer over the right field wall, bringing the Cardinals back even at 6-6.
The 6-6 tie remained intact through the next 5.5 extra innings with both teams' bullpens alternating scoreless innings until the bottom of the 16th. A one-out double by C Audry Perez against LHP Nick Maronde (L, 1-2) got the Cards offense going. After a Longmire walk and a strikeout to O'Neill, Ramsey worked a free pass to load the bases with two down. Gotay followed with the game-winning RBI walk for his fifth RBI of the game, forcing in Perez and lifting the Cardinals to the 7-6 walk-off win in 16 frames. RHP Jose Almarante (W, 1-0) tossed three scoreless relief innings to log the win for Springfield.
Texas League Stories from June 8, 2013
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- Hooks Shutdown Missions 5-1 in Series Opener - San Antonio Missions
- Fields, Naturals Down Travs in Opener - Arkansas Travelers
- Fields Powers Naturals to Victory - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Hounds Shutout in Corpus Christi - Midland RockHounds
- Cardinals Walk off in 16th, 7-6, Before 6,994 Fans - Springfield Cardinals
- Cards Walk Past Travs in 16 - Arkansas Travelers
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