TL1 Springfield Cardinals

Cardinals Beat Naturals 11-5

Published on July 30, 2011 under Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release


Springfield, MO - Wearing jerseys modeled from 1936, the Cardinals turned over a new leaf on their season, defeating the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 11-5 for their fifth straight win.

Matt Adams and Eric Duncan both went 2-4 and added four RBIs each leading Springfield to the victory. With the win, the Cardinals are only two games back of first place in the Texas League's second-half standings.

New Cardinal ace Shelby Miller (6-2, 2.29 ERA) figured to be the perfect candidate to lead Springfield to a fifth straight win. Sine his June 2 debut, Miller has taken the Texas League by storm. The young right-hander is tied for first in the Texas League in wins, third in ERA and fourth in strikeouts in that time frame.

The top of the first was more of the same from Miller, striking out the leadoff hitter and inducing an inning-ending double play.

Like a metronome, success steadily swayed to the Cardinal offense in the bottom half of the inning. Jim Rapoport and Ryan Jackson both reached to get a threat going, and Rapoport would come around to score on an RBI ground out from Charlie Cutler, giving Springfield a 1-0 lead.

Northwest Arkansas would get right back off the mat and tie the game using the long ball. Designated hitter Jamie Romak homered over the short porch in left field, evening the game at 1-1. Romak's home run was only the second conceded this year by Miller.

Former first round pick (16th overall, 2006) Jeremy Jeffress (0-0, 3.86 ERA) got the start for Northwest Arkansas. Jeffress' start was just his third of the season at Double-A.

Jeffress struggled mightily to find the strike zone, throwing only 39 strikes against 39 balls. His problems finding the plate led to a three-run bottom of the third for Springfield. Walks to Jackson and Zack Cox gave the bottom half of the lineup an opportunity to put runs on the board. Jose Garcia and Eric Duncan obliged, using an RBI single and a two-run RBI double, respectively, to put the Cardinals back on top, 4-1.

Despite missing nineteen games with an oblique injury in June, Matt Adams took sole possession of first place in the race for most Texas League RBIs (78) with a two-out RBI single to right in the bottom of the fourth. Adams' single increased the Springfield lead to 5-1.

Miller's night ended early in the top of the fifth, reaching 101 pitches without recording an out in the fifth frame. Three consecutive hits to start the inning knocked Miller out of the game (4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 R, 3 BB, 7 Ks). An RBI single from Derrick Robinson and a sacrifice fly by Wil Myers trimmed the Springfield lead to 5-3 after five and a half.

The Naturals and Cardinals swapped runs in the bottom of the sixth and the top of the seventh, setting up a fight to the finish.

Or so we thought.

After retiring the first two in the bottom of the seventh, Northwest Arkansas reliever Andrew Dobies let the Cardinals get a rally going, issuing two free passes and falling victim to an error by his shortstop. Given a chance to do some major damage, Matt Adams delivered a knockout blow. Adams' deep fly ball off the top of the center field wall allowed all three Cardinal base runners to score and gave Springfield a 9-4 lead.

Eighth inning home runs by Northwest Arkansas' Romak and Springfield's Duncan gave the game an 11-5 final score.

Springfield will continue their four-game series with the NW Arkansas Naturals Sunday night at 6:07pm. The Cardinals will send right hander Joe Kelly to the mound against lefty Chris Dwyer of the Naturals.

Every Sunday is Hiland Dairy Ice Cream Sunday where all kids coming into the park receive a free ice cream treat on the Prime Patio and kids run the bases after the game thanks to the Missouri National Guard. Great tickets are still available by visiting the Hammons Field Ticket Office, online at springfieldcardinals.com or by calling (417) 863-2143.

Check out the Springfield Cardinals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from July 30, 2011


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