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TL1 Springfield Cardinals

Cardinals Blast by Naturals, 13-8

May 8, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release


Springfield, MO - The Springfield Cardinals scored seven runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, blowing by the Northwest Arkansas Naturals for the 13-8 win before 4,779 fans at Hammons Field on Thursday night. Both teams combined to hit eight home runs in the game, four from each side, as the Cardinals win snaps an 11-game winning streak for Northwest Arkansas.

Both lineups started the game on fire, combining for nine runs in the opening inning. The Naturals (17-10) jumped out to a five-run advantage in the top of the first against RHP Mike Mayers. SS Dusty Coleman drove the game's second pitch over the left field fence for a leadoff solo home run. 2B Angel Franco followed with a single, before an RBI double from DH Balbino Fuenmayor one out later. After a walk and a strikeout put two men on with two outs, LF Mike Bianucci drove a three-run home run to left, lifting the Naturals into the 5-0 lead.

The Cardinals (7-20) countered with four runs of their own in the bottom of the first against RHP Matt Murray. CF Charlie Tilson led off with a line drive single to center field and quickly stole his team-leading 11th base, motoring to second. A base hit from RF Nick Martini moved Tilson to third, putting two on with no outs for 3B Jacob Wilson. Wilson grounded the ball to third, which 3B Hunter Dozier fielded and fired to second to try to start a double play. However, Martini beat the throw at second while Tilson darted home, with one run scoring and everyone being safe on the RBI fielder's choice. With two on and still no outs, 1B David Washington crushed a towering three-run blast into Homers Landing in right field, bringing the Cardinals within one run of tying it, 5-4.

Both hurlers tossed a scoreless second inning, before the home runs started flying again in the third. Naturals CF Bubba Starling smacked a two-run shot in the top of the third, increasing the Northwest Arkansas lead to 7-4. However, in the bottom of the third, Wilson unloaded a solo bomb to left field, bringing the Cardinals back within two runs, 7-5.

Following the third, Mayers found his groove on the mound, posting three subsequent scoreless innings. He retired 10 of his last 11 batters on the night, keeping the Cardinals within striking distance through his six innings.

And strike, the Cardinals did in the bottom of the sixth. Leading off the inning against RHP Aroni Nina (L, 1-1), Washington slugged his second shot of the day, a solo home run over the left-center field fence to make it just a one-run deficit, 7-6. With the long-ball, Washington becomes the first Cardinal this season to hit two out of the park in the same game. He has hit three homers in his last two contests and is up to five on the year.

Just activated from the Disabled List on Wednesday, Cardinals RHP Jordan Swagerty (W, 1-0) took over on the mound in the top of the seventh for his season debut. The former 2nd-round pick from the 2010 June Draft, who first debuted for Springfield in 2011 but has battled injuries since, retired his first batter in the seventh with a pop out. However, with two down and the bases clear, Franco pulled a solo home run to right field, increasing the Naturals lead back to two runs, 8-6.

The Cardinals, though, battled back right away with an offensive explosion in the bottom of the seventh. 2B Alex Mejia got the charge going with a leadoff walk, before moving to second on a sharp single to left from Tilson. Martini then chopped an RBI single through the right side of the infield, bringing in Mejia and moving Tilson to third. Wilson was then hit by a pitch, loading the bases with no outs for Washington. Nina, though, won the battle against the Cardinals slugger, dealing a strikeout for the frame's first out. With the bases still full and one down, C Michael Ohlman drove a two-run single to left-center field, scoring Tilson and Martini, and leading to a third run scoring on an error. On the play, Naturals 1B Alex Liddi cut off the throw from left-center and tried to retire Wilson at third base. However, Liddi threw the ball past third, with the throwing error enabling Wilson to score on the play and Ohlman to wind up all the way at third base. The three runs that came racing home on the single and error lifted the Cardinals into their first lead of the night, 10-8. After an infield single from LF Breyvic Valera, RHP Malcom Culver took over on the mound. Culver retired the second out in the inning, but DH Anthony Garcia launched a two-out, three-run home run to left field, the fourth blast of the game for Springfield and Garcia's second in as many days, making it a 13-8 lead for the Cardinals.

RHP Joey Donofrio took over for the eighth and dealt a quick, scoreless frame. RHP Heath Wyatt then followed suit with a scoreless top of the ninth, slamming the door in the 13-8 win for Springfield.

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