TL1 Springfield Cardinals

Cardinals Drop Both Games of Sunday Doubleheader to Naturals

Published on May 21, 2018 under Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release


SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - For the first time all season, the Cardinals have lost a home series.

Northwest Arkansas took Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader at Hammons Field 4-1 over Springfield in front of 4,582 fans, just under three hours after winning Game 1 to the tune of a 6-3 final.

The loss dropped Springfield a half game behind the first-place Tulsa Drillers in a Texas League North that currently has all four members separated by two games or fewer.

The Naturals drew first blood with a three-run homer in the first off the bat of Alex Liddi.

Springfield starter Jacob Evans settled down after Liddi's home run, allowing just a single hit over the next four innings. Evans (0-3) tossed five strong innings in his first start of the season, striking out five while allowing three hits and a walk.

Edmundo Sosa doubled home Tommy Edman to cut the Naturals lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third.

Jecksson Flores gave the Naturals an insurance run with a solo shot over the fence in left in the sixth.

Sosa finished with five of Springfield's 13 hits over the two games.

Springfield has struggled to produce runs since coming home from a nine-game road trip, scoring just seven in the first four games of this series.

GAME 1

After being one-hit by a three-pitcher combo that included Alex Reyes and Tyler Lyons on Saturday, the Naturals didn't lack for hits in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader.

Northwest Arkansas scored two runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings, got two RBIs from Nicky Lopez and shut down a Springfield rally in the seventh in a 6-3 final.

The game was delayed for one hour and 36 minutes in the top of the fifth.

Walker Sheller was credited with the win for the Naturals after 2.1 scoreless innings of relief after Springfield put up three runs in four innings off Northwest Arkansas starter Foster Griffin.

Connor Jones was saddled with his first loss of the season. Jones allowed four runs on nine hits and three walks over 3.1 innings.

The Naturals struck first with two runs in the third courtesy of run-scoring singles by Elier Hernandez and Anderson Miller.

Sosa's fourth homer of the season tied the game 2-2 in the bottom half of the third, scoring Stefan Trosclair.

The Naturals reclaimed the lead in the fourth when Brandon Downes and John Brontsema came home on a Lopez single.

Blake Drake drew Springfield within 4-3 in the bottom half of the fourth thanks to a single that scored Granden Goetzman.

Northwest Arkansas put up a pair of runs for the third consecutive inning in the fifth. The first came home courtesy of a Nick Dini single into left. Dini later scored and put the Naturals up 6-3 on a Brontsema sacrifice fly, cementing the final.

UP NEXT

The Cardinals and Naturals close out their five-game series on Monday at 11:10am, so join us at Hammons Field for a nine-inning lunch and enjoy some Day Baseball to kick off your week.

Check out the Springfield Cardinals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from May 21, 2018


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