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TL1 Springfield Cardinals

Cards Rally for 7-5 Win

May 19, 2005 - Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release


Travis Hanson and Robinson Cancel each homered as the Springfield Cardinals rallied for a 7-5 win over the Arkansas Travelers on Thursday night. The win for the Cards snaps a two-game losing streak and gives the Cardinals their first win in six tries over the Travs.

Randy Leek (3-2) snapped a personal two-game skid, getting around four early Arkansas runs. Leek surrendered a three-run blast to Mike Napoli in the second, followed by a solo shot to Mike Eylward for a 4-0 Arkansas advantage. It's the second time in two games that the Travs have hit back-to-back homers.

Travis Hanson's solo shot to right-center in the bottom of the second, his seventh of the year, put the Cards on the board at 4-1.

The game remained that way until Springfield exploded for a five-run fifth. Reid Gorecki got the inning started with a single, then moved to second as Kevin Estrada reached on an error. After Andy Schutzenhofer singled to load the bases, Tyler Minges walked on four pitches to make it 4-2. That would be all for Travs starter Tim Bittner (1-3). Travis Hanson would then knock in two runs with a single off of Arkansas reliever Casey Olenberger. Robinson Cancel and Papo Bolivar would each collect a sac fly, capping the five-run frame with a 6-4 Cards lead.

The two teams exchanged runs in the seventh, as Arkansas picked up a run against new Cards reliever Evan Rust, making it 6-5. Robinson Cancel's solo homer in the bottom of the inning, his third of the season, made it 7-5.

The Travs would have their chances in the late innings, leaving men on board in the final two frames. The Travs got back-to-back walks to open the eighth, but Josh Kinney got the final two outs with runners at second and third to end the threat. In the ninth, Kinney issued two rare walks to open the frame, putting the tying runs on base. David Gates hit a fly ball deep to center for the first out of the inning. On the play, runners attempted to tag and move up from first and second. Eric Aybar was thrown out at second by Shaun Boyd though, for the second out of the inning. Kinney then struck out Tommy Murphy for the game's final out, securing his tenth save of the year.

The win for the Cards takes their record to 18-22, while the Travs fall to 21-19. Springfield sends Jeremy Cook (2-1) to the mound on Friday night, while the Travs go with Daniel Davidson (4-1). Friday night is AM Pyrotechnics Friday Night Fireworks. Tickets are still available at (417) 863-2143 or online at www.springfieldcardinals.com. Game time on Friday night is 7:10 at Hammons Field.

The Cards made a transaction on Thursday night, sending pitcher Buddy Blair to Palm Beach of the Florida State League and filling the roster spot with right-handed reliever Evan Rust. Blair was 1-6 with the Cards in eight starts. Rust was 1-0 for the Memphis Redbirds working out of the bullpen in 13 games.

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