Missions Can't Climb out of Early Hole in Loss to Cardinals
TL San Antonio Missions

Missions Can't Climb out of Early Hole in Loss to Cardinals

Published on September 9, 2025 under Texas League (TL)
San Antonio Missions News Release


SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The San Antonio Missions (24-39, 63-69) fought back from an early 7-1 deficit, but the comeback fell just short in a 7-5 loss to the Springfield Cardinals (42-22, 85-48). Albert Fabian and Romeo Sanabria each homered, but Springfield's bullpen held onto their series-opening win as San Antonio went 2-12 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.

After a clean first inning, Missions starter Jagger Haynes loaded the bases with a single and a pair of walks in the second. A wild pitch from Haynes gave Springfield their first run of the game before Ramon Mendoza singled in their next two. Through two innings, the Cardinals led 3-0.

San Antonio answered immediately against Springfield starter Chen-Wei Lin when Fabian blasted a solo homer off the right-field batting cages at Hammons Field. His solo shot was 109mph off the bat and went 389 feet while cutting Springfield's edge to 3-1.

Haynes made it through a scoreless third and then handed the game to Fernando Sanchez. The lefty struggled in the fourth. He recorded just one out and allowed an RBI single to Miguel Ugueto as well as a two-run single to Leonardo Bernal. He left the game as Josh Mallitz took over, but a double off Mallitz by Zach Levenson charged a fourth run to Sanchez and made it 7-1 Springfield.

Despite the big hole they dug themselves, San Antonio started climbing out of it in the fifth. With Wei Lin out of the game, Sanabria pulled a two-run homer to left off Ricardo Velez. Still with no one out, Chris Sargent doubled and stayed in scoring position until Damon Dues singled him home, bringing the Missions to within 7-4.

The climb continued in the seventh. Mason Burns, making his Double-A debut for the Cardinals, impressed with a perfect sixth inning, but San Antonio got to him in the seventh. Sanabria singled to start the frame-his third hit of the night-and he scored on Ryan Jackson's RBI double. As the crowd rose to stretch, the Missions trailed by just two.

San Antonio's bullpen did an excellent job keeping the Missions in the game as they crept closer. Mallitz finished 1.2 scoreless innings, Garrett Hawkins followed with two essentially flawless frames and Harry Gustin worked around a single and walk to keep the Missions down just two as the game went into the ninth.

Michael Watson, who had entered in the eighth, allowed just a hit across both the eighth and ninth, securing a 7-5 win for Springfield.

UP NEXT:

The Missions and Cardinals continue their six-games series on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. San Antonio's starter has yet to be announced while lefty Pete Hansen starts for the Cardinals. Catch all the action on Country Legends KKYX, 680 AM, 104.9 FM and kkyx.com. Tickets are available at samissions.com or by calling 210-675-7275.

Check out the San Antonio Missions Statistics

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Texas League Stories from September 9, 2025


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