Missions Edge Cardinals with 4-3 Walk-Off Win
April 21, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release
San Antonio, TX - The San Antonio Missions took advantage of a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth, walking off with a 4-3 win against the Springfield Cardinals before 2,152 fans at Wolff Stadium on Monday night.
Cardinals RHP Nick Petree and San Antonio RHP Justin Hancock dueled through the first four scoreless innings, but the Missions (5-6) capitalized on a miscue to rally for three runs in the fifth. LF Alberth Martinez skied a fly ball to deep left field that LF Anthony Garcia couldn't reel in on the warning track, enabling Martinez to get all the way to third on the three-base error. With 2B Rey Bruguera at the plate one out later, Martinez broke for home on a pitch and entered a rundown between third and the plate. With Martinez trying to streak home, 3B Breyvic Valera flipped the ball a little too high for Petree to catch at the plate, and Martinez was able to slide home safely on the play. Bruguera then followed with a single, before moving to second base on a sacrifice bunt from Hancock. CF Travis Jankowski brought in Bruguera with an RBI single and took second on the throw home. After a base hit from SS Trea Turner put runners at the corners, Jankowski scored on an RBI single from 3B Casey McElroy for the 3-0 lead.
The Cardinals (3-8), though, responded right away against Hancock in the top of the sixth inning. Valera sparked the rally with a leadoff walk, followed by a ground-rule double from 2B Jacob Wilson. RF David Washington then squared the score with one big swing, launching a three-run home run over the right field fence to make it 3-3. It was Washington's second long-ball in as many days at Wolff Stadium.
RHP Heath Wyatt kept the tie intact through a scoreless sixth and seventh, followed by a scoreless eighth by RHP Joey Donofrio (L, 0-2). However, the Missions rallied for the walk-off in the bottom of the ninth. Donofrio retired the inning's first batter, but C Jason Hagerty worked a walk to get a man on. Bruguera and pinch-hitting OF Yeison Asencio knocked consecutive singles to load the bases, leading to LHP Justin Wright taking over on the mound to face Jankowski. Wright's first pitch, though, bounced away from C Michael Ohlman, enabling Hagerty to dart in from third and send the Missions to the 4-3 walk-off win. LHP Brandon Alger (W, 2-0) registered the win for San Antonio after tossing a scoreless top of the ninth.
Texas League Stories from April 21, 2015
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- Missions Fall in Extras to Cards in Homestand Finale - San Antonio Missions
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- Naturals Strike Early in Series Finale Win against Frisco - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
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