Naturals Slip by Cardinals, 5-4
August 28, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release
Springdale, AR - The Northwest Arkansas Naturals cracked a 4-4 tie with an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh inning, claiming the 5-4 win against the Springfield Cardinals before 3,597 fans at Arvest Ballpark on Thursday night.
After a pair of scoreless innings alternated by Cardinals LHP Jimmy Reed and Naturals RHP Brooks Pounders (W, 3-3), Springfield (27-32, 57-72) seized the lead with one run in the top of the third. LF Nick Martini opened the inning with a sharp single to right field, before taking second on a sacrifice bunt from C Alberto Rosario. After Martini moved to third on a passed ball, SS Breyvic Valera worked a walk to put runners at the corners with one down. CF Charlie Tilson then chopped an RBI fielder's choice that retired Valera at second but brought home Martini from third, lifting the Cardinals into the 1-0 lead.
Northwest Arkansas (24-34, 64-64), though, came roaring back with four runs in the bottom of the third. SS Ramon Torres opened the inning with a game-tying solo shot, squaring the score at 1-1. CF Bubba Starling, RF Jorge Bonifacio and LF Lane Adams then rattled off three straight singles, loading the bases with no outs. Reed battled back with a strikeout of 3B Hunter Dozier, but C Zane Evans pulled a three-run double inside the left field line to swing the Naturals into the 4-1 advantage.
The Cardinals started chipping away immediately, striking for a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. DH Mike O'Neill started the stanza with a walk to reach base. One out later, 1B Jonathan Rodriguez clobbered a towering, two-run home run to left-center field, his 11th long-ball of the year, to bring the Cardinals within one run, 4-3.
After both sides posted a scoreless fifth, Springfield completed the comeback in the top of the sixth inning. Tilson sparked the charged with a triple rocketed into the right field corner. O'Neill promptly plated Tilson from third with an RBI single up the middle, squaring the score at 4-4.
Reed kept the tie intact through his final frame, posting a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth with a pair of strikeouts. He finished with a season-high eight strikeouts through six innings, allowing just the four runs that came home in the third.
However, the Naturals tilted the lead back into their favor against RHP Silfredo Garcia (L, 0-1) in the bottom of the seventh. Following a groundout to start the inning, Garcia struck out Starling, but the third strike got past C Alberto Rosario on a passed ball, enabling Starling to reach first base. Bonifacio then sliced a single to right field that bounced by RF David Washington, with the fielding error enabling Starling to dart home for the Naturals 5-4 lead.
With Pounders's seven innings in the books, Naturals LHP Sam Selman (S, 3) took over to start the top of the eighth. Selman ensured the one-run lead remained intact with a pair of perfect innings, closing the 5-4 win for the Naturals.
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