TL1 Springfield Cardinals

RockHounds Come Back for Walk-Off 5-4 Win in 14 Innings

August 13, 2015 - Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release


Midland, TX - After DH Anthony Garcia lifted the Springfield Cardinals in front in the top of the 14th, 2B Wade Kirkland delivered a two-run home run in the bottom of the 14th to lift the Midland RockHounds to the 5-4 walk-off win before 3,128 fans at Security Bank Ballpark on Wednesday night.

The game started as a pitchers' duel between Cardinals LHP Kyle Hald and RockHounds RHP Chris Jensen. Both hurlers alternated scoreless inning after scoreless inning through the first six frames.

Once Jensen gave way to the bullpen for the start of the top of the seventh, the Cardinals (24-22, 54-62) cracked the scoreless tie against RHP Jonathan Joseph. RF Nick Martini worked a walk to start the inning, but was retired in a fielder's choice that put 3B Patrick Wisdom on at first base. C Alberto Rosario followed with a single, before both he and Wisdom advanced to second and third, respectively, on a groundout. With two on and two down, and LF Mike O'Neill at the plate, a Joseph pitch got by C Bruce Maxwell for a passed ball, enabling Wisdom to sprint home from third base for the 1-0 Cardinals lead.

The RockHounds (31-15, 66-50), however, came right back in the bottom of the seventh. Hald retired the inning's first out, but a 3B Ryon Healy double led to RHP Corey Baker taking over on the mound. Baker induced a groundball from RF Josh Whitaker, but it skipped away from 1B David Washington with the fielding error putting runners at the corners. LHP Ryan Sherriff entered to face DH Anthony Aliotti, but Aliotti won the battle with a three-run home run to catapult the RockHounds ahead, 3-1.

Sherriff battled back with a scoreless eighth, before the Cardinals evened it in the top of the ninth. Leading off the inning against RHP Seth Frankoff, Martini worked his second of three walks on the night to reach base. Wisdom then crushed a game-tying, two-run home run to left field, his team-leading 14th long-ball of the year, squaring the score at 3-3.

Cardinals RHP Kurt Heyer dealt a 1-2-3 ninth to lead to extra innings, before tossing scoreless frames in the 10th and the 11th. RHP Ronnie Shaban took care of the scoreless 12th inning, followed by a perfect 13th from RHP Joey Donofrio (L, 3-4) to keep the tie intact.

The Cardinals then swung in front in the top of the 14th against C Beau Taylor (W, 1-0), who had taken over on the mound to start the inning. Facing Taylor, C Bruce Caldwell laced a single to left field to get on board. DH Anthony Garcia then rocketed an RBI double to deep left-center field, scoring Caldwell from first base to lift Springfield into the 4-3 advantage.

Trying to close it out, Donofrio began the bottom of the 14th with a groundout before Aliotti sparked the Midland comeback with a double. Donofrio responded with a groundout to second base, leaving Aliotti at third with two outs for 2B Wade Kirkland. With the RockHounds down to their final out and Kirkland down to his final strike, he delivered the game-winning, two-run home run to left field, propelling Midland to the comeback, walk-off 5-4 win in the 14th inning.

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