TL1 Springfield Cardinals

RoughRiders Avoid Sweep with Hard-Fought 8-7 Win

Published on June 5, 2015 under Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release


Springfield, MO - After the Springfield Cardinals took the first two games of the series, guaranteeing the series win, the Frisco RoughRiders avoided the sweep by winning the finale, 8-7, before 4,926 fans at Hammons Field on Thursday night.

The RoughRiders (22-31) dealt an early blow with two runs in the top of the first inning against RHP Andrew Morales. After a leadoff single by CF Nick Williams, SS Beamer Weems reached on a fielding error that also enabled Williams to race to third base. An RBI groundout to second base from RF Nomar Mazara brought in Williams and advanced Weems to second. 2B Drew Robinson then struck with an RBI single, scoring Weems for the early 2-0 lead.

The Cardinals (19-34) wasted no time tying it up, striking for a pair of runs against LHP Frank Lopez in the bottom of the first. CF Charlie Tilson started the stanza with a double to right-center field, swinging himself into scoring position. Two outs later with Tilson at third, 1B Jonathan Rodriguez brought the Cardinals back even with one big swing, launching a two-run home run to left field for the 2-2 tie.

However, Frisco promptly swung back in front in the top of the second. 3B Edwin Garcia worked a walk to start the inning, followed quickly by a two-run shot from 1B Trever Adams to left field, lifting the RoughRiders back in front, 4-2.

Morales kept the RoughRiders from adding to the lead in the top of the third, before Springfield once again battled back in the bottom of the third. SS Aledmys Diaz led off with a single, followed right away by a double to left field from RF Jeremy Hazelbaker. One out later, DH Anthony Garcia drove a game-tying two-run double to right-center field, bringing in both Diaz and Hazelbaker to even the score, 4-4.

Facing Frisco RHP Jesus Pirela in the bottom of the fifth, the Cardinals went back on the attack to seize their first lead of the game. Hazelbaker sparked the charge with a bunt single to lead off the inning. Rodriguez quickly worked a walk, putting two on with no outs. After a sacrifice bunt from Garcia, C Michael Ohlman came up with runners at second and third and only one away. Ohlman came through with a screaming single through the middle, scoring Hazelbaker from third base. Rodriguez also tried to score on the single, but CF Nick Williams dealt a bullet home to throw out Rodriguez and limit the Cardinals lead to one run, 5-4.

The RoughRiders, though, came right back in the top of the sixth inning after Morales had kept them scoreless through his previous three frames. Opening the inning, DH Jorge Alfaro struck out on a wild pitch that got far enough away from C Michael Ohlman to enable Alfaro to reach first base. Garcia and Adams then both reached on singles, loading the bases with no outs. LF Preston Beck then pulled a two-run double to right field, swinging Frisco back in front, 6-5. With RHP Chris Thomas taking over on the mound, C Patrick Cantwell padded the new lead with an RBI single that brought in Adams and moved Beck to third. Thomas, though, induced a pair of fielder's choices that retired back-to-back RoughRiders at the plate, before dealing a strikeout to RF Nomar Mazara, getting the Cardinals out of the jam with the Frisco lead only at 7-5.

The Cardinals once again refused to stay down, rallying to tie it in the bottom of the seventh against LHP Cody Ege (W, 1-1). Rodriguez and Ohlman both reached with a walk apiece around a pair of outs. With two on and two down, 3B Patrick Wisdom reached safely on a fielding error by SS Beamer Weems, enabling the inning to continue with the bases loaded. LF Breyvic Valera took advantage of the opportunity, ripping a two-run single up the middle to bring in Rodriguez and Ohlman, squaring the score at 7-7.

Frisco once again broke the tie, this time with the final blow in the top of the eighth inning. Facing LHP Iden Nazario (L, 0-2), Adams led off with a triple. After a walk drawn by Beck, Cantwell skied an RBI sacrifice fly to plate Adams for the 8-7 lead.

Frisco RHP David Martinez (S, 4) took over for the bottom of the eighth and kept the RoughRiders narrow advantage intact through the final two frames, closing the hard-fought 8-7 win for Frisco.

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