Sparkman Slows Springfield's Sticks in Naturals Win
May 4, 2018 - Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release
SPRINGDALE, Ar. -- Naturals RHP Glenn Sparkman tossed a career-high 8.0 innings to help lead Northwest Arkansas past the Springfield Cardinals, 9-2, before 2,597 fans at Arvest Ballpark on Thursday night.
Springfield (14-11) seized the early advantage against Sparkman (W, 2-2) with a two-out rally in the top of the second inning. LF Victor Roache extended the stanza with a single, before racing all the way home on a booming RBI double from RF Blake Drake for the 1-0 lead.
Cardinals RHP Jake Woodford (L, 2-3) started with three scoreless innings, but Northwest Arkansas (9-17) broke through in the bottom of the fourth. With two on and one away, 1B Alex Liddi scorched an RBI double into the left field corner. A wild pitch brought in the second run of the frame, before Woodford battled back with a groundout for the inning's second out. However, C Luis Villegas reached on a SS Ramon Urias throwing error that brought in one run and led to a two-out RBI single by 3B Jecksson Flores, extending the Naturals lead to 4-1.
After the Naturals added an RBI single by DH Nick Dini in the fifth, the Cards responded with an RBI base hit from league-leader 1B John Nogowski in the sixth to bring Springfield back within three runs, 5-2.
However, Northwest Arkansas padded their lead with four insurance runs against the bullpen in the eighth, accounting for the eventual final score of 9-2.
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