Weaver Dominates in Debut as Cards Blank Frisco, 5-0
Published on June 5, 2016 under Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release
Frisco, TX - RHP Luke Weaver racked up a career-high 10 strikeouts through 7.1 scoreless innings in his Double-A debut, leading the Springfield Cardinals to the 5-0 shutout win against the Frisco RoughRiders before 9,146 fans at Dr Pepper Ballpark on Sunday evening.
After Weaver (W, 1-0) and RoughRiders RHP Luis Ortiz (L, 1-2) alternated two scoreless innings to start, including Weaver striking out the side in the second, the Cardinals bats broke through in the top of the third. RF Breyvic Valera and LF Collin Radack sparked the rally with consecutive singles to start the inning. A sacrifice bunt from SS Juan Herrera advanced both runners into scoring position, before CF Harrison Bader was hit by a pitch to load the bases. 2B Bruce Caldwell then came through with an RBI single just inside the left field line, plating Valera for the go-ahead run. One out later, 1B Luke Voit struck with a two-out, two-run single to left field, scoring Radack and Bader to triple the early advantage to 3-0.
Weaver ensured the lead would last, shutting down the RoughRiders (32-22) through his stifling 7.1 innings. One of the top prospects in the Cardinals system, the 22 year old rattled off nine straight outs from the end of the fourth through the first two outs in the seventh, and did not allow a single runner to advance past first base until a C Kellin Deglan double started the eighth. Weaver bounced back from the double with a strikeout of SS Alberto Triunfel, his career-best 10th strikeout of the night to close his outing.
While Weaver was blanking the RoughRiders, the Cardinals added some breathing room with one in the eighth against RHP Jose Valdespina. Caldwell worked a walk to start the stanza, before DH Jonathan Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to put two men on. Voit then singled himself on to load the bases, before Valdespina battled back with a strikeout. With three on and one away, C Michael Ohlman ripped his first pitch through the left side for an RBI single, scoring Caldwell and making it 4-0.
After Weaver exited with one on and one down in the bottom of the eighth, RHP Ronnie Shaban took over and retired the final two outs in the eighth in order.
The Cardinals then added one final blow in the top of the ninth. With one away and the bases empty, Bader blasted his 13th home run of the year, a solo shot to left-center field, tacking on a fifth run to the Cardinals lead.
Shaban then worked around a two-out single to slam the door with a scoreless bottom of the ninth, closing the 5-0 shutout win for the Cardinals.
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