Springfield, MO – RHP Daniel Poncedeleon blanked the San Antonio Missions through 7.1 scoreless innings to help lead the Springfield Cardinals to the 2-0 shutout win before 3,901 fans at Hammons Field on Friday night.
Both sides received stellar starts as Poncedeleon and Missions RHP Cesar Vargas dueled back and forth on the mound.
In just his second Double-A start, Poncedeleon stifled the Missions (4-4) bats through 7.1 scoreless innings, at one point retiring 13 straight batters. The right-hander rattled off seven strikeouts while scattering only five hits and not allowing a single walk.
Vargas matched Poncedeleon with an outstanding performance of his own, dealing 7.0 shutout innings with only one hit allowed to keep it scoreless through his start.
However, after RHP Chris Thomas (W, 1-0) got the Cardinals (5-3) out of a jam in the top of the eighth, Springfield struck against LHP Ramon Benjamin (L, 0-1) in the bottom of the eighth. 1B Luke Voit ignited the bats with a double to deep left-center field, putting one on for RF David Washington. Washington came through with a towering two-run home run, his second on the year, lifting the Cardinals into the 2-0 lead.
RHP Ronnie Shaban (S, 2) took over for the top of the ninth and promptly slammed the door with a scoreless inning, closing the 2-0 shutout win for Springfield.
