The Springfield Cardinals plated a pair in the top of the ninth, but the Arkansas Travelers hung on for the 6-4 win before 5,081 fans at Dickey-Stephens Park on Sunday afternoon.
After Cardinals RHP Daniel Poncedeleon (L, 2-4) and Travelers RHP Jordan Kipper (W, 4-2) alternated three scoreless frames, the Travs (18-25) broke through in the bottom of the fourth. With one away, 1B Eric Aguilera and DH Jabari Henry connected on consecutive solo home runs, opening a 2-0 lead. One out later, LF Bo Way worked a walk and quickly stole his way to second base. 3B Angel Rosa brought in Way with an RBI single, before racing home on an RBI triple by SS Anthony Phillips for the 4-0 lead.
RHP Kevin Herget came in for the final out in the fourth, but the Travs struck for two runs against the right-hander in the fifth. With one away, CF Chad Hinshaw reached on a bunt single, before stealing his way to second. Herget bounced back with a strikeout, but then Henry followed with a broken-bat RBI single to left field, bringing in Hinshaw.
Herget dug in for the sixth, striking out the side, before Springfield (23-20) started chipping away in the seventh. With Kipper still on the mound, C Carson Kelly laced a single up the middle, his second hit of the day, to reach base with one down. DH Nick Thompson then crushed a two-run home run to left field, his first long-ball in Double-A, swinging the Cardinals onto the board, 6-2.
The Cardinals refused to go down without a fight, rallying for two more in the top of the ninth. Thompson sparked the charge with a single, followed right away by a base hit from LF C.J. McElroy, Jr. 2B Alex Mejia then bounced a ball to second base that got by 2B Alex Yarbrough on a fielding error, enabling Thompson to race home and McElroy, Jr. to motor to third. McElroy, Jr. then darted home on a double-play ball from RF Breyvic Valera, bringing Springfield within two runs but also down to their final out. LHP Tyler DeLoach (S, 1) took over to face SS Bruce Caldwell and won the battle, inducing a game-ending groundout as the Travs escaped with the 6-4 win.
