Springfield, MO – RHP Mike Mayers struck out a career-high 10 batters through 7.2 dominant innings to help lead the Springfield Cardinals to the decisive 9-1 win against the Midland RockHounds before 3,168 fans at Hammons Field on Thursday night. The Cardinals keep their lead for 1st place in the North Division First Half Standings at 1.5 games over the Tulsa Drillers.
The Cardinals (25-22) came out swinging against RHP Raul Alcantara (L, 4-3), batting around in the bottom of the first. LF C.J. McElroy, Jr. led off with a bunt single that led to a throwing error on C Beau Taylor, enabling McElroy, Jr. to take second on the play. One out later, CF Harrison Bader sent a towering two-run home run to left field for his team-leading eighth long-ball, swinging the Cardinals onto the board. The very next batter, 1B Luke Voit, followed suit right away, blasting a solo home run to right-center, his eighth of the year. 3B Paul DeJong then ripped a single to center field that got behind CF Brett Vertigan, with the fielding error enabling DeJong to get all the way to third on the play. SS Alex Mejia capped the first-inning charge with an RBI sacrifice fly to left field, plating DeJong to increase the lead to 4-0.
Mayers (W, 5-2) posted a quick and scoreless top of the second, before Springfield went back on the attack in the bottom of the frame. With one away, DH Bruce Caldwell and Bader ripped back-to-back base hits, putting runners at the corners. Voit worked a walk to load the bases, followed by an RBI fielder's choice from DeJong to bring in Caldwell. Alcantara avoided further damage in the inning, but Springfield padded the lead to 5-0.
The Cardinals further stretched the advantage in the bottom of the fifth. With two away, SS Alex Mejia extended the inning with a double to center field. C Carson Kelly came through with a two-out RBI single through the left side, increasing the lead to 6-0.
Meanwhile, Mayers continued to baffle the Midland (24-22) bats with scoreless work through his first five innings. After allowing a double to start the game, Mayers did not allow another hit until one out in the sixth. During that stretch, the only RockHound that reached base was LF J.P. Sportman, who struck out but reached safely when the put-away pitch bounced past Kelly.
Mayers' 17-batter hitless streak was broken up in the top of the sixth. With one away, CF Brett Vertigan knocked a solo home run to right field, getting the RockHounds on the board. Mayers bounced back with a groundout and his ninth strikeout of the night, closing his sixth inning of work with the Cardinals ahead, 6-1.
The Cardinals got the run right back and more in the bottom of the seventh against RHP Alex Avila. With one away, Voit ripped a double inside the left field line. After moving to third on a fly out, Voit darted home on a two-out RBI single from Mejia. Kelly then crushed a two-run blast to left-center field, his third homer of the year, making it a 9-1 lead for Springfield.
Mayers retired the first out in the seventh with his career-best 10th strikeout, before inducing a fielder's choice for the second out. However, after a two-out single put two runners on, Mayers exited the mound after 7.2 excellent innings, allowing just the one run on four hits while striking out the 10 RockHounds.
RHP Pedro Echemendia quickly retired the final out in the eighth, before dealing a perfect ninth to slam the door on Midland and close the Cardinals blowout 9-1 win.
Click here for the complete box score from Thursday's game.
