The Springfield Cardinals completed the sweep of the Frisco RoughRiders with a 4-1 win before 4,662 fans at Hammons Field on Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals wrap up the homestand going 4-2, maintaining at least a 2.5-game lead over the Tulsa Drillers for 1st place in the North Division First Half Standings.
The Cardinals (28-22) swung in front right out of the gates, seizing a two-run lead in the bottom of the first against RHP Luis Ortiz (L, 1-1). With two down, CF Harrison Bader extended the inning with an infield single. On the very next pitch, 1B Luke Voit clobbered a two-run home run to left field, his ninth shot of the season, opening an early 2-0 lead for the Cardinals.
After RHP Andrew Morales (W, 4-4) retired the first 10 RoughRiders that he faced, Frisco (30-19) got on the board in the top of the fourth inning. With one away, RF Preston Beck slugged a solo home run to right field, slicing the deficit to 2-1.
The Cardinals got the run right back in the bottom of the fourth. Voit opened the inning with a free pass, before taking second on a single from RF Anthony Garcia. With two on and no outs, 3B Paul DeJong laced an RBI single to left field for his team-leading 30th RBI on the season and the 3-1 Cardinals lead.
Morales kept the two-run lead intact through the remainder of his start, blanking the RoughRiders in his final three frames. Morales wrapped up with seven one-run innings, allowing just three hits while striking out five.
After Morales struck out the final batter of the 1-2-3 top of the seventh, the Cardinals padded the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Facing RHP Cody Palmquist, C Carson Kelly started the stanza with a single to center field. After moving to second on a groundout, Kelly took third on a base knock from LF C.J. McElroy, Jr. Valera then skied an RBI sacrifice fly back to the wall in right field, bringing in Kelly for the 4-1 lead.
RHP John Brebbia took over for the top of the eighth and picked up right where Morales had left off, tossing a scoreless inning. RHP Josh Lucas then took care of the top of the ninth, helped by a leaping grab by McElroy at the left field fence to start the inning. Lucas struck out the next batter, before inducing a fly out to left field, closing the 4-1 win for Springfield.
