The Springfield Cardinals scored two runs in the top of the ninth and got the two potential game-tying runs into scoring position, but the Midland RockHounds escaped with a 5-3 win before 3,651 fans at Security Bank Ballpark on Thursday night.
With 17 games remaining in the 1st Half, the Cardinals lead for 1st place is 1.0 game over the Tulsa Drillers and 2.5 games over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
The RockHounds (27-25) dealt the first blow in the bottom of the third against RHP Trey Nielsen (L, 5-4). With the bases loaded and no outs after a single, an error and a bunt base hit, CF Brett Vertigan forced in the game's first run with an RBI walk. One out later, RF Tyler Marincov bounced into an RBI fielder's choice that brought in 3B Yairo Munoz from third base, doubling the early advantage to 2-0.
Midland struck for two more in the bottom of the fourth. C Beau Taylor led off with a single, before an inside-the-park home run from SS Franklin Barreto. Barreto drove it back to the center field wall, with CF Harrison Bader scaling the fence to try to rob the extra-base hit. However, the ball bounced off the fence just out of Bader's outstretched reach, enabling Taylor to come home and Barreto to fly around and touch them all, making it a 4-0 Midland lead.
The RockHounds rallied for one more in the bottom of the fifth. After a one-out walk from 1B Viosergy Rosa, he raced around to third on a single by C Beau Taylor. Barreto then looped an RBI single into shallow left field, bringing home Rosa for the 5-0 advantage.
After RockHounds RHP Raul Alcantara kept the Cardinals (29-24) off the board through his first five frames, Springfield broke through in the top of the sixth. With two away and the bases clear, 3B Jonathan Rodriguez crushed a mammoth solo home run beyond the high wall in left field, bringing Springfield within four runs, 5-1.
The Cardinals refused to go down without a fight, rallying in the top of the ninth against RHP Jake Sanchez. With one away, RF Anthony Garcia rifled a double to right field to spark the charge. One out later, C Carson Kelly was hit by a pitch to keep the game going. With two on and two down, SS Breyvic Valera lined an RBI single to left field, scoring Garcia and moving Kelly to second. LF Collin Radack followed suit, slicing an RBI single of his own to right field to bring in Kelly and bring the Cards within two runs, 5-3. A wild pitch with CF Harrison Bader at the plate advanced both runners into scoring position, but Sanchez won the battle with a strikeout and the RockHounds escaped with the 5-3 win.
