The Northwest Arkansas Naturals won the series opener against the 1st-Half North Division Champion Springfield Cardinals, 8-1, before 4,161 fans at Arvest Ballpark on Thursday night.
The Naturals (15-12, 44-53) came out swinging against former Natural and current Cardinals RHP J.C. Sulbaran (L, 2-2), opening a one-run lead in the bottom of the first inning. CF Terrance Gore led off with a walk, before stealing his way to second base. After a Sulbaran strikeout, 1B Ryan O'Hearn drove an RBI triple off the left-center field fence, bringing in Gore from second base for the 1-0 lead.
The Cardinals (10-17, 51-46) battled right back in the top of the second against RHP Ashton Goudeau (W, 3-9). LF Jonathan Rodriguez reached base with one down when he scorched a single up the middle. Rodriguez then raced all the way home on an RBI double crushed by DH Allen Staton to right-center field, tying the game at 1-1.
The Naturals powered back in front with a pair of homers in the bottom of the second. With one down, C Cam Gallagher delivered a go-ahead solo blast to left field. After Sulbaran struck out SS Humberto Arteaga, RF Logan Moon and Gore worked consecutive two-out walks. 2B Corey Toups then cashed in with a two-out, three-run homer to left field, opening the advantage to 5-1 for the Naturals.
Sulbaran dug in with three straight scoreless innings to close his five-inning outing and keep the Cardinals within striking distance.
LHP Justin Wright followed Sulbaran with a scoreless sixth, but the Naturals padded the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Facing RHP Rowan Wick, Gore singled himself on with a one-out single, followed by a walk from Toups. A free pass drawn by O'Hearn loaded the bases and led to LHP Chandler Hawkins taking over on the mound. Making his Double-A debut for Springfield, Hawkins induced a fly out to left from 3B Mauricio Ramos, though it did serve as a sacrifice fly to score Gore from third. DH Zane Evans then pulled an RBI single to left field, plating Toups for the 7-1 lead.
Hawkins worked out of the seventh with no further damage, but Gallagher dealt one final blow with a leadoff home run in the eighth, his second long-ball of the night, increasing the Northwest Arkansas advantage to 8-1.
After a pair of scoreless relief innings from RHP Evan Beal, LHP Sam Selmon closed the 8-1 win for the Naturals with a scoreless top of the ninth.
