The Northwest Arkansas Naturals took Game 1 of the North Division Championship Series against the Springfield Cardinals, 9-6, before 2,647 fans at Hammons Field on Wednesday night. The Naturals hold the early lead in the best-of-five game series, 1-game-to-0.
After Cardinals RHP Daniel Poncedeleon and Naturals LHP Eric Skoglund alternated two scoreless innings apiece, the Naturals (1-0) broke through in the top of the third. RF Logan Moon led off with a double, before racing to third on a single from 2B Corey Toups. CF Alfredo Escalera ripped an RBI single through the left side, followed by a base hit from 3B Mauricio Ramos to load the bases. LF Ryan O’Hearn battled out an RBI walk, leading to RHP Trey Nielsen taking over on the mound. 1B Frank Schwindel, though, followed suit with an RBI base hit, before an RBI sacrifice fly from DH Samir Duenez increased the lead to four runs. The Cardinals (0-1) got out of the jam with a diving stop by rehabbing St. Louis Cardinals SS Aledmys Diaz and a strikeout from Nielsen, closing the inning with Northwest Arkansas only ahead, 4-0.
Northwest Arkansas added to the lead in the top of the fourth. With Toups at second and two away, Ramos rocketed an RBI single to left field, scoring Toups to make it a 5-0 advantage.
The Cardinals started chipping away in the bottom of the fourth against Skoglund. With two away and the bases empty, DH Bruce Caldwell belted a solo blast to left-center field, shaving down the deficit to 5-1.
Springfield then raced back even with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. With one away, C Jesse Jenner reached on a throwing error charged to 3B Mauricio Ramos. RF Allen Staton followed with an infield single, putting two men on to start the stanza. LF Vaughn Bryan brought both runners home with a two-run triple to right-center field, cutting the Naturals lead to 5-3. With Bryan at third base, Diaz brought him home with an RBI sacrifice fly to left field. With two outs and the bases empty, CF Harrison Bader extended the inning with a single up the middle, taking second base when CF Alfredo Escalera bobbled the ball in center field. 1B Luke Voit then scorched a game-tying RBI single past 1B Frank Schwindel, bringing home Bader to square the score, 5-5.
Northwest Arkansas, however, swung right back in front in the top of the sixth against RHP Robby Rowland. With one down, 2B Corey Toups drilled a solo home run, lifting the Naturals ahead, 6-5.
Rowland worked out of the sixth with no further damage, before RHP Dakota Hudson, the Cardinals 1st-round pick in the 2016 June Draft, dealt a perfect seventh inning in his Double-A debut.
The Naturals added to the advantage in the top of the eighth inning against RHP Ronnie Shaban. With one on and one down, Toups went yard again, this time with a two-run blast to make it a three-run lead. One out later, Ramos and O’Hearn extended the inning with consecutive singles. Schwindel then added a final run with an RBI base hit, scoring Ramos for the 9-5 lead.
The Cardinals responded with a run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Facing RHP Reid Redman, Voit led off with a double, followed right away by a free pass from Caldwell. After RHP Mark Peterson (S, 1) took over on the mound, 3B Paul DeJong ripped a base hit through the left side, loading the bases with no outs. 2B Jacob Wilson skied an RBI sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Voit to bring Springfield within three runs, 9-6.
Peterson, though, navigated Northwest Arkansas through the rest of the inning with no further damage, before posting a scoreless ninth to close the 9-6 win for the Naturals.
