Andrew Buchbinder (Springfield Cardinals Media Relations) Frisco, Tex. – RHP Jack Flaherty dominated through 6.2 scoreless innings in his Double-A debut to help pace the Springfield Cardinals to the 9-3 win on Opening Day against the Frisco RoughRiders before 9,876 fans at Dr Pepper Ballpark.
Flaherty (W, 1-0) struck out the first batter that he faced and never slowed down, striking out six through his 6.2 innings while allowing only three hits and one walk. No RoughRider advanced into scoring position while Flaherty was on the mound.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals (1-0) jumped in front with a four-run first inning against RHP Connor Sadzeck (L, 0-1). RF Adolis Garcia opened the top of the first with a walk, taking second next on an infield single from 2B Eliezer Alvarez. LF Nick Martini followed with a walk to load the bases, before back-to-back RBI free passes from 3B Bruce Caldwell and DH Jacob Wilson. RHP David Ledbetter took over with three on and no outs, and promptly struck out 1B Casey Grayson. However, SS Alex Mejia pulled a two-run single to left field, plating Martini and Caldwell for the 4-0 lead.
Springfield kept swinging with four more runs in the top of the third. With two down, Wilson extended the inning with a single. Grayson then reached on an error from 2B Andy Ibanez, advancing Wilson around to third base. Mejia delivered his third RBI of the game with a single, scoring Wilson and moving Grayson to second. Both runners then scored on a two-run double to right-center from C Luis Cruz, who quickly came home when CF Oscar Mercado notched his first-career Double-A RBI with a single to make it 8-0.
The Cardinals added a final run in the fourth. Facing RHP Collin Wiles, Alvarez started the stanza by reaching on an error. Martini singled Alvarez to second base, before Wilson brought him in with an RBI single one out later, making it a 9-0 Cardinals lead.
Flaherty held Frisco (0-1) off the board until midway through the seventh when he gave way to RHP Blake McKnight. McKnight capped the scoreless seventh, but the RoughRiders struck in the eighth. With the bases loaded and one away, SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa rifled a three-run double into the right field corner, getting Frisco on the board, 9-3.
However, RHP Corey Baker slammed the door with a scoreless bottom of the ninth, closing the Cardinals decisive 9-3 win to start the 2017 season.
