TULSA, Okla. — LHP Austin Gomber tossed a stifling seven innings to help pace the Springfield Cardinals to the 4-1 win against the Tulsa Drillers before 5,113 fans at ONEOK Field on Sunday afternoon.
The Cardinals (15-13) got the bats going right out of the gates, striking for two runs in the top of the first against RHP Isaac Anderson (L, 0-4). CF Oscar Mercado started the game with a leadoff walk, followed by a base hit from 3B Bruce Caldwell. Anderson dug in and retired the next two in order, but LF Anthony Garcia rifled a two-out RBI single past 2B Jose Fernandez to bring in Mercado and move Caldwell to third base. Caldwell then raced home when a passed ball skipped away from C Wynston Sawyer, doubling the early Cardinals lead to 2-0.
LHP Austin Gomber (W, 2-2) followed the early offense with a pair of scoreless innings, before the Cardinals added to the lead in the top of the third. 1B Jacob Wilson lined a base hit to left field to start the stanza. One out later, 2B Eliezer Alvarez pulled a sharp single through the right side, moving Wilson around to third. C Gabriel Lino then skied an RBI sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Wilson for the 3-0 lead.
The Drillers (13-16) got the run right back in the bottom of the third. With two down and the bases empty, 1B Michael Ahmed drove a solo home run just over the left field fence, shaving the Tulsa deficit to 3-1.
Gomber responded to the homer by retiring the next seven batters in a row, before the Cards stretched the lead back out in the top of the sixth. Alvarez opened the inning with a walk, before racing to third on a double from C Gabriel Lino. In his first game of the season with Springfield, RF Thomas Spitz came through with an RBI single to left field, plating Alvarez to make it 4-1.
Gomber walked the first batter in the bottom of the sixth, but then closed his outing by retiring the next six in a row. Overall, he retired 13 of the last 14 batters that he faced, firing a stellar seven innings with only one run on two hits, two walks and three strikeouts.
RHP Trey Nielsen (S, 1) picked up right where Gomber left off, dealing two perfect innings to close the 4-1 win for the Cardinals.
