NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR – After an initial rain delay of one hour and 52 minutes, the Springfield Cardinals swept the Arkansas Travelers in Friday’s doubleheader with a 7-5 win in Game 1 and a 4-0 win in Game 2, both of which were seven innings.
Game 1: Cardinals 7 vs. Travelers 5
After the lengthy initial rain delay, the Springfield Cardinals (17-14) came out swinging in the top of the first against RHP Dylan Unsworth (L, 1-3). After CF Oscar Mercado reached on an error and DH Bruce Caldwell singled, RF Adolis Garcia brought both runners home with a two-run double. 3B Jacob Wilson followed with an RBI single, before an RBI double by LF Anthony Garcia. Garcia raced home on an RBI single from 2B Eliezer Alvarez, who later scored on an error to cap the six-run rally with a 6-0 lead for Springfield.
The Cardinals added to the lead in the top of the fifth. With two away and the bases empty, 1B Casey Grayson slugged a solo home run to right field, stretching the lead to 7-0.
Cardinals RHP Jack Flaherty (W, 6-0) had kept the Travelers (12-21) bats quiet through his first four scoreless frames, before Arkansas got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. With one away, SS Joey Wong doubled himself on and quickly came home on an RBI single by 3B Nelson Ward. Ward went to second on a base hit from LF Chuck Taylor, and then CF Ian Miller brought him in with an RBI double to slice the deficit to 7-2.
Flaherty finished his outing with a perfect bottom of the sixth, allowing just the two runs on six hits with one walk and five strikeouts to remain undefeated this season.
RHP Tyler Bray took over to start the bottom of the seventh, the final regulation inning, but Arkansas refused to go down without a fight. The Travs loaded the bases with no outs on a pair of singles and a walk, but Bray battled back with a strikeout. With three on and one down, 1B Ryan Casteel skied an RBI sacrifice fly to left field. A walk reloaded the bases, before C Tyler Marlette placed a two-run single to shallow center field. With the tying runs on the bases and two away, RHP Blake McKnight (S, 2) took over on the mound and slammed the door, striking out DH Chantz Mack to close the 7-5 win in seven innings for Springfield.
Game 2: Cardinals 4 vs. Travelers 0
The Cardinals (18-14) and Travelers (12-22) battled back and forth through four scoreless innings to start game two, before Springfield broke through in the top of the fifth inning. LF Thomas Spitz sparked the rally with a single, before DH Dickie Joe Thon worked a walk one out later. After a strikeout, 2B Bruce Caldwell laced an RBI single to left field, scoring Spitz for the 1-0 lead.
The Cardinals padded the lead with three runs in the top of the seventh. With one down, C Jesse Jenner worked a walk, before Thon singled himself on. A wild pitch advanced both runners, before CF Oscar Mercado lined a two-run single to left field for a three-run advantage. Mercado stole second base, before racing in one out later on an RBI base hit from RF Adolis Garcia to make it 4-0.
Springfield RHP Trey Nielsen made the spot start with three scoreless innings before giving way to the bullpen. RHP Corey Baker (W, 1-1) followed with 1.1 scoreless stanzas, before 1.2 shutout frames from LHP Chandler Hawkins. RHP Pedro Echemendia then dealt a final scoreless inning, blanking the Travs in the bottom of the seventh to close the 4-0 shutout win for the Cardinals in seven innings.
The Cardinals continue the road trip in Arkansas on Saturday at 5:30pm.
