FRISCO, Texas — The Frisco RoughRiders claimed the series opener with a hard-fought 8-4 win against the Springfield Cardinals before 9,835 fans at Dr Pepper Ballpark on Sunday night.
Frisco (6-4, 37-43) dealt the first blow in the bottom of the second against RHP Sandy Alcantara. After an inning-opening double from RF Luke Tendler, C Jose Trevino slugged a two-run home run to left field, opening the 2-0 advantage for the RoughRiders.
After five scoreless innings from Frisco RHP Tyler Davis to start, Springfield (5-5, 40-40) broke through in the top of the sixth. With two down and the bases empty, LF Casey Turgeon belted a solo blast to left field, his first-career Double-A home run, shaving the Cardinals deficit to 2-1.
The Riders, though, countered with two tallies in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two on and one away, Trevino struck again with a two-run single for his third and fourth RBIs of the game, increasing the Frisco advantage to 4-1.
The Cardinals battled right back in the top of the seventh against LHP Brady Feigl. With one away, RF Anthony Garcia got the charge going with a base hit up the middle. 1B John Nogowski then followed with a two-run home run to left field, his second homer in just his fourth game with Springfield, bringing the Cardinals back within one run. The very next batter, SS Tommy Edman, followed with a triple to right field, before C Jesse Jenner brought him home with a game-tying RBI sacrifice fly to square the score at 4-4.
The RoughRiders, however, tilted the lead back in their favor with a four-run rally in the bottom of the eighth. Facing RHP Blake McKnight (L, 1-5), LF Michael O’Neill worked a one-out walk. O’Neill stole second base, before McKnight induced a groundout to the mound for the frame’s second out. The Cardinals elected to intentionally walk Tendler, but Trevino came through with a go-ahead RBI single, plating O’Neill for Trevino’s fifth RBI of the night. LHP Corey Littrell took over to face 1B Eric Aguilera but hit him with a pitch, loading the bases for 2B Andy Ibanez. RHP Andrew Morales entered the game, but Ibanez worked an RBI walk, forcing home Tendler from third and keeping the bases loaded. 3B Luis Marte then muscled a two-run single to shallow left field, opening the Frisco lead to 8-4.
The Cardinals threatened in the top of the ninth with a two-out single by Jenner and a walk from DH Dickie Joe Thon, but RHP Nick Gardewine induced a game-ending fielder’s choice from CF Magneuris Sierra to close the 8-4 win for Frisco.
