Andrew Buchbinder (Springfield Cardinals Media Relations) Frisco, TX – The Springfield Cardinals blew out the Frisco RoughRiders with an 11-4 win before 8,831 fans at Dr Pepper Ballpark on the 4th of July.
The Cardinals (6-6, 41-41) seized the early advantage in the top of the second against RHP Pedro Payano (L, 1-2). DH Bruce Caldwell worked a walk to open the frame, followed by a single to center field by RF Anthony Garcia. One out later, SS Tommy Edman drilled an RBI double off the right field wall, scoring Caldwell to open a 1-0 lead for Springfield.
Springfield kept swinging away in the top of the third. With one away, LF Casey Turgeon singled, 3B Jacob Wilson walked and Caldwell added a base hit, loading the bases for Garcia. Garcia promptly unloaded the bases with one swing, launching a grand slam beyond the left-center field fence to increase the lead to 5-0.
The Cardinals then blew the game open with five more runs in the top of the fifth inning. Caldwell started the stanza with a single and was joined on base when Garcia worked a walk. 1B John Nogowski then ripped an RBI base hit up the middle, bringing in Caldwell and chasing Payano from the mound. RHP Clayton Cook took over with two on and no outs, and quickly dealt a strikeout to Edman. However, C Gabriel Lino followed with an RBI single, before 2B Dickie Thon unloaded a two-run triple to right-center field plating Nogowski and Lino. With Thon at third, CF Magneuris Sierra placed an RBI groundout to second base, bringing in Thon for the 10-0 lead.
The Cards added an 11th run on a solo home run from Caldwell in the top of the sixth inning, but the RoughRiders (7-5, 38-44) finally found a way onto the board against LHP Austin Gomber (W, 3-6) in the bottom of the sixth. Gomber had limited Frisco to just a single and a walk through his first five frames, before SS Luis Marte knocked the first pitch of the sixth out to left field for a solo home run. One out later, a CF Michael O’Neill single was followed by a two-run home run from LF Scott Heineman, shaving the ‘Riders deficit to 11-3.
Gomber got back on track with a scoreless seventh inning to close his start, but Frisco found a run in the bottom of the eighth against LHP Ian McKinney. O’Neill led off with a walk, before McKinney induced consecutive pop outs. O’Neill scooted to second on defensive indifference, and then came in on an RBI base hit from C Jose Trevino to shallow right-center, decreasing the Frisco deficit to 11-4.
RHP Landon Beck, though, took over for the bottom of the ninth and slammed the door with a 1-2-3 final frame, closing the 11-4 blowout win for Springfield.
