SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Cardinals extended their season-long winning streak to five straight games with a 4-1 victory against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals before 2,461 fans at Hammons Field on Monday night.
After Springfield RHP Dakota Hudson (W, 8-4) started the game with a quick and scoreless top of the first, the Cardinals (15-9, 50-44) seized an early lead in the bottom of the first against LHP Foster Griffin (L, 7-2). LF Oscar Mercado led off with a walk, before swiping second base for his league-best 29th steal of the season. 2B Darren Seferina quickly brought Mercado home with an RBI single to right field, lifting the Cardinals into the 1-0 lead.
The Cardinals doubled the advantage in the bottom of the third. With one away, Seferina laced a double inside the third base line, swinging himself into scoring position. One out later, CF Anthony Garcia pulled a two-out RBI single through the left side, plating Seferina from second base for the 2-0 advantage.
Hudson kept the Naturals (11-13, 50-44) off the board through his first four frames, but Northwest Arkansas scratched a run across in the top of the fifth. With one on and two away, 2B Nicky Lopez drove an RBI double to shave the Cardinals lead in half, 2-1.
Springfield, though, got the run right back in the bottom of the fifth. With two away, Seferina extended the stanza with a single. He then came flying in from first base on a two-out RBI double from 1B John Nogowski to deep left-center field, opening the lead back to two runs, 3-1.
The Cardinals kept swinging against LHP Richard Lovelady in the bottom of the sixth. DH Andrew Knizner sparked the charge with a one-out double, his second hit of the game extending an eight-game hitting streak. One out later, SS Tommy Edman brought in Knizner with an RBI single to center field, increasing the lead to 4-1.
Hudson carried his start one out into the top of the seventh, before giving way to RHP Andrew Morales with one on and one out. Morales promptly retired five batters in a row, providing 1.2 perfect relief innings through the eighth. RHP Rowan Wick (S, 2) followed suit with a scoreless ninth, closing the 4-1 win for the Cardinals.
