Andrew Buchbinder (Springfield Sports Information) San Antonio, TX – The San Antonio Missions struck for five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, claiming the comeback win, 8-5, against the Springfield Cardinals to avoid being swept before 4,154 fans at Wolff Stadium on Thursday night. The Cardinals maintain their 1.0 game lead over the Tulsa Drillers for 1st place in the North Division Second Half Standings with 23 games remaining.
The Cardinals (30-17, 65-52) came out swinging, jumping on RHP Jacob Nix in the top of the first inning. With one away, LF Randy Arozarena worked a walk, before racing around to third base on a double from 2B Darren Seferina. In his first game back from AAA-Memphis, RF Adolis Garcia then ripped a two-run single through the left side, lifting the Cardinals into the 2-0 lead.
Cardinals RHP Zac Gallen posted a pair of scoreless innings to begin his outing, before Springfield stretched the lead in the top of the third. Arozarena ripped a one-out double inside the left field line, and then scooted to third on a groundout from Seferina. With Adolis Garcia at-bat, a wild pitch from Nix bounced away, bringing in Arozarena to make it 3-0.
Gallen kept the Missions (27-19, 68-48) off the board through the third, but San Antonio broke through with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. After a double from 1B Josh Naylor started the inning, C Webster Rivas ripped a single. 3B Ty France followed with an RBI single through the left side, plating Naylor and moving Rivas to second. Gallen dug in with a double play ball from LF Nick Schulz, leaving only Rivas at third with two away. Gallen, though, lost the next two Missions on consecutive walks, loading the bases with two away and Nix coming to bat. With Nix up, a wild pitch skipped away and brought in Rivas, bringing the Missions within one run, 3-2.
The Cardinals padded the lead back to two runs in the top of the sixth. With one away, Adolis Garcia worked a walk, before racing around to third on a single to center field from 3B Bruce Caldwell. 1B Jacob Wilson then won an eight-pitch battle with an RBI sacrifice fly to right field, bringing in Garcia for the 4-2 lead.
LHP Jacob Evans took over for the bottom of the sixth and dealt a scoreless frame, but the Missions cut the Cardinals lead down to one run in the bottom of the seventh. With one down, 2B Luis Urias worked a walk and SS Javier Guerra singled, putting runners at first and second. After a fly out, Evans gave way to RHP Andrew Morales (L, 1-1) with two on and two down. Rivas, however, drove an RBI single up the middle, bringing in Urias and decreasing the Missions deficit to 4-3.
The Cardinals responded right away in the top of the eighth. With RHP Cesar Vargas on the mound and one down, Adolis Garcia belted a solo home run to left field, his seventh long-ball in Double-A to notch his third RBI of the night and pad the lead to 5-3.
The Missions, however, rallied with five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. With one down, San Antonio swatted three straight singles, with pinch-hitting OF Nick Torres providing the third base knock and plating one run to make it 5-4. RHP Landon Beck took over on the mound, but Urias tied the game with an RBI single of his own. The Cardinals then intentionally walked SS Javier Guerra, loading the bases with one away. 1B Josh Naylor delivered the big blow with a three-run double into the right field corner, swinging San Antonio ahead, 8-5.
Missions RHP Trey Wingenter (S, 17) followed with a 1-2-3 top of the ninth, closing the 8-5 come-from-behind win for San Antonio.
