SPRINGFIELD — RF Adolis Garcia went 4-for-4 with three doubles to help pace the Springfield Cardinals to the 8-2 win against the Corpus Christi Hooks before 4,787 fans at Hammons Field on Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals collect their fifth consecutive series victory, guaranteeing at least a 1.0 game lead over the Tulsa Drillers for 1st place in the North Division Second Half Standings with only 15 games remaining.
The Hooks (23-32, 57-68) struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the second against LHP Austin Gomber (W, 9-7). After a one-out single from C Jamie Ritchie, 2B Ryne Birk homered for the third straight game, lifting a two-run shot to right field for the 2-0 lead.
The Cardinals (37-19, 72-54) came right back with a run in the bottom of the second. Consecutive singles from RF Adolis Garcia and 1B John Nogowski opened the frame with runners at the corners. One out later, C Andrew Knizner skied an RBI sacrifice fly to right field, plating Garcia to slice the Hooks lead down to 2-1.
Springfield swung in front in the bottom of the second. The Cards came out swinging with four straight singles to start the stanza, beginning with base knocks from LF Randy Arozarena and CF Oscar Mercado. SS Jacob Wilson followed suit with a game-tying RBI single, before 3B Darren Seferina ripped a go-ahead RBI base hit. Wilson and Seferina then both raced home on a two-run double from RF Adolis Garcia, opening the Cardinals advantage to 5-2. One out later, 2B Eliezer Alvarez muscled an RBI single to shallow center field, bringing home Garcia from second base for the 6-2 advantage.
Gomber ensured that the lead remained intact with scoreless work throughout the rest of his outing, finishing with just the two runs on five hits through 6.2 innings. With seven more strikeouts today, Gomber increased his team-leading total this year to 120 strikeouts.
Springfield further padded the lead with insurance runs in the seventh and eighth. A solo blast from Wilson in the seventh made it 7-2, before another RBI sacrifice fly from Knizner in the 8th opened the lead to 8-2.
LHP Jacob Evans and RHP Rowan Wick combined for 2.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, closing the 8-2 win for the Cardinals.
The Cardinals kick off the road trip in Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday at 7:05pm.
