Springfield, MO – The Springfield Cardinals clubbed three home runs to blow out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, 8-1, before 5,712 fans at Hammons Field on Wednesday afternoon. With the win and an Arkansas Travelers loss, the Cardinals increase their lead for 1st place in the North Division First Half Standings back to 3.0 games.
CF Harrison Bader helped lead the attack with a 4-for-5 performance, including a home run, a double, two singles and three RBIs.
After three perfect innings from Cardinals RHP Andrew Morales (W, 3-1) to start the day, Springfield (11-8) swung in front against RHP Jake Junis (L, 1-2) in the bottom of the third. With one away, Bader reached with an infield single to get on. One out later, DH Luke Voit sent a rocket of a two-run home run over the left-center field fence, his third of the year, lifting the Cardinals into the 2-0 lead.
Morales made it 10 straight outs by retiring the first man in the top of the fourth, before the Naturals (7-12) broke up the perfect streak with a base hit from RF Orlando Calixte. DH Hunter Dozier then sent a double off the top of the center field wall, but Morales battled back with a strikeout and a groundout to get out of the inning with Springfield still up, 2-0.
After escaping the Naturals threat, the Cardinals then padded their lead in the bottom of the fourth. With one away and the bases clear, 1B Chris Jacobs lasered a solo home run to left field, his third long-ball of the year, making it a 3-0 advantage. LF Collin Radack then reached on an infield single, before moving to second on a throwing error committed by 3B Mauricio Ramos. SS Breyvic Valera moved Radack to third with a single, before Junis battled back with a strikeout for the second out. However, Bader belted a two-out, two-run double to left-center field, his third hit of the day, scoring both Radack and Valera to make it 5-0.
Morales kept the Naturals off the board through the rest of his six-inning scoreless start, before RHP Kurt Heyer blanked the Naturals in the top of the seventh.
Springfield then stretched the lead in the bottom of the seventh against LHP Sam Selman. Leading off the inning, Bader crushed a solo home run to left field, his third blast of the year and fourth hit of the day, opening the advantage to 6-0. The Cardinals kept swinging away with consecutive singles from pinch-hitting SS Mikey Reynolds in his first Double-A at-bat and Voit, putting two runners on. After a foul out, 3B Paul DeJong worked a walk to load the bases with only one away. Selman battled back with a line out, but Radack then placed a two-run single to shallow right-center, bringing in Reynolds and Voit to make it 8-0.
Heyer blanked the Naturals in the eighth, before RHP Ronnie Shaban took over to start the top of the ninth. Shaban retired the frame's first batter, but then 1B Frank Schwindel sent a solo shot to left field, getting Northwest Arkansas on the board. After a walk to the next batter, Shaban retired the subsequent two hitters to slam the door in the 8-1 win for the Cardinals.
Click here for the complete box score from Wednesday's game.
