SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Something about the night felt like Springfield’s first walkoff win of the season was coming.
But baseball is a fickle something.
After the Cardinals tied things in the eighth and seized momentum, the Travelers put up a pair in the ninth courtesy of a Chris Mariscal two-run triple that landed just out of reach of speedy Lane Thomas, crushed Springfield’s momentum and secured a 7-5 final for the visitors with 5,496 watching at Hammons Field.
It was a game the Cardinals led early at 4-1. Tommy Edman led off the bottom of the first with a single and a Stefan Trosclair walk followed. After a wild pitch advanced both a base, Lane Thomas brought in Edman with a groundout. Tied 1-1, back-to-back singles by Evan Mendoza and Andrew Knizner followed, with Knizner’s putting the Cardinals up 2-1.
That lead grew to 4-1 an inning later when Stefan Trosclair pulled his fourth home run of the season off the Chick-fil-A foul pole in left.
Cardinals starter Anthony Shew tossed five innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and a walk while striking out three. He’s allowed two earned runs or fewer in all three career Hammons Field starts.
THE TRAVS PUSH BACK
Chuck Taylor’s first-inning double had put Arkansas up 1-0 in the first before Springfield’s four early runs.
After three scoreless second, third and fourth innings for Cardinals starter Anthony Shew the Travelers found a pair of runs in the fifth. The first cut the Cardinals lead to 4-2 off a Yonathan Mendoza single and the second to 4-3 off a Shew wild pitch that brought Braden Bishop home.
Arkansas tied it 4-4 two innings later when Taylor doubled for the second time, this time scoring Mendoza with Ramon Santos on in relief.
For the second time in the game, a wild pitch brought in a Travelers runner when Beau Amaral scampered home in the eighth for a 5-4 Arkansas advantage.
Springfield battled right back in the bottom half when Granden Goetzman sent one into right that scored Knizner from second right after the Cardinals catcher delivered his fourth hit of the night.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Goetzman extended his hit streak to nine games with two hits. Edman’s on-base streak reached 29 games thanks to his two-hit night. After a 2-for-19 slump, Knizner is 10-for-20 over his current five-game hit streak.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals and Travelers close their four-game series Sunday with first pitch set for 6:10 pm.
Sunday is a Hiland Dairy Ice Cream Sunday and Kids Run the Bases, where kids can receive free ice cream before the game and can run the bases after.
This Sunday is also Mother/Son Night at the ballpark. Moms and their sons can take photos on the field from 5:10pm to 5:40pm.
