For the ninth time this season, the Springfield Cardinals (20-16, 50-56) were walk-off winners Sunday night, beating the Corpus Christi Hooks (17-19, 50-55) 6-5 on Dylan Carlson’s single in the bottom of the ninth in front of 5,023 fans at Hammons Field.
DECISIONS:
W: RHP Connor Jones (1-1)
L: RHP Willy Collado (0-2)
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED:
– The Cardinals entered the bottom of the ninth tied 5-5 after Jones kept the Hooks off the board in the top half of the inning. With SS Rayder Ascanio at second and 2B Irving Lopez at first with two outs, Carlson hit a hard grounder that bounced off the glove of a diving Seth Beer at first base and rolled into right field, allowing Ascanio to score standing up and securing the Cardinals ninth walk-off win of the season.
– The Cardinals led 4-0 after one inning thanks to a pair of two-run home runs by 1B Yariel Gonzalez (7) and RF Justin Toerner (5).
– Gonzalez hit his second home run of the night and his eighth of the season in the fifth, putting Springfield ahead 5-1.
– The Hooks battled back within 5-3 after putting up a run in both the sixth and seventh innings. Then in the eighth, C Chuckie Robinson tied things 5-5 with a two-out two-run double off Jones. Both runs were charged to Cardinals RHP Roel Ramirez.
NOTABLES:
– Carlson pushed his average to .290 with a 2-for-5 night, both singles. While this was the ninth walk-off for the Cardinals, it was the first for Carlson.
– Gonzalez’s two home runs pushed his Springfield total to eight and his 2019 total to 12, a new career-high.
– The win kept Springfield in a tie for first place in the second half with the Arkansas Travelers, and pulled the Cardinals within 5.5 games of the Tulsa Drillers for the second-best overall record in the North.
– Cardinals RHP Alex FaGalde looked good in his first start since returning from a short I.L. stint. The righty allowed one run on five hits over 4.1 innings, striking out five without issuing a walk.
– St. Louis Cardinals rehabbing 3B Matt Carpenter was 0-for-4, hitting out of the leadoff spot for the third straight game. He’s expected to be in the lineup again on Monday.
WHAT’S ON DECK:
-The Cardinals continue their four-game series with the Corpus Christi Hooks on Monday with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and gates opening at 5:30 p.m.
