Corpus Christi, TX – The Springfield Cardinals scored six runs in the seventh and eighth, racing back for the 7-3 come-from-behind win against the Corpus Christi Hooks before 3,708 fans at Whataburger Field on Tuesday. Springfield closed the season-opening trip with two series wins and a North Division leading 4-2 record.
The Hooks (3-3) got the bats going early, plating one run against RHP Mike Mayers in the bottom of the first. CF Teoscar Hernandez started the inning with a single up the middle, before taking second on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, Hernandez raced home on an RBI single from RF Derek Fisher for the 1-0 lead.
Mayers bounced back with a scoreless second, but the Hooks added a second run in the third. Hernandez again led off the inning with a base hit, this time an infield single to short. Mayers retired SS Alex Bregman on a groundout, but Fisher pulled an RBI double to right field, bringing in Hernandez for the second time to make it 2-0.
The Cardinals broke through against RHP Keegan Yuhl in the top of the fourth inning. LF C.J. McElroy, Jr. started the stanza with a bunt single. While Yuhl retired the next two Cardinals, McElroy, Jr. had stolen his way to second base, getting into scoring position for DH Luke Voit. Voit came through with a rocket to right-center field, bringing in McElroy, Jr. with an RBI triple to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Hooks, however, stretched the lead back to two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Despite Mayers striking out the side, Bregman connected with a solo home run to increase the Corpus Christi advantage to 3-1.
Springfield came racing back with two runs in the top of the seventh. Facing RHP David Schmidt, 1B Chris Jacobs started the inning with a base hit. One out later, SS Andrew Sohn worked a walk to chase Schmidt and lead to LHP Michael Freeman (L, 1-1) taking over. After a fly out, McElroy, Jr. worked a two-out walk to load the bases and extend the frame. 3B Paul DeJong then came through with a game-tying, two-run single rifled to right field, plating Jacobs and Sohn and squaring the score at 3-3.
The Cardinals then powered in front with a pair of long-balls in the top of the eighth. RF David Washington started the frame with a towering, go-ahead solo blast to left field, his first home run of the year. Voit and 2B Bruce Caldwell worked consecutive walks, leading to RHP Brendan McCurry taking over. Jacobs welcomed the new hurler to the mound by crushing McCurry's first pitch inside the left field foul pole for a three-run home run, his first as a Cardinal, opening the brand-new lead to 7-3.
LHP Corey Littrell (W, 1-0) completed his scoreless 2.1-inning outing with a shutout eighth, before giving way to RHP Ronnie Shaban for the ninth. Shaban took care of the final three outs in order, dealing a pair of strikeouts in a row to close the 7-3 comeback win for Springfield.
Click here for the complete box score from Tuesday's game.
