SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Cardinals ran away with an 18-1 win against the Arkansas Travelers before 6,328 fans at Hammons Field on Saturday evening. The 17-run win matches the Cardinals all-time record for largest margin of victory, first set on June 10, 2012 vs. Arkansas.
The Cardinals (34-34) jumped in front with three runs in the bottom of the first inning against RHP Justin DeFratus (L, 2-2). With one down, consecutive walks from DH Oscar Mercado and 1B Bruce Caldwell set the table. RF Adolis Garcia then brought both runners home with a two-run double pulled into the left field corner. One out later, LF Anthony Garcia ripped an RBI single to left field, plating RF Adolis Garcia for the 3-0 lead.
Arkansas (32-36) responded in part with one run in the top of the second against RHP Dakota Hudson (W, 5-3). C Tyler Marlette opened the inning with a single, followed by a base knock from 1B Kyle Waldrop to put runners at the corners. Marlette then darted home from third base on a double play ball hit by LF Keury De La Cruz, shaving the Travs deficit to 3-1.
Hudson got right back on track with a scoreless third and fourth, before Springfield stretched the lead in the bottom of the fourth. With one away, LF Anthony Garcia powered a solo home run to left field, his seventh long-ball of the year, opening the lead to 4-1.
Springfield kept swinging with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. With two away, the Cardinals rattled off three straight two-out doubles. DH Oscar Mercado sparked the rally with the initial two-out double, before coming home on an RBI double from 1B Bruce Caldwell. Caldwell then darted home on an RBI double by RF Adolis Garcia, increasing the Cardinals lead to 6-1.
Following a scoreless sixth inning from Hudson, Springfield further padded the lead in the bottom of the sixth. With two away, C Jesse Jenner extended the stanza with a single. He then came flying home on a two-out RBI double by 3B Casey Turgeon, who promptly scored on an RBI double from CF Magneuris Sierra, making it an 8-1 lead.
A patient approach led the Cardinals to six more runs in the bottom of the seventh. With RHP Austin Kubitza on the mound, Springfield loaded the bases on three walks around a groundout. With the bases full and one down, 2B Dickie Joe Thon worked an RBI free pass, forcing home Caldwell from third for the 9-1 lead. Kubitza battled back with a strikeout, but then Turgeon and Sierra knocked back-to-back RBI singles, each driving in one run to open it to an 11-1 lead. Mercado followed with an RBI walk, before Caldwell capped the inning with a two-run single, finishing the six-run rally with the Cardinals leading, 14-1.
Springfield added to the lead with four final runs in the bottom of the eighth. With Travelers INF Kyle Petty on the mound pitching, SS Jacob Wilson sparked the rally with a single, and then trotted home on a two-run home run from LF Anthony Garcia, his second homer of the night and eighth on the year. Thon followed with a free pass, before a double from Jenner. Turgeon brought in Thon with an RBI groundout to first, moving Jenner to third base. Jenner came in the final ninety feet on an RBI base hit from Sierra, his third RBI of the night to make it an 18-1 lead.
RHP Blake McKnight came out for the top of the ninth, his second inning on the mound, and slammed the door with a scoreless final frame to close the 18-1 blowout win for Springfield. Hudson dealt a dominant seven frames, allowing just one run on six hits while striking out six to earn the win.
