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Cardinals Claim First Series of Second Half, 6-2

June 30, 2012
After a poor showing by the pitching staff on Friday night, the Palm Beach Cardinals (4-6) returned to action with something to prove, dropping the Marauders (5-4) 6-2 on a great pitching performance by starter Kevin Siegrist (3-0).

The Cardinals got huge lift in the fourth inning from their bats, as Starlin Rodriguez connected for his third home run of the season and gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the sixth, the Cardinals added two more runs on a clutch single by Chris Edmondson. Edmondson single to right field scored Vance Albitz and Mike O'Neill, who reached base on a walk and a bunt single.

With a 3-0 lead, Kevin Siegrist went to work, hurling six shut out innings. Siegrist tallied five strikeouts, while walking two and scattering two hits. Siegrist, who made his second start since returning from the disabled list, looked sharp against the tough Marauders lineup. His six shut out innings extended his streak to 16+ innings without giving up an earned run.

He was lifted for the bullpen in the seventh inning. Reliever Aiden Lucas ran into trouble in the seventh, as he gave up a two-run home run to Kawika Emsley-Pai, which brought the Marauders within one at 3-2.

Lucas tossed a shut out inning in the eighth, keeping the Cardinals on top by one run. The Cardinals bats rewarded the pitching staff as they added extra insurance runs in the top of the ninth.

In the top of the ninth, the Cardinals added three runs on four hits. Geoff Klein, Luis De La Cruz and Tyler Rahmatulla started the frame with back-to-back-to-back singles. Rahmatulla's singled scored Klein to make it 4-2. Mike O"Neill added a sacrifice fly to score De La Cruz, while Rodriguez ended the scoring with an RBI single tomake it 6-2.

Dean Kiekhefer sealed the game by tossing a scoreless ninth inning for the Beach Birds, which gave them their first series win of the second-half.

Rodriguez led the team with two hits and two RBI, while Edmondson and O'Neill added two hits each.

The Cardinals will try and make it two in a row, as they return to the 'Dean' tomorrow night to face the Jupiter Hammerheads at 5:05 p.m. Family Sundays is the venue to catch the Beach Birds, as Anthony Ferrara Jr. will take the ball for the Cardinals.

For more information on the Palm Beach Cardinals, Class-A Advanced affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, please call (561) 775-1818 or visit www.palmbeachcardinals.com. For tickets and more information regarding Roger Dean Stadium, please visit www.rogerdeanstadium.com.