Cardinals fly past Frisco, 7-1, for series win

Frisco, TX - The Springfield Cardinals cruised to their ninth win in the last 11 games, topping the Frisco RoughRiders, 7-1, before 5,016 fans at Dr. Pepper Ballpark on Thursday night. The Cards have taken three series wins in a row, and will at least remain in a tie for 1st place in the North Division Second Half standings.

Cardinals LHP Tim Cooney (W, 7-7) and RoughRiders RHP Tyler Tufts alternated a pair of scoreless innings before the Cardinals (28-25, 61-60) cracked the board first in the top of the third. With one away, CF James Ramsey crushed a solo home run over the right field wall to make it 1-0.

However, Frisco (20-33, 59-64) had a quick response in the bottom of the third. Leading off the inning, 3B Ryan Rua drove a solo home run of his own to right-center, squaring the score at 1-1.

The Cardinals got the bats going again in the top of the sixth inning against RHP Jon Edwards. After a leadoff single by Ramsey, 2B Colin Walsh and 3B Ruben Gotay both worked walks to load the bases with no outs. 1B Xavier Scruggs then skied an RBI sacrifice fly to center, plating Ramsey and moving Walsh to third. After a foul out, C Cody Stanley launched a three-run home run to right field, belting the Cardinals into the 5-1 lead.

Springfield padded the lead against the former Springfield and St. Louis Cardinal, RHP Kyle McClellan, in the top of the seventh. 3B Vance Albitz started the inning with a base hit, before racing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ramsey. Albitz then moved to third on a fly out from Walsh, and quickly darted home when McClellan unleashed a wild pitch during Gotay's plate appearance, stretching the lead to 6-1.

Cooney finished off his dominant outing with a scoreless bottom of the seventh, allowing just one run on only two hits through his seven frames. The reigning Texas League Pitcher of the Week added seven strikeouts and issued only one free pass.

After a scoreless bottom of the eighth worked by RHP Kevin Thomas, the Cardinals dealt one final blow in the top of the ninth inning. With two down and the bases clear, Walsh belted his first home run in Double-A ball, a solo shot, over the left field fence, swinging Springfield into the 7-1 lead.

LHP Lee Stoppelman took over for the bottom of the ninth and slammed the door with a scoreless inning, closing the 7-1 victory for the Cardinals.

Click here for the complete box score from Thursday's game.

The Cardinals continue the six-game Texas road trip in Midland on Friday at 7pm. Catch all the action live on Jock 98.7 FM and SpringfieldCardinals.com, and tune in 15 minutes early for the Coyote's Sports Cafe Pregame Show.

Springfield then returns home for a four-game home series against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, starting on Tuesday, August 20. That Tuesday is a Great Southern Bank $1 Dog Day with delicious hot dogs for just a buck each, along with a 7:09pm First Pitch.

That series against the Naturals will also feature a Wednesday night contest on Wednesday, August 21, followed by the St. Louis Cardinals 2006 World Championship Replica Ring Giveaway (2,500) and a Johnsonville "Buck a Brat" Night on Thursday, August 22. The series wraps up with the American National Back-to-Back Texas League Player of the Year T-Shirt Giveaway (2,500) and an AM Pyrotechnics Friday Night Fireworks Show featuring Top 40 Music on Friday, August 23. First Pitch each night is 7:09pm, with gates opening at 6:09pm. 

For information about becoming a Season Ticket Holder, organizing a Group Outing, booking a Cake Pop Company Birthday Party or ordering Individual Game Tickets right now, call the Front Office at (417) 863-2143 or visit SpringfieldCardinals.com.

Click here for the Cardinals full 2013 Promotional Schedule and to get your tickets right now.

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