Cards Blank Drillers Behind Baker

Springfield's Corey Baker has predominantly been a relief pitcher during his five-year professional career, but he has recently moved into the Cardinals' starting rotation. Monday night at ONEOK Field, it appeared as if the transition is working. Baker worked a nine-inning complete game shutout as the Redbirds swept a three-game series from the Tulsa Drillers with a 6-0 win.

The Drillers were only able to produce three hits against Baker, and one of those came from their starting pitcher, Ross Stripling. Jarek Cunningham reached on an infield single in the second, before Stripling singled in the third. After that hit, Baker set down 17 straight Tulsa hitters in a row.

The streak ended when Daniel Mayora reached on an error with one out in the ninth. With two outs, Jeremy Rathjen lined a double into the left field corner for the Drillers third and final hit.

Baker threw a total of 100 pitches as he issued only one walk while striking out four. It was the longest outing of his career.  

The right-hander's shutout performance ensured that the Cardinals scored first for the first time in the series. In the top of the first inning, David Washington singled and scored on a double by Nick Martini to give the Redbirds a lead they would not relinquish.

Jonathan Rodriguez made it 2-0 in the fourth when he took advantage of the short right field line at ONEOK Field. Rodriguez hit an opposite-field drive that just cleared the fence inside the 307-foot marker at the right field foul pole.

The Cardinals doubled the lead to four runs with a two-out rally off Stripling in the sixth. With the bases empty, Martini doubled and scored on a base hit by Rodriguez. Consecutive singles from Bruce Caldwell and Mike Ohlman plated Rodriguez to make it 4-0.

Springfield tacked on two more runs in the ninth off reliever Caleb Dirks to complete the scoring.

The Drillers will open the final regular season series of the year at ONEOK Field on Tuesday night when they host Northwest Arkansas. The series with the Naturals will run through Friday night. Neither team has announced a starting pitcher for Tuesday's opener which will begin at 7:05PM.