1st-Place Cardinals clobber Naturals, 12-5

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Springfield Cardinals pounded 12 runs on 17 hits to top the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, 12-5, before 3,552 fans at Arvest Ballpark on Tuesday night.

With just 13 games remaining in the First Half, the Cardinals lead the Arkansas Travelers by a half game for 1st place. The First Half Champion in each division guarantees a playoff berth.

CF Lane Thomas helped power the Cardinals attack with his second multi-home run performance in his last three games, going 3x6 with two blasts and four RBIs and moving into 2nd in the Texas League with 13 homers this year. Two more Cardinals added four hits apiece, as RF Blake Drake went 4x5 with one homer and five RBIs and SS Edmundo Sosa went 4x6 with two doubles and two RBIs.

The game turned around in the top of the 6th, when the Cardinals (29-28) rallied for six runs to erase a 4-3 deficit and swing into a 9-4 lead. 1B Chris Chinea sparked the rally with a one-out double, followed by a free pass from C Jeremy Martinez, one of his three walks on the night. Drake then launched a three-run homer to left field, lifting the Cardinals ahead, 6-4. 2B Tommy Edman singled and stole second, before Sosa brought him home with an RBI double. Thomas then crushed his second home run of the night, a two-run dinger to open a 9-4 advantage.

The Naturals (27-30) got one run back in the bottom of the sixth, but an RBI sac fly from Edman and an RBI base hit by Sosa in the seventh made it 11-5. Thomas capped the charge with his fourth RBI of the game on a base hit in the ninth, accounting for the 12-5 final score.

RHP Jake Woodford (W, 3-6) tossed five frames with five runs to get the win and was followed by scoreless relief from RHP Landon Beck (2.0 IP), LHP Colton Thomson (1.0 IP) and RHP Yeison Medina (1.0 IP).
Super-Soft Baby Blue T-Shirts, Military Appreciation Fireworks, Orange Camo Caps, "YADI" Tumblers and more from June 9 - 16
The Cardinals continue the series in NW Arkansas on Wednesday at 7:05pm. Catch all the action live on Jock 98.7FM and SpringfieldCardinals.com.

Springfield then returns home for a huge homestand from Saturday, June 9 - Saturday, June 16. Don't miss any of the fun, including:

-Saturday, June 9, 6:10pm - Mercy Super-Soft Baby Blue T-Shirt Giveaway (2,000), Infuze Credit Union / Fort Leonard Wood Military Appreciation Night & Fireworks Celebration and Specialty Camo Jersey Auction for MSU ROTC. Gates open at 5:10pm.

-Sunday, June 10, 6:10pm - Hiland Dairy Ice Cream Sunday and Kids Run the Bases. Gates open at 5:10pm.

-Monday, June 11, 11:10am - Day Baseball at Hammons Field and Discovery Center Science Experiments Educational Day. Gates open at 10:10am.

-Tuesday, June 12, 6:30pm - Great Southern Bank $1 Dog Day. Gates open at 5:30pm.

-Wednesday, June 13, 6:30pm - Purina Woof Wednesday with dogs welcome at the ballpark and Wear Your Favorite Jersey Wednesday. Gates open at 5:30pm.

-Thursday, June 14, 7:10pm - Ozark Fence Orange Camo Cap Giveaway (2,000), Klement's $1 Bratwurst Night, Pregame On-Field Happy Hour. Gates open at 6:10pm.

-Friday, June 15, 7:10pm - Friday Night Fireworks featuring The Name Game. Gates open at 6:10pm.

-Saturday, June 16, 6:10pm - St. Louis Cardinals "YADI" Tumbler Giveaway (2,000). Gates open at 6:10pm.

For information about becoming a Season Ticket Holder, organizing a Group Outing, booking a Birthday Party or ordering Individual Game Tickets right now, call the Front Office at (417) 863-2143 or visit SpringfieldCardinals.com.
Click here to view the full 2018 Promotional Schedule.