Robinson, Naturals headed to Finals

After a relatively quiet four games -- for him -- the Texas League Triple Crown winner made a lot of noise in Game 5 on Monday night.

Royals prospect Clint Robinson went 4-for-5 with three doubles and four RBIs as Northwest Arkansas advanced to the Texas League Finals with an 8-4 win over visiting Springfield. The Naturals took the final two games of the best-of-5 North Division series, eliminating the Cardinals for the second straight season.

"We played a lot of games against Springfield this season, so I'm sure they had me scouted pretty well and tried to pitch me a certain way," said Robinson, who was 4-for-15 in the first four games of the series. "I was trying to take in what they were doing, relax and look for a pitch I could handle."

The Naturals' win sets up a rematch of last year's Finals as Northwest Arkansas again takes on South Division champion Midland. The RockHounds were victorious in four games to claim the 2009 title.

While Robinson did not join the Naturals until this season, he said several of his teammates were part of the 2009 squad and are looking forward to getting revenge.

"They're a really talented team, and I know they've had some big additions in the second half of the season -- players like Jemile Weeks and Grant Green," Robinson said. "They play the right way. It should be a great series."

The two teams split their 12-game series during the regular season.

Robinson got the Naturals off to a hot start in Monday's game. He delivered a bases-clearing double in the first inning, then scored on a Nick Van Stratten base hit. The Naturals chased Springfield starter Trey Hearne (0-1) before he recorded an out. The right-hander faced five batters and gave up four runs on three hits and a pair of walks.

Northwest Arkansas added three more runs in the second, with Robinson contributing an RBI single, to take a commanding 7-1 lead.

He doubled again in the fourth and sixth before striking out in the eighth.

The Cardinals plated two runs in the fourth and brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh, but second baseman Jermaine Curtis lined into an unassisted double play to Naturals third baseman Anthony Seratelli to end the inning.

Seratelli led off the bottom of the frame with a blast to right field on the first pitch. It was his third longball of the series after hitting just three homers all season.

Naturals center fielder Derrick Robinson collected three singles, while former top Draft pick Eric Hosmer was held hitless for the first time in the postseason. He had homered in each of the first four games of the series, adding a second blast in Game 4.

The Cardinals' Xavier Scruggs smacked a solo homer and leadoff man Jermaine Curtis singled twice. He was the only Springfield batter with multiple hits.

Left-handed starter Mike Montgomery (1-0) allowed four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings for the win. The former first-round pick fanned six and walked one before giving way to reliever Henry Barrera, who notched his first playoff save with 2 2/3 hitless frames.

The Naturals have little time to celebrate their North Division pennant before taking on the RockHounds in the best-of-5 Finals. Arvest Ballpark will host the first two games, with the opener at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday. The series shifts to Midland's Citibank Ballpark for Game 3 on Friday night.