Cardinals fall 5-3 to Missions in battle of 1st-place teams

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A sellout crowd of 6,750, some Friday Fireworks and a pair of looming weekend rehab appearances by Yadier Molina made the medicine go down a little easier Friday night.

The Texas League South leading Missions used a four-run sixth inning propped up by three home runs to get by the Cardinals in a 5-3 final to open the three-game weekend series.

Springfield starter Connor Jones (3-2) tossed six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out two.

Jerry Keel earned the win for San Antonio after giving up all three of Springfield's runs and nine of the Cardinals 10 hits in six innings.

As of the game's conclusion, the Cardinals still held a half-game lead over the Arkansas Travelers for first in the Texas League North.

THE GAME TURNED WHEN

Ty France, Austin Allen and Michael Gettys all hit homers in the sixth inning, flipping a 2-1 Cardinals lead into a 5-2 deficit.

France tied the game with a solo shot into the visitors bullpen in left. A batter later, the Missions took the lead 3-2 off Allen's 11th homer of the season.

San Antonio's lead pushed to 5-2 after a would-be home-run ball by Gettys was initially ruled foul by the home plate umpire but was overturned by the three-man umpire crew.

That controversial call proved to be the difference in the game after Springfield added a third run in the bottom of the sixth courtesy of Granden Goetzman's leadoff triple and a Victor Roache single.

Earlier, Springfield went up 1-0 in the first after Lane Thomas drove in Tommy Edman on a sacrifice fly. Later that inning, Evan Mendoza put Springfield up 2-0 when his two-out single brought in Stefan Trosclair.

The Missions moved within 2-1 on Josh Naylor's run-scoring single in the fourth.

YADI WEEKEND

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina is expected in Springfield on Saturday and Sunday for a Major League Rehab Assignment. It will be Molina's first appearance in Springfield since 2014.

UP NEXT

The Cardinals and Missions meet again Saturday night at 6:10 pm with right-hander Anthony Shew (1-1) projected to make his third Double-A start for Springfield.

Tickets for Saturday's game are going quickly with fans not only looking to see Molina in Springfield, but to take advantage of our Vision Clinic Paul DeJong Bobblehead Giveaway (2,000 fans) and our Post-Game On-Field Movie Night featuring 'The Sandlot.'

Head to www.springfieldcardinals.com/tickets or call 417-863-2143 for this in-demand Saturday night at Hammons Field.