Cardinals win Regular Season finale, 6-3, on Monday

Springfield, MO - The Springfield Cardinals closed the 2015 Regular Season with a 6-3 win against the Tulsa Drillers before 5,354 fans at Hammons Field on Monday afternoon.

The Cardinals close the campaign with a 34-36 record in the Second Half and a 64-76 overall record, winning seven of their last 10 games to race back into the playoff hunt. However, with the Arkansas Travelers beating the Northwest Arkansas Naturals today, the Travs have clinched the North Division Second Half Title and the final postseason berth.

The Drillers (32-38, 62-77) opened the early advantage with one run against RHP Andrew Morales (W, 5-8) in the top of the first. With one away, SS Brandon Trinkwon worked a walk, before taking second on a wild pitch. 1B Lars Anderson then struck with an RBI single, bringing in Trinkwon for the 1-0 lead.

The Cardinals, though, answered right away, rallying for five runs in the bottom of the first against RHP Rob Rogers (L, 1-1). For the fifth straight game, CF Charlie Tilson started the bottom of the first with a hit, rifling a double inside the right field line. Two outs later with Tilson at third, 1B Jonathan Rodriguez reached on a fielding error that allowed Tilson to score and the inning to continue. After Rodriguez stole second base, C Michael Ohlman further extended the inning with a two-out walk. RF David Washington and 3B Patrick Wisdom then swung the Cardinals in front with consecutive sharp RBI singles. With SS Breyvic Valera at the plate, a wild pitch moved Washington to third and Wisdom to second. Valera then brought both runners home with a two-run single to center field, stretching the Springfield lead to 5-1.

Morales kept the Drillers from chipping away with scoreless work from the second through the fifth, but Tulsa edged closer in the top of the sixth with an unearned run. 1B Brandon Trinkwon started the rally with a base hit, followed by a fielding error by Rodriguez allowing Anderson to reach while Trinkwon took third. C Kyle Farmer then lifted an RBI sacrifice fly to right field, plating Trinkwon to cut the Cardinals lead to 5-2.

The Cardinals, though, got the run right back against LHP Ramon Benjamin in the bottom of the sixth. Leading off the frame, Valera belted a solo shot to left field to increase the lead back to four runs, 6-2.

Morales closed his outing with a scoreless seventh, before RHP Silfredo Garcia blanked the Drillers in the eighth.

RHP Ronnie Shaban took over for the top of the ninth and started the stanza with consecutive strikeouts, before Tulsa plated one last run. Mayora singled and took second on indifference, before darting home on an RBI double hit by LF Jeremy Rathjen to shallow right field, which was blown away from RF David Washington by the wind. However, Shaban responded by slamming the door with a strikeout, closing the 6-3 win for Springfield.

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

Thank You, Cardinals Fans!

With another fantastic season of Springfield Cardinals Baseball in the books, the entire Springfield Cardinals family thanks everyone in Cardinals Nation for all of the support at Hammons Field. Be sure to pick up your 2016 Schedule at the Front Office today!

For information about becoming a Season Ticket Holder, organizing a Group Outing, booking a The Cup Birthday Party and more, call the Front Office at (417) 863-2143 or visit SpringfieldCardinals.com.

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