Yeah Buddy! Baumann mows down Cards
Working with a 75 pitch limit, Baumann (2-2), from the town of Billings, MO just 15 minutes outside Springfield, established a quick pace right from the start, and after working around a pair of hits in the first inning, limited the Cardinals offense to just two more hits over the next six frames. Only two runners reached second base as Baumann allowed just four hits. He didn't issue a walk, struck out seven batters, and got 58 of his 75 pitches in for strikes.
Meanwhile, the Naturals put up two runs of offense in the second inning to back him. Jeff Bianchi singled, Salvador Perez walked, Jamie Romak sacrificed the runners to second and third before Kurt Mertins doubled down the right field line to give Northwest Arkansas (32-30) a 2-0 lead.
The score stayed that way until the sixth when Anthony Seratelli led off with a walk off Springfield starter David Kopp. After a ground out moved Seratelli to second, Kopp got Jeff Bianchi to ground out for the second out of the frame. Salvador Perez followed by hitting a soft ground ball through the right side allowing Seratelli to score. After a walk and a wild pitch moved runners to second and third, Kurt Mertins bounced a ball over the mound for an RBI infield single and a 4-0 lead.
That spelled the end for Kopp (2-3), who was charged with the loss. He allowed four runs on six hits while walking three and striking out four.
The Naturals mounted further assault against a shaky Springfield bullpen. Jose Rada came in for the Cards in the seventh and the Naturals got three runs on a bases loaded single by Bianchi and two bases loaded walks to make it a 7-0 advantage.
The Cardinals offense finally broke through in the eighth against reliever Manauris Baez as Travis Tartamella reached on a fielder's choice, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Ryan Jackson's RBI single to bring it to the eventual final of 7-1.
Kurt Mertins' four RBI's tied for the most he's ever had in a Naturals uniform since early June of 2009 when he plated four in a game against Midland.
At two hours and 15 minutes, the game fell short of setting an Arvest Ballpark record but was among the shortest. The shortest nine-inning game in Arvest Ballpark history was one hour and 57 minutes on June 4th, 2008 against the Arkansas Travelers, while amazingly four different games have come in at two hours and 14 minutes.
Tulsa and North Little Rock were postponed due to wet grounds at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, thus the Naturals now close to within a half game of the first place Travelers with five to go in the season's first half.
Friday, the Naturals send left-hander Will Smith (3-6, 4.85) against Springfield's Kevin Thomas (1-4, 4.96). Smith has earned two of his three wins against the Cardinals, while the right-hander Thomas is searching for his first victory since May 20. Game time is 7 P.M. and the game broadcast will be on ESPN 92.1 The Ticket.