Gorman, Burleson homer in 8-7 Cardinals win over Travelers

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Nolan Gorman and Alec Burleson stayed hot, and the Cardinals might be warming up.

The hard-hitting duo each hit no-doubter home runs on Wednesday night as a part of an 8-7 Springfield Cardinals win over the visiting Arkansas Travelers, the second-straight win for Springfield to open the team's six-game series with the Travs.

<a href="https://www.milb.com/gameday/travelers-vs-cardinals/2021/06/09/646944#gamestate=final,game_tab=boxscore,game=646944" target="blank" >TONIGHT'S BOX SCORE

Gorman's home run was his fifth of the season and put the Cardinals ahead for good at 3-1 in the third inning, scoring LF Brendan Donovan and SS Delvin Perez. Gorman finished the night 2-for-5 with a run and those three RBIs.

Springfield extended its lead to 6-1 with three more runs in the fourth inning, this time courtesy of a sacrifice fly by 2B Nick Dunn that brought in 1B Luken Baker, and a Perez RBI single that scored CF Nick Plummer.

Burleson's turn came in the fifth when the big lefty dropped to a knee and drove the first pitch he saw onto the top of the Cardinals indoor training facility in right field. Burleson's homer was his fourth in Springfield and brought in C Ivan Herrera, putting the Cardinals up 8-1.

Cardinals LHP Domingo Robles (W, 1-1) tossed 5.0 innings, allowing just one unearned run on six hits without issuing a walk and striking out four. Robles, who lowered his season ERA to 2.83 with the effort, was relieved by LHP Evan Sisk. Sisk impressed in his first-ever Double-A appearance, striking out five batters and allowing just a single hit over 2.0 innings.

Arkansas made it exciting in the ninth, cutting an 8-2 score to 8-3 on a 1B David Sheaffer RBI single and then to 8-7 on a grand slam by C Brian O'Keefe before RHP Patrick Dayton got RF Keegan McGovern to stare at strike three to end the night.

Baker, Herrera and DH Aaron Antonini all doubled for Springfield. Donovan scored twice, singled twice and swiped his second bag in as many games. Eight of nine Cardinals batters either scored or drove in a run.

UP NEXT

The Cardinals host the Travelers on Thursday with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and gates set to open at 6:05 p.m. Thursday is a Klement's $1 Bratwurst Night at Hammons Field with bratwurst available for just a buck all night.