Shrum, Naturals Power Through Cardinals on Sunday

Dillan Shrum homered for the fifth time this week as the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (17-15, 46-55) went deep three times in a 9-8 win over the Springfield Cardinals (17-16, 51-51) on Sunday to earn a series split. The Naturals return home on Tuesday to start a six-game series against the Wichita Wind Surge at Arvest Ballpark.

NWA took a lead in the third inning, plating a pair of runs thanks to a ground out by Tyler Tolbert and a single from Peyton Wilson, each plating runs.

The Cardinals halved the deficit in the bottom of the frame and took the lead in the fifth, plating four runs while chasing Naturals starter Noah Cameron from the game.

In the top of the sixth with Peyton Wilson on base, Jorge Bonifacio blasted his 18th home run of the season to bring NWA within a run.

In the eighth, the Naturals came all the way back thanks to the long ball. With two on, Shrum hammered his fifth big fly of the week over the left-field bullpen to give the Naturals a 7-5 lead. Morgan McCullough followed up with a solo shot of his own in the next at-bat. The back-to-back jacks put the Naturals up by three at 8-5.

The Cardinals scored again in the eighth and NWA scored an insurance run in the ninth when Shrum's sacrifice fly scored the Naturals ninth run of the game. While the Cards scored twice in the bottom of the ninth, a ground ball to second sealed the deal with the Naturals taking a 9-8 win and a half-game lead in the North Division second-half standings.

Cameron allowed four runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts over 4.0 innings in a no-decision. Brett de Geus (2-1) earned the win after 3.0 innings of relief, allowing one run on two this with a walk and three strikeouts. Anderson Paulino earned his second hold of the year after 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits with two strikeouts. Yefri Del Rosario took home his first save of the year, getting the final out of the game while allowing a hit.