Romak leads balanced attack in win
The scorching hot bat of Jamie Romak struck again as his two-out solo homer in the seventh inning, a moonshot clocked to left-center, put the Naturals up 6-5 in the seventh. That completed a comeback that started after the Northwest Arkansas (9-13, 44-45) allowed five unanswered runs to give Springfield a 5-1 lead.
The Naturals would be the first to score Sunday evening as Derrick Robinson led off the bottom of the first inning with a bunt single, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. After a walk, Wil Myers lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score Robinson for a 1-0 lead.
In the third, the Cardinals answered as Eric Duncan led off the inning with a solo shot to deep center to tie things up. One inning later, Springfield (9-13, 41-51) would finally crack Naturals' starter Jake Odorizzi as Charlie Cutler singled with one out before Zack Cox flied to right for the second out of the inning. Three consecutive walks to Alex Castellanos, Daryl Jones and Eric Duncan plated Cutler to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. Chris Swauger followed with a bases clearing double to put Springfield in front by four runs.
Odorizzi departed after that fourth inning charged with five earned runs as he walked four and fanned three. Blaine Hardy (2-0) was spectacular behind him from the Naturals' bullpen, pitching into the eighth inning as he lasted long enough for his offense to get going on a comeback.
That comeback was keyed by a three-run fifth off Springfield starter John Gast, who had been wild. Mario Lisson started the frame with a double and moved to third on a groundout. Wil Myers' ensuing RBI single scored him to cut the Springfield lead to 5-2. Jeff Bianchi then drew a walk to load the bases. After Gast coaxed Anthony Seratelli to popout, Salvador Perez followed with a two-run single to score Bianchi and Myers and get the Naturals to within a run.
Rey Navarro would score the tying run one inning later, scooting in on an RBI groundout from Lisson.
Jamie Romak's homer led off the seventh and came off of Cardinals' reliever Brett Zawacki (3-2). After a single and a walk, Zawacki was replaced by Sam Freeman who promptly allowed an RBI double to Rey Navarro to give the Naturals the 7-5 advantage. Kelvin Herrera pitched a final 1 2/3 innings, keeping the Cardinals off the basepaths to finish off the game and earn his sixth save on the season.
The Naturals now venture downstate for a short four-game road trip that takes them to Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock. Monday evening, the Naturals will send right-hander Manauris Baez (1-1, 4.72) to the mound opposite Travs' left-hander Andrew Taylor (2-5, 4.27). Baez is making his third start of the season for the Naturals, while Taylor has also shuttled between the bullpen and the rotation this year for the first-place Travs. Game time is 7 P.M. and it will be broadcast on ESPN 92.1 The Ticket.