Cardinals knock 17 hits for 10-4 win in Tulsa

Tulsa, OK - The Springfield Cardinals swatted a season-high 17 hits en route to the 10-4 win against the Tulsa Drillers before 4,412 fans at Oneok Field on Monday night. Every Cardinal that had a plate appearance picked up at least one hit, including a 2-for-3 performance by starting LHP Tim Cooney.

The Cardinals (19-16) struck for at least one run in each of the first five innings, starting with two tallies against LHP Tyler Matzek (L, 1-3) in the top of the first. With two on and two down, 1B Xavier Scruggs worked a walk to extend the frame and load the bases. SS Jake Lemmerman followed with an RBI walk that forced in LF Mike O'Neill from third base. C Audry Perez followed with a comebacker that skipped off the glove of Matzek, enabling 3B Ruben Gotay to come home on an error and make it 2-0.

The Drillers (16-20) cut the deficit in half right away in the bottom of the first against Cooney (W, 1-0), making his Springfield debut. After a lead-off triple by CF Rafael Ortega, SS Cristhian Adames brought him home with an RBI sacrifice fly, slicing the Cardinals lead to 2-1.

Springfield, though stretched it back out with runs in the second and third frames. An RBI grounder by Gotay tallied the run in the second, before Scruggs launched a solo home run to lead off the third and make it 4-1.

Tulsa came as close as they would the rest of the night, plating a pair in the bottom of the third, but the Cardinals responded again. Springfield struck for three in the top of the fourth on an RBI double by Gotay and RBI singles from Scruggs and Perez, before adding two more in the fifth. An error with two down enabled CF James Ramsey to streak in from third, before Scruggs logged his third RBI of the game with a double, stretching it to a 9-3 lead.

Cooney tossed a scoreless fifth before giving way to RHP Ramon Delgado in the sixth. The Drillers welcomed Delgado to the mound with a run in the sixth, but the righty got out of the jam with Springfield leading 9-4 and he kept it that way through the eighth.

An RBI single by Gotay in the top of the ninth added the Cardinals 10th run, before LHP Kevin Siegrist tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to close the 10-4 win for Springfield.

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

The Cardinals continue the eight-game road trip in Tulsa on Tuesday at 7:05pm. Catch all the action on JOCK 98.7 FM and SpringfieldCardinals.com, and tune in 15 minutes early for the Coyote's Sports Cafe Pregame Show.

Springfield returns home to begin an eight-game homestand on Wed., May 22 with a 7:05pm First Pitch against the Frisco RoughRiders. The homestand will feature the St. Louis Cardinals 2006 World Series Championship Replica Ring Giveaway (2,500 fans) on Thurs., May 23, AM Pyrotechnics Friday Night Fireworks featuring Country Music on Fri., May 24, the Yadier Molina Gold and Platinum Glove Award Giveaway (2,500 fans) on Sat., May 25 and much more! Click below to view the full rundown of promotions at Hammons Field.

For information about becoming a Season Ticket Holder, organizing a Group Outing, booking a Cake Pop Company Birthday Party or ordering Individual Game Tickets right now, call the Front Office at (417) 863-2143 or visit SpringfieldCardinals.com.

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