Cooney and Cardinals blank Naturals, 4-0

Springdale, AR - LHP Tim Cooney dealt a season-high nine strikeouts to help pace the Springfield Cardinals to the 4-0 shutout win against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals before 5,874 fans at Arvest Ballpark on Friday night. It was the Cards ninth shutout victory of the season.

Cooney (W, 5-5) kept the Naturals (11-10, 36-55) bats at bay through his 5.2 frames, including striking out the side in the third inning. LHP Justin Wright picked up right where Cooney left off, dealing 1.1 scoreless innings before RHP Jose Almarante blanked the Naturals through the final two frames.

The Cardinals (10-11, 43-46) struck first right away, concocting a two-out rally in the top of the first inning against RHP Sugar Ray Marimon (L, 5-10). 3B Ruben Gotay kept the frame alive initially with a two-out base hit, before the Cardinals worked three straight walks. After Gotay stole second base, 1B Xavier Scruggs and RF Stephen Piscotty worked the first two free passes to load the bases. C Cody Stanley then forced in the Cardinals first run with an RBI walk, scoring Gotay for the 1-0 lead.

Stanley and the Cards struck again in the top of the fifth inning. Scruggs started the inning with a double, moving to third base next on a ground out. Stanley then chopped an RBI base hit through the middle of the drawn-in infield, plating Scruggs to double the lead to 2-0.

Springfield dealt its final blow with two more tallies in the top of the sixth. With one down, LF Mike O'Neill placed a perfect bunt inside the third base line for a single. CF James Ramsey followed with a walk, advancing O'Neill to second, before Scruggs also worked a walk one out later to load the bases. RF Adam Melker followed suit with an RBI free pass of his own, forcing in Scruggs from third base and advancing everyone ninety feet. When a RHP J.C. Sulbaran wild pitch bounced away from C Mitch Canham, Ramsey raced home from third base, scoring the final run of the game and accounting for the 4-0 final score in the Cardinals shutout win.

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

The former Cy Young Award Winner, two-time World Champion and three-time All-Star, Cardinals RHP Chris Carpenter, will make a rehab start for the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field this Monday! First Pitch is 7:09pm, gates open at 6:09pm.

In nine years and 198 career starts as a Cardinal, Carpenter has gone 95-44, winning 15 or more games for the Cards in five of the six seasons in which he's made at least 20 starts. He ranks 3rd in Cardinals history with 1,085 strikeouts, only 10 behind Dizzy Dean. His .683 winning percentage as a Cardinal not only ranks 2nd all-time for St. Louis pitchers with at least 100 starts, but it is also the best in all of Major League Baseball over the past nine seasons.

He has been an All-Star three times throughout his career (2005, 2006 and 2010), and in 2005 became the first Cardinal since Rick Wise in 1973 to be named the starting pitcher for an All-Star Game.

Springfield returns home for a four-game home series against the Arkansas Travelers, starting this Sunday at 6:09pm. This Sunday is the Rick's Automotive Pink Tote Bag Giveaway (2,500) and the Pink in the Park Specialty Jersey Auction, benefiting the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks.  

Sunday is also a Hiland Dairy Ice Cream Sunday with a free ice cream party for kids before the game, courtesy of Hiland Dairy. All kids can then run the bases just like the Cardinals after the game. Gates open at 5:09pm.

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.

Click here for the Cardinals full 2013 Promotional Schedule and to get your tickets right now.

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