Cards alone in 1st place after 12-1 win over Sod Poodles

July 24, 2019

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Springfield Cardinals (18-14, 48-54) find themselves alone atop the Texas League North for the first time all season after a 12-1 walloping of the Amarillo Sod Poodles (17-15, 51-49) on Wednesday in front of 4,572 fans at Hammons Field.

DECISIONS:
W: RHP Tommy Parsons (4-2)
L: RHP Ronald Bolaños (4-3)

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED:
- Cardinals SS Rayder Ascanio broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run single in the bottom of the fourth, scoring C Brian O'Keefe and RF Justin Toerner and extending his hitting streak to 13 games in the process.

- Up 4-1 in the fifth, the Cardinals struck two more times on RBI singles by O'Keefe and Toerner that extended the lead to 6-1.

- With the bases loaded in the seventh, 1B Chris Chinea really broke the game open with an opposite field double that brough 3B Yariel Gonzalez and O'Keefe home for an 8-1 lead.

- The 12-1 final was cemented when Gonzalez piled on for two more RBIs in the eighth, bringing in CF Dylan Carlson and 2B Irving Lopez.

NOTABLES:
- While the bats got the attention, Parsons tossed a gem on the mound, allowing one run on six hits and a walk over eight innings and striking out eight.

- Five Cardinals finished with at least two hits, led by a 3-for-3 line by Capel and a 3-for-4 night by Carlson. Gonzalez, O'Keefe and Toerner all had two hits.

- Springfield sits alone in first place for the first time since June 5, 2018.

WHAT'S ON DECK:
-The Cardinals host the Sod Poodles on Thursday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. and gates opening at 6:10 p.m.