Five-run inning buries Travs in slugfest

The Springfield Cardinals used a five-run fourth inning to break open Saturday's game and came away with a 12-7 victory over the Arkansas Travelers at Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo.

With the score tied 4-4 going into the bottom of the fourth, Springfield broke the tie when second baseman Mason Katz, who singled to start the inning, scored on a wild pitch from Arkansas reliever Danny Reynolds. After giving up consecutive walks to Jonathan Rodriguez and Luke Voit, Reynolds was replaced by Zach Nuding. After Bruce Caldwell popped up for the second out of the inning, Anthony Garcia drew a bases-loaded walk to give Springfield a 6-4 lead. Paul DeJong then hit a two-run double to left-center field, and Garcia scored on a wild pitch from Nuding to push the lead to 9-4.

The Cardinals took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI double from Caldwell and an RBI single from DeJong. The Travelers responded with four runs in the top of the second, coming on a home run from Eric Aguilera, a throwing error by Katz, an RBI single from Forrestt Allday (Central Arkansas) and a sacrifice bunt by Caleb Adams. Katz atoned for his throwing error in the bottom of the second with a home run that tied the game at 4-4.

DRILLERS 2, NATURALS 0

Chris De Jong and three Tulsa relievers blanked Northwest Arkansas on eight hits Saturday night as the Naturals dropped a 2-0 decision to the Drillers in Texas League baseball action at ONEOK Field in Tulsa.

De Jong (8-4) allowed a Corey Toups double to start the game, then retired the next 11 Northwest Arkansas batters before Ryan O'Hearn had a fourth-inning single. The right-hander threw six innings and allowed just four hits while striking out five and walking one.

Shawn Zarraga gave Tulsa (41-33, 4-1) all the offense it needed when his second-inning single drove in Kyle Garlick, who led off with a double against Northwest Arkansas starter Ashton Goudeau (2-5). The Drillers added a run in the fourth when Jordan Tarsovich walked and scored on Andrew Toles' double.

The Naturals (32-43, 3-2) threatened in the seventh after Cam Gallagher, Carlos Garcia and Jack Lopez had consecutive singles against Jordan Schafer. Terrance Gore, however, hit into a 1-2-5 double play and Toups grounded out to end the inning.

Northwest Arkansas threatened again in the ninth when Frank Schwindel singled, Gallagher walked and Garcia bunted the runners over to second and third. Schwindel, however, was thrown out at the plate after Lopez grounded back to pitcher Caleb Dirks, and Logan Moon struck out to end the game.

The two teams conclude their four-game series with a 2:05 p.m. game today before taking off for the Texas League All-Star Game, which will be played Tuesday in Springfield.

Sports on 06/26/2016

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