Springfield Cardinals Top Arkansas Travelers 4-1 - AA, Texas League

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com - Springfield, MO - Springfield RHP Cory Rauschenberger continued his dominance over the Travs from last year leading the Cardinals to a 4-1 win.  In his second start of the season, Rauschenberger (1-2) outdueled RHP Dan Denham (1-4) who lost for the third consecutive start.  In five innings, Rauschenberger allowed one run on four hits and one walk plus four strikeouts to run his career record against the Travs to 6-1.

Denham finished six innings and gave up four runs on eight hits and a walk plus four strikeouts.  The Travs have scored just three runs of support for Denham in his five starts.

For the third game in a row, the Travs got the first run of the game.  RF Cliff Remole bunt for a one out single in the second inning and Adam Morrissey worked a walk.  With two outs, Nate Sutton ripped a double inside first base to score Remole.  The ball took a bounce off the bullpen fence in front of RF Luke Gorsett to hold Morrissey at third base.  Rauschenberger got Cody Fuller to bounce to the mound to end the inning.


Advertisement = Rauschenberger retired 8 of the last 9 batters he faced, and the Travs managed just three hits after the fourth inning.

Denham gave up a leadoff single in the first inning to Shane Robinson then set down nine in a row.  The Cards had a man on base with one out in the fourth inning and 1B Mark Hamilton doubled into the left-field corner.  Jose Martinez brought home Allen Craig from third base with a sacrifice fly to tie the game.

The first three Springfield batters collected base hits in the fifth, all on two-strike counts.  DH Mark Shorey hit a leadoff single to center, then Tyler Greene singled through the shortstop hole.  Denham got ahead of Robinson 0-2, but allowed an RBI double down the right-field line chasing in Shorey.  The infield played back as Jon Jay bounced out to first base to bring home Greene for a 3-1 Cardinals lead.  There was a scare when Craig ripped a line drive off Denham's right arm, but he recovered to make the play and continued to finish the inning.

Denham came back for the sixth and Brandon Yarbrough lined a base hit to center with one out.  Playing centerfield Fuller dove after the low line drive and missed it, and the ball took a bounce over his glove to roll to the fence giving Yarbrough a triple.  He scored when Luke Gorsett lined a drive off the left-field wall for a 4-1 Cards lead.

The Travs' last chance to get back into the game came in the eighth inning when they loaded the bases on two hit batters and a single against RHP Josh Dew.  Springfield RHP Fernando Salas caught Coby Smith looking then got Hainley Statia to ground out to end the threat.

RHP Luke Gregerson pitched around a single and a walk in the ninth striking out pinch hitter Jordan Czarniecki to save the game (5).

Time of game was 2:34 and the paid attendance was 5,557.

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