Springfield Cardinals Defeat Arkansas Travelers 3-1 - AA, Texas League

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com – Springfield, MO - Shane Robinson broke a tie game in the sixth inning with a two-run homer (4) sending the Springfield Cardinals to a 3-1 victory over the Travs moving the teams into a tie for first place.  Robinson's homer sent all-star RHP Anthony Ortega (6-4) to the loss.  Springfield's bullpen combo of RHP Luke Gregerson (2-2) and RHP Fernando Salas (10th save) held the Travs to one hit over the last three innings.  Arkansas outhit Springfield 7-to-4 but also had three runners erased on the basepaths and stranded six runners, four left in scoring position.

For the first time in the series the Cards scored the first run, and it was an unearned tally in the first inning.  Robinson led off with a routine grounder to 3B Corey Smith, who didn't get enough on the throw bouncing it past first base.  Robinson took second base on the error and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt.  With the Travs infield playing in, Allen Craig hit a grounder to SS Ryan Leahy.  His throw home beat Robinson, but he dove under Ben Johnson's tag for the run.

After seeing their first nine batters go down against RHP Tyler Herron, the Travs had eight batters reach base over the next three innings.  However three of those runners were cut down on the bases in the fourth and fifth innings.  Nate Sutton was pegged by Robinson in the fourth on a fly ball.  Jordan Czarniecki was caught stealing as well.  Ben Johnson was caught stealing in the fifth inning after a strikeout of Brian Stavisky.

The Travs tied the game in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Ben Johnson to score Nate Sutton.  Sutton led off with a double, and Johnson's one-out single knocked Herron from the game.  Gregerson relieved and issued a walk to load the bases, but he got Corey Smith to bounce to second base stranding three runners.

Ortega opened the bottom of the sixth with a walk to Rowlett and two batters later Robinson lifted his two-run homer to give Springfield the lead, 3-1.

The Travs' last hit was a leadoff double by DH Brian Walker in the seventh inning.  Gregerson then set down six batters in a row before Salas recorded a 1-2-3 ninth.

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