SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Jacob Wilson hit a grand slam in the fifth inning, leading the Springfield Cardinals to a 5-4 win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Friday.
The grand slam by Wilson scored Casey Turgeon, Juan Herrera, and Nick Martini to give the Cardinals a 5-3 lead.
In the top of the sixth, NW Arkansas cut into the deficit on a solo home run by Frank Schwindel.
Springfield starter Daniel Poncedeleon (7-6) picked up the win despite allowing four runs and nine hits over 6 2/3 innings. Opposing starter Jake Junis (9-6) took the loss in the Texas League game after giving up five runs and six hits over five innings. Josh Lucas retired the side in order for his 12th save of the season.
Schwindel was a triple short of the cycle, scoring two runs for the Naturals.
THURSDAY’S LATE GAME
TRAVELERS 10, DRILLERS 6 A five-run seventh inning helped the Arkansas Travelers take the first of a fourgame series against the Tulsa Drillers 10-6 on Thursday night at ONEOK Field in Tulsa.
The Travs trailed 6-5 going into the top of the seventh inning.
Andrew Daniel was hit by a pitch by Tulsa reliever Yimi Garcia with one out to begin the Travs’ rally. Eric Aguilera singled, then Jabari Henry hit an RBI double to left field to score Daniel and tie the game at 6-6.
Pinch-hitter Zach Welz walked to put runners on first and third with one out. Bo Way struck out for the second out of the inning. But Anthony Phillips kept the inning going, hitting a bases-clearing single to center field, scoring Aguilera, Henry and Welz to give the Travs a 9-6 lead. Phillips advanced to third on Tulsa center fielder Alex Verdugo’s fielding error. The Travs made it 10-6 on Tim Arakawa’s RBI single.
Phillips led the Travs offensively, going 4 for 5 with 2 RBI. He also scored a run. Aguilera went 3 for 5 with an RBI and scored 2 runs. Henry finished 2 for
- Jose Briceno hit a three-run home run in the first inning.
D.J. Johnson (3-4) earned the victory in relief of starter Jose Molina. He allowed 1 run on 3 hits in 2 1/3 innings and struck out 2. Josh Roenicke pitched three innings of relief and picked up his first save of the season. Molina was tagged for 5 runs on 7 hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out one.