BIG INNING THE DIFFERENCE AS NATURALS SERIES WITH CARDINALS EVENS

SPRINGDALE, AR – The Northwest Arkansas Naturals fell behind early and could not get ahead of the Springfield Cardinals, with the Cardinals scoring 12 runs in the seventh inning for an 18-7 loss for the Naturals.

Springfield scored one in the second and one in the third, then struck starter Alec Marsh for four more in the fourth inning, on a grand slam. Marsh settled down after the blast and retired six of the final nine he faced, striking out eight for the first time since May while pitching into the sixth inning for the third time this season.

Springfield tagged reliever Will Klein and Jonah Dipoto for 12 runs in the seventh inning, capped by the Cardinals’ second grand slam of the game.

Despite entering the bottom of the seventh down 18-0, Northwest Arkansas refused to give in at the plate, scoring six runs on three hits and five walks, with a two-run single from Tucker Bradley and RBI singles from Tyler Gentry and Robbie Glendinning.

Before Glendinning’s single, CJ Alexander drove in the frame’s fifth run with a sacrifice fly and went on to add the final run of the game in the ninth, a solo home run to left field, his ninth with the Naturals and eighth in the month of August.

Dipoto ran into trouble in the eighth, loading the bases with two outs and manager Chris Widger called upon catcher Tyler Cropley to work out of the trouble and Cropley induced a flyout to end the inning and strand the bases, then retired all three batters he faced in the ninth.

In three appearances on the mound this season, Cropley has retired all eight batters he faced, 2.2 scoreless innings with a 0.00 ERA.

The Naturals will try and rebound on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. CT.