Cardinals win streak hits 5, Woodford holds Travs to 1 run

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Mark it eight, dude.

Four days and three wins after John Goodman made a Hammons Field appearance, the Cardinals pushed their season-best win streak to five games and their home win streak to eight by beating the Travelers 6-1 on Saturday at Hammons Field.

The groundwork was laid by Jake Woodford's outing, treating the 3,985 in attendance to his best start of the season. Woodford (2-2) allowed one run on four hits and two walks over five innings, striking out four on 92 pitches.

The win pulled Springfield even with Tulsa for first place in the Texas League North. The Cardinals will either hold sole possession of first or drop down to a half game back, depending on Saturday night's result of Tulsa vs. Northwest Arkansas.

THE KEY MOMENT

Estarlin Arias got into trouble in the seventh by walking three of four batters to open the inning with the Cardinals leading 2-1, prompting Cards manager Johnny Rodriguez to call on Andrew Morales.

Morales answered with back-to-back strikeouts, setting down Travs 3-4 hitters Joey Curletta and Joseph Odom to end the game's biggest threat.

MORE THAN ENOUGH

Springfield's bats responded to Morales' effort with four runs in the bottom half of the seventh.

After walking and earning third base with some strong baserunning, Darren Seferina was rewarded with a wild pitch that brought him in and put the Cardinals up 3-1.

Three batters after the wild pitch, Lane Thomas jacked his seventh homer of the year with one out and two on in the seventh. Thomas' dinger made it 6-1, capping the scoring.

Earlier, Edmundo Sosa gave Springfield its first lead with an opposite-field shot onto the high roof in right beyond Homers Landing.

Seth Mejias-Brean made sure that 1-0 Cardinals lead lasted just half an inning when he responded with a solo shot to center to leadoff the second.

Singles by Andrew Knizner and John Nogowski turned into a run and a 2-1 Cardinals lead in the fourth after Knizner scored on a one-out sac fly by Darren Seferina to the warning track in right. Nogowski's single extended his hitting streak to nine games.

UP NEXT

The Cardinals and Travelers are scheduled for Game 3 of a four-game series on Sunday at 2:10 pm. Chase De Jong (1-1) is projected to start for Arkansas with Chris Ellis (1-0) scheduled for Springfield.

Sunday is the first Family 4-Pack of the season at Hammons Field. For just $44, fans get four seats, four hot dogs, four sodas and four Cardinals caps. Additionally, 2,000 fans at Sunday's game will head home with a specially designed flat-brimmed Green Pinstriped Springfield Cardinals Cap, courtesy of Central Bank of the Ozarks.

Like every Sunday at home, its also a Hiland Dairy Ice Cream Sunday and Kids Run the Bases.

For more information on Sunday's promos and giveaways, head to www.SpringfieldCardinals.com or call 417-863-2143.