Pearce goes the distance as Cards win, 6-2

Springfield, MO - RHP Matt Pearce finished what he started with a nine-inning complete game to pace the Springfield Cardinals to the 6-2 win against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals before 4,996 fans at Hammons Field on Sunday afternoon.

After a pair of scoreless frames from Pearce (W, 4-2), the Cardinals (22-19) swung in front in the bottom of the second. Leading off against RHP Jared Ruxer, 3B Bruce Caldwell crushed his team-leading seventh home run out to right field. One out later, 1B Casey Grayson singled himself on before moving to second on a walk from SS Jacob Wilson. After a fielder's choice that retired Grayson at third but moved Wilson to second with C Jesse Jenner reaching, 2B Dickie Joe Thon laced an RBI single to score Wilson for the 2-0 lead.

The Naturals (22-19), however, battled right back in the top of the third inning. C Allan de San Miguel led off with a double down the right field line. After 2B Carlos Diaz reached on an error, 3B Jack Lopez placed a single to load the bases with no outs. Pearce induced a pop out to shallow left for the first out, but DH Samir Dueñez and 1B Mauricio Ramos notched consecutive RBI singles to square the score. With the bases loaded and one away, RF Logan Moon lined out to LF Magneuris Sierra, who then fired a strike to the plate to throw out Lopez trying to tag and score, ending the frame with the 2-2 tie intact.

Pearce got right back on track with three more scoreless frames, before Springfield swung out of the tie in the bottom of the sixth against LHP Tim Hill (L, 0-2). DH Anthony García started the stanza with a double, extending his hitting streak to 13 games. Two outs later and with Garcia at third base, Jenner came through with an RBI single lined to right-center field, plating Garcia for the 3-2 lead.

Pearce posted a scoreless top of the seventh, before the Cardinals padded the lead in the bottom of the seventh. With one away, Sierra sliced a single to left-center field. RF Adolis Garcia then launched a two-run home run to right field, his fourth blast of the season, extending the Cardinals lead to 5-2.

The Cardinals added a final insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Facing LHP Sam Selman with two down and the bases empty, Jenner drilled a solo home run to left field to make it 6-2.

Pearce then polished off the dominant day with a scoreless final frame, finishing his nine-inning complete game and closing the 6-2 win for the Cardinals.
Homestand wraps up with Day Baseball on Monday, May 22
The Cardinals close the homestand with Day Baseball and an 11:10am First Pitch on Monday, May 22. Monday is the Mercy Safety Educational Day, with gates opening at 10:10am.
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