MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – Springdale, AR- Ed Lucas’ RBI single and Brian McFall’s game-tying two-run shot wasn’t enough as the Springfield Cardinals scored the game winning run in the top of the tenth to take game three of the series 5-4 in front of a crowd of 5,286 at Arvest Ballpark Thursday night.  With the loss, the Naturals now have a one-game lead over Springfield. The Naturals snapped their six game home winning streak and their nine straight home game winning streak against the Cardinals. 

In the bottom of the ninth, the Naturals faced a 4-1 deficit.  With two out, Lucas hit an RBI single to bring them within two.  McFall then followed with his second homer in as many nights, a two-run bomb to left field to tie things up and send the game into extra innings. 

Springfield (33-25, 67-59) bounced right back in the tenth to take the lead again.  Casey Rowlett led off the inning with a double and Donovan Solano singled him in to give them the one-run victory.  The Naturals got a runner aboard in the bottom of the tenth but that was erased on a grounder by Irving Falu that Cardinals first baseman Brandon Buckman made a nice grab on and turned into the game-ending double play.
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The Cardinals got on the board first in the second inning.  Andrew Brown led the inning off with a double.  Mark Shorey then laid down a sacrifice bunt and Naturals shortstop Mario Lisson committed a throwing error, scoring Brown.  In the fifth, Casey Rowlett, the former Arkansas Razorback, singled in a run.  Springfield added two more insurance runs in the seventh.  With the bases loaded, Kyle Crist came in relief for the Naturals and on the first pitch he threw a wild pitch, scoring a run.  Casey Rowlett knocked in his second run of the night, an RBI sacrifice fly to put the Cards up 4-0.

Northwest Arkansas’ (34-25, 67-62) first run of the night came on Juan Richardson’s fourteenth homerun of the season, a solo shot to left field.  The Naturals out hit the Cardinals 8-5, but also managed to strand five baserunners. 

Cardinals’ starter Kyle Mura had an impressive outing as he limited the Naturals offensive to only one run.  He ended up with a no decision, going seven plus innings, giving up seven hits, while fanning four batters on an 80 pitch count.  Fernando Salas (7-3) came in relief and picked up the victory after blowing the save.  He lasted two innings, giving up the game-tying three runs on four hits, striking out one batter. 

Naturals’ starter Rowdy Hardy picked up a no decision.  He tossed 6 1/3 innings, yielding four runs (two of which were earned), punching out five batters and walking two.  Reliever Paul Mildren (2-6) picked up the loss, getting through the ninth but giving up the game-winning run in the tenth.

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