Cards Hammer Hounds 11-6

The Springfield Cardinals had season-highs in both runs and hits, hammering the Midland RockHounds on Tuesday night by a final score of 11-6 at Citibank Ballpark in Midland.  The victory is the second straight for the Cards on the road trip, as they improve to 21-24.

The Cards scored the first nine runs of the game, taking a 9-0 lead in the second inning against Midland starter Stephen Obenchain (3-3).  Tyler Minges connected with his team-leading eighth homer of the year, a three-run shot to left in the first inning, giving the Cards a three-run lead, three hitters into the game.  Shaun Boyd and Reid Gorecki also had RBI hits in the inning, giving the Cards a 5-0 advantage after one.

In the second, Travis Hanson's two-run double made it 7-0.  Aaron Herr and Juan Diaz also collected RBI doubles in the frame, making it 9-0 heading to the bottom of inning number two.

Right-hander Stuart Pomeranz, just called up from Palm Beach of the Florida State League, made his debut for the Cardinals on Tuesday night.  Pomeranz surrendered an unearned run in the second, as Jason Perry reached on an error and scored on a single by Francis Gomez.

Pomeranz, allowed three runs in the third, as Brian Stavisky and Perry each homered in the inning, pulling Midland to within five at 9-4.  Pomeranz would work a scoreless fourth, but would be removed after four total innings.  He allowed a total of four runs, only three earned on six hits.  Pomeranz struck out six, while walking two hitters on the night.

The teams traded runs in the fifth, as Travis Hanson provided an RBI single, making it 10-4.  Midland got another home run out of Perry, his 11th of the year, making it 10-5 against Cards reliever Josh Pearce.  Pearce surrendered a run to the RockHounds in the sixth, as Stavisky knocked in Steve Stanley with an RBI double. 

The Cardinals rounded out the scoring in the seventh, as Aaron Herr picked up his second RBI hit of the night, knocking in Hanson with a single, making it 11-6. 

Evan Rust (1-0) pitched two scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth, earning the win.  Anthony Rawson worked a scoreless ninth, striking out Jason Perry to end it. 

With 11 runs and 19 hits, the Cards surpassed their previous season-high in both runs (10) and hits (13).  Tyler Minges, Travis Hanson, Juan Diaz and Reid Gorecki all had three hits each for the Cards.