The Frisco RoughRiders scored seven unanswered runs, knocking off the Springfield Cardinals on Monday night by a final score of 7-2 at Dr. Pepper / 7-UP Ballpark in Frisco, TX.

The Frisco bullpen worked four scoreless innings, holding the Springfield offense to just two hits.  Meanwhile, after taking an early 2-0 lead, the Cards watched as the Riders dominated the rest of the way. 

Cards starter Jordan Pals (5-10 ran into trouble in the third inning, as Mike Nickeas took Pals deep to open the inning, making it a 2-1 game.  Pals walked two of the next three hitters he faced, then with runners at first and third, committed his first balk of the year, scoring the tying run to make it 2-2.  After an error allowed Joaquin Arias to reach first, the Riders pulled off a double-steal, as Arias stole second and Cameron Caughlan stole home, as the Riders took the lead for good at 3-2. 

Pals gave up an unearned run in the fifth, making it 4-2, as Ruddy Yan doubled with one out, then scored on a throwing error by Brendan Ryan.

Frisco got to reliever Josh Axelson for three runs in the sixth as the Riders put the game out of reach, taking a 7-2 lead.

The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the first, as Shaun Boyd picked up his first of two doubles on the game, then scored on a Papo Bolivar RBI single.  In the third, Springfield took a 2-0 advantage against Frisco starter A.J. Murray.  With two outs, Tyler Minges doubled and later scored on an RBI single by Travis Hanson. 

Kevin Ool and Alan Benes combined to work 2.1 innings of scoreless relief out of the Cardinals bullpen. 

Kevin Estrada had his second straight three-hit game, going 3-4 with a stolen base, his team-leading 17th.

Former SMS Bear Jason Hart went 0-3 with a walk and a run scored on the night. 

Springfield, which is now 4-7 on the current road trip, falls to 18-25, leaving them 6.5 games back of Arkansas in the East Division.  Springfield will send Chris Lambert (2-4) to the mound on Tuesday against Frisco’s Thomas Diamond (4-2).  Game time from Frisco on Tuesday night will be 7:00pm. 

On Monday morning, pitcher Randy Leek was called up to Triple-A Memphis and is expected to make the start for the Redbirds on Tuesday night in Colorado Springs against the SkySox.  Leek was 11-6 for the Cardinals and leads the Texas League in innings pitched with 151.2.  It will be Leek's first career appearance in Triple-A.  He is expected to rejoin the Springfield Cardinals later this week in Springfield.