Hanson, Herr and Diaz connect for back-to-back-to-back shots

The Springfield Cardinals established more than one franchise-best on Monday night, defeating the Arkansas Travelers by a final of 13-7 at Hammons Field. 

Springfield scored a season-high, 10 runs in the sixth inning, after trailing 1-0 going into the bottom of the inning.  Travis Hanson capped the inning with a two-run homer against Travs reliever Matt Wilhite, giving the Cards a 10-1 lead. 

After a furious six-run Arkansas rally against the Springfield bullpen, the Cards managed to pull off another franchise-first in the bottom of the eighth.  With two outs, Travis Hanson cracked his 14^th homer of the year to right field and second of the game.  Aaron Herr followed with a solo shot, also his 13^th of the year.  On the very next pitch, Juan Diaz hit one out to straight-away center field, also his 13^th of the year, making it a 13-7 lead.  The back-to-back-to-back homers mark the first time in franchise history the Cards have hit three straight long-balls. 

Cory Doyne, who came on with two outs in the eighth inning and left a runner stranded, worked a scoreless ninth for his 12^th save of the year.

The Travs took a 1-0 lead against Cards starter Chris Lambert in the second inning.  Greg Porter singled and later scored on an RBI double from Jason Aspito.  Lambert (2-3) would strand eight Travs runners in six innings, allowing just the one run on seven hits. 

Travs starter Daniel Davidson (9-5) allowed seven runs on seven hits in five innings of work.  Davidson held the Cards off the scoreboard until the sixth, but couldn’t retire a single batter, allowing the first seven men to reach safely. 

The Cards, who equaled their season-high with 13 runs on the night, snap a two-game skid with the win.  Stuart Pomeranz  (2-4) goes for the Cards, while the Arkansas Travelers will start right-hander Jered Weaver, a 2004 first-round draft pick by the Angels. Weaver, who captured the Golden Spikes Award in 2004 as College Baseball’s top player, will make his Double-A debut at Hammons Field. A former star at Long Beach State and the younger brother of Dodgers hurler Jeff Weaver, Jered Wea ver posted a 4-1 record in seven starts for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League.  Tuesday night is Metropolitan National Bank T-Shirt Giveaway, as 1,000 fans receive a free Cards t-shirt.  Game time is 7:10pm and gates open at 6:10pm.  Tickets are always available at (417) 863-2143 or online at www.springfieldcardinals.com.