MIDLAND Edwin Diaz drove in three runs Tuesday as the Midland RockHounds opened the second half of the Texas League season with a 4-2 victory against the Springfield Cardinals at Security Bank Ballpark.
The combination of Daulton Jefferies and Grant Holmes gave Midland another solid combined start. Jefferies allowed a run on two hits over three innings, striking out four. Holmes (2-1) got the win, allowing a run on four hits over three innings.
Angel Duno got the final five outs, striking out two, for his first save.
Springfield starter Johan Oviedo (1-4) struck out nine over five innings, but was charged with four runs on nine hits.
The Cardinals struck for runs in the first and fifth innings, but Midland had the answer each time.
Dylan Carlson, who was 2 for 5, scored both Springfield runs with Justin Toerner getting both RBIs. Carlson led off the game with a single, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Toerner’s single. In the fifth, Carlson doubled with one out, moved up on Jose Martinez’s single and scored when Toerner hit into a force out.
Midland wasted no time in taking the lead for good in the bottom of the first as Luis Barrera and Brallan Perez started off with singles. With one out, Chase Calabuig singled in the tying run and Diaz followed with a two-run double. In the fifth, Tyler Ramirez led off with a double and scored on Diaz’s one-out single.
Barrera and Diaz each went 2 for 4, while Calabuig was 2 for 3.
The teams wrap up the three-game series at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday before Midland meets Arkansas for a four-game set starting Thursday at Security Bank Ballpark.
