MIDLAND The Midland RockHounds walked off with a 5-4 victory Wednesday against the Springfield Cardinals when Kevin Merrell scored on Rayder Ascanio’s error in the ninth inning at Security Bank Ballpark.
The RockHounds hold a two-game lead in the Texas League South Division two days into the second half.
Midland withstood three Springfield home runs, which allowed the Cardinals to come back from a 4-1 deficit to tie the game.
Edwin Diaz, who went 2 for 3 with a homer, drove in three runs for the second night in a row to lead the RockHounds. Chase Calabuig was 3 for 4, while Merrell was 2 for 5 and Luis Barrera was 2 for 3.
Springfield’s Johan Mieses was 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs, while Brian O’Keefe was also 2 for 4 with a homer. Jose Martinez went 3 for 5 with a double.
John Gorman (4-4) pitched two scoreless innings to get the win. Springfield’s Kodi Whitley (1-3) took the loss.
Springfield took the early lead on Mieses’ RBI single in the first inning. Diaz put Midland in front with his fifth home run of the season, a two-run blast off Springfield starter Angel Rondon, and Merrell added an RBI single. Diaz singled in a run in the third to give the RockHounds a 4-1 lead.
O’Keefe led off the fourth with a homer and Mieses and Zach Kirtley went deep in the sixth to tie the game. All three home runs came off Midland starter Matt Milburn.
In the ninth, Nate Mondou and Merrell started things off with back-to-back hits, but Brallan Perez bunted into a force out at third and Tyler Ramirez grounded out. Dairon Blanco then grounded a 1-2 pitch to shortstop, reaching on Ascanio’s error as Merrell scored.
The RockHounds open a four-game series against Arkansas at 7 p.m. Thursday at Security Bank Ballpark.
