SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI-- Justin Johnson's fourth-inning grand slam lifted the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (18-27, 47-65) to a 6-5 win over the Springfield Cardinals (27-18, 58-55) Saturday night in Springfield, Missouri. The Naturals earned the series split with the Cards and head to San Antonio, Texas to begin a six-game series with the Missions on Tuesday.
NWA started the game trailing after the Cardinals touched up Naturals starter Drew Beam (6-10) for three runs in the opening frame. Jorge Alfaro responded with a leadoff homer in the second to make it a two-run game, his 12th of the season.
While Beam managed the Cardinals lineup to keep it a two-run game, Johnson hammered NWA to the lead in the fourth. Alfaro and Sam Kulasingam each singled, and Daniel Vazquez dropped down a bunt, reaching to load the bases. Johnson stepped up and blasted a grand slam to the berm in left-center on a 3-2 pitch to put the Nats in front.
Springfield got a run back in the bottom of the fourth against Beam, but the righty finished off five innings while holding the Cardinals to four runs (three earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts. The righty did not issue a walk in the outing.
The Cardinals clawed back a run in the eighth and got the winning run on base in the ninth, but Caden Monke, Tyson Guerrero, Tommy Molsky all earned holds. Dennis Colleran Jr. let two baserunners on in the ninth, but secured his fourth save of the season in the victory.
The Naturals continue their two-week road trip on Tuesday, opening up a six-game series with the San Antonio Missions at 7:05 PM CT. Fans can catch all the action with the "Voice of the Naturals", Shawn Murnin, with the Naturals radio broadcast on www.nwanaturals.com and the MiLB app.