SPRINGFIELD, Mo–The Springfield Cardinals opened their last homestand of the season Tuesday night at Hammons Field.
In town, the Arkansas Travelers and St. Louis pitcher Michael Wacha.
Wacha working on a rehab assignment and is coming off a decent outing in Palm Beach.
But Tuesday night he was not sharp.
Top of the first, runner on second, Chuck Taylor singles to right, Beau Amaral rounds third and slides safely into home, it’s 1-nothing Travs.
Second inning, some bad luck for Wacha.
He gets Amaral swinging for strike three, but the ball gets away from Andrew Knizner, Donnie Walton scores, it’s 2-0 Travelers.
Wacha showed some control after that.
Two strikeouts including this one of Chris Mariscal to get out of the inning.
But Wacha’s struggles resumed in the third.
Runners on first and second, Kyle Lewis launches this one over the right field wall.
Three run shot makes it 5-0.
And that would be it for Wacha.
He would leave the game with muscle tightness after just two and one third innings of work.
Arkansas won the game 9-3.
“Yeah, just a little tightness starting to creep up a little bit. I didn’t think it was the time or place to creep through it. It was a quick hook and I was out. Just gonna head back to St. Louis tomorrow. Gonna check with the doctors. Check everything out. Hopefully everything is in a positive way,” said Wacha.
