Cardinals Minor League Notebook: 8/19/17

photo: Scott Hurst (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 4-3 on Friday. Our Player of the Day is State College center fielder Scott Hurst, whose three run home run in the 15th inning gave the Spikes a victory over West Virginia.

Results for games played Friday, August 18.

Memphis 7, Nashville 8

Rangel Ravelo (Memphis Redbirds)

The Redbirds lost their first series since April, losing to the Sounds at home for the third loss in the four game series.  The Sounds scored in the first, but Memphis quickly responded with two runs on a two run home run by Alex Mejia.  The lead changed hands several times.  The Redbirds scored three in the fourth to regain the lead on Patrick Wisdom’s two run home run and Breyvic Valera’s RBI single.  After the lead was lost again, the Redbirds rallied in the ninth but fell short by one run.  Another two run home run, this time by Rangel Ravelo, brought the Redbirds to within one, but the rally died with ground outs by Mejia and Tyler O’Neill.

Ravelo was 3-for 5 with the two RBI and two runs scored.  Mejia and Valera were 2-for-5.

Starter Matt Pearce could not put up zeros in consecutive innings.  Pearce pitched seven innings, giving up eight runs on 12 hits.  The right hander struck out six and walked none. Josh Zeid tossed the final two scoreless innings.  Pearce took the loss, his second with Memphis.

The Redbirds are 82-44 on the season and are in first place in the PCL Southern by 22.5 games.  Memphis has already clinched the Division.

Saturday’s game:  vs. New Orleans, John Gant (5-5, 4.07) 6:35 CT.


Springfield 4, Corpus Christi 7

Adolis Garcia (St. Louis Cardinals)

The Cardinals went down in defeat to Corpus Christi at home on Friday night.  Springfield starter Chris Ellis was tagged with his seventh loss of the season.  Ellis pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up six runs on seven hits, while fanning six and walking one.  Andrew Morales followed with 2 1/3 innings of relief, surrendering one run on three hits.  Rowan Wick pitched a scoreless ninth.

Offense was on the light side for Springfield, four runs on only five hits.  No Cardinal had multiple hits.  One of those hits was a big fly, a two run home run by Adolis Garcia in the fourth inning.  Springfield plated two more in the eighth on Magneuris Sierra’s double, and Tommy Edman’s single.

On the base paths, Garcia stole his 11th base in 19 attempts, Darren Seferina swiped his seventh in nine tries, and Edman stole his fourth base in in five attempts.

The Cardinals are 70-54 overall, 35-18 in the second half and in first place in the Texas League North by two games.

Saturday’s game:  vs. Corpus Christi, Zac Gallen (4-3, 3.40) 6:10 CT.


Palm Beach 2, Bradenton 1

Jake Woodford (Peoria Chiefs)

The Cardinals edged the Marauders at home on Friday night in a low scoring contest.  The game was scoreless until the eighth, when Bradenton scored one and Palm Beach responded with two. The first run scored on three consecutive singles by Casey Grayson, Chris Chinea and Leobaldo Pina.  Pina’s single plated Grayson.  A single by Blake Drake scored Chinea.  Chinea was 2-for-4, and Drake was 3-for-4.

Cardinals starter Jake Woodford pitched eight innings, giving up one run on four hits.  The right hander fanned five and walked two on route to his seventh win of the season.  Dailyn Martinez pitched a scoreless ninth for this fourth save.

Drake stole his fifth base in eight attempts for Palm Beach.  Pina swiped his fifth base in six tries.  Grayson committed a fielding error.  Thomas Spitz had an outfield assist.

The Cardinals are 67-53 overall and 27-26 in the second half, which puts them eight games back of first place in the FSL South.

Saturday’s game:  vs. Bradenton, Ramon Santos (3-3, 3.63) 4:30 CT.


Peoria 2, Clinton 1

Anthony Shew (State College Spikes)

Peoria squeaked by Clinton in a game with little offense on both sides.  The Chiefs scored twice on six hits.  In the second inning, Dylan Carlson walked and Matt Fiedler singled.  Fiedler stole second base and Carlson scored on a throwing error by the Clinton catcher.  After the Lumber Kings tied it up in the seventh, the Chiefs took the lead with one run in the bottom frame, on Carlson’s RBI double.  No Chiefs had multiple hits.

Peoria starter Anthony Shew won his second Midwest League game.  Shew pitched 7 1/3 innings, giving up one run on four hits.  The right hander struck out 11, walked none and logged eight ground ball outs to just two flies.  Leland Tilley pitched the final 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn his fourth save.

Fiedler stole his fourth base in eighth attempts for Peoria.  Stefan Trosclair was caught stealing for just the fourth time in 17 attempts.

The Chiefs are 59-64 overall and 28-25 in the second half to put them six games back of first place in the Midwest League West for the second half and one game ahead of Kane County for the wild card.

Saturday’s game:  vs. Clinton, Ian Oxnevad (3-10, 4.22) 6:30 CT.


State College 5 at West Virginia 2 (15 innings)

Scott Hurst (State College Spikes)

It was long and drawn out victory for the Spikes on Friday.  A 2-2 tie was taken into the 15th inning before State College finally broke the stalemate with a three run top of the 15th.  The Spikes fell behind initially, but tied it up with one run each in the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, Zach Kirtley led off with a solo home run.  In the eighth, Joshua Lopez’ solo shot tied the game.  Finally, in the 15th inning, Scott Hurst’s three run blast gave the Spikes the lead and the victory.  Hurst was 2-for-7 with three RBI. Bryce Denton was 3-for-6.

Starting pitcher Daniel Castano pitched seven innings, giving up two runs on eight hits.  Castano fanned five and walked none.  The bullpen was fantastic as Levi MaVorhis and Noel Gonzalez followed with three scoreless innings of relief each.  Robbie Gordon hurled the final two scoreless innings to earn the win.

On the base paths, Edwin Figuera stole his 10th base in 12 attempts.

The Spikes are 30-26 and are 3.5 games back of first place in the New York-Penn League Pinckney Division.

Saturday’s game:  at Auburn, Paul Balestrieri (3-2, 5.30) 5:05 CT.


Johnson City 10 at Bluefield 5

Alexis Wilson (The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinals blanked the Blue Jays in Bluefield on Friday.  A four RBI night by catcher Alexis Wilson was the offensive highlight.  Wilson plated the first Cardinals run in the first inning on a sac fly.  A second run scored in the second inning on a wild pitch.  Three runs came home on the fourth on a passed ball and a throwing error.  In the fifth, Brady Whalen plated a run on a fielder’s choice.  Wilson later hit a bases clearing double to score three. Irving Lopez’ RBI single scored the final Johnson City run in the sixth.

Wilson was 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI. Lopez was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.  Walker Robbins was 2-for-4 and Carlos Rodriguez was 2-for-5.

Starter Zach Prendegast pitched five innings, giving up three runs on seven hits to win his third game.  The right hander struck out six and walked one.  Paul Salazar tossed two innings of relief and surrendered one unearned run.  Will Changarotty allowed a run in his one inning, before Brett Seeburger pitched a scoreless ninth.

On the base paths, Carlos Talavera stole his fifth base.  In the field, Whalen and Lopez committed throwing errors.

The Cardinals are 30-24 on the season and are 2.5 games back of first place in the Appalachian League West and one game ahead of Greeneville for the wild card.

Saturday’s game:  at Bluefield, Franyel Casadilla (1-4, 7.78) 6:05 CT.


GCL Cardinals 3, GCL Nationals 9

Edmundo Sosa (USA TODAY Sports Images)

The Cardinals were soundly defeated by the Nationals on Friday. Defensive errors played a significant role, as the Nationals posted five unearned runs.  Palm Beach rehabber Derian Gonzalez started, pitching the first inning and giving up one run on three hits.  Gonzalez fanned two and walked none.  Brian Pirela took the next three innings, yielding six runs, two earned, on four hits.  Patrick Dayton surrendered two runs, one earned in 2 2/3 innings.  Kodi Whitley added 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Gabriel Gentner pitched a scoreless ninth.  Pirela was the losing pitcher.

Rehabber Edmundo Sosa was 2-for-3, including a first inning solo home run.  Dariel Gomez hit a solo shot in the second inning and was also 2-for-3.  Elehuris Montero was 2-for-3.  The final Cardinals run scored in the seventh on Moises Castillo’s double.

On the base paths, Sanel Rosendo was caught stealing for the second time in three attempts.  In the field, Luis Flores and Brian Sanchez both committed a fielding error.  Montero made a throwing error.

The Cardinals are 23-20 on the season and are 2.5 games back of first place in the GCL East.

Saturday’s game:  vs. GCL Marlins, TBA 9:00 a.m. CT.


DSL Cardinals – Off

Saturday’s game:  vs. DSL Phillies Red, TBA 9:30 a.m. CT.



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