photo: Carlos Soto (USA TODAY Sports)
Three opponents scored 42 runs as St. Louis Cardinals system went 0-3 on Saturday with a rainout. Our Player of the Day, Palm Beach catcher Carlos Soto, went 4-for-6 with a two-run home run and five RBI in the Beach Birds’ home loss to Daytona.
Results for games played Saturday, May 8.
The Memphis Redbirds were clobbered by the Durham Bulls in the fifth defeat at the hands of the Rays affiliate in five games. This game had elements of the other two Cardinals system games on the evening in that the Redbirds scored early but failed to add on, and Memphis pitchers were all touched for runs by the opponent.
Zack Thompson made his first Triple-A start and it started well in the first inning as struck out the side. The offense put up two runs for him in the first, though without benefit of a hit. Walks by Scott Hurst, Max Moroff and Jose Rondon began the inning, and Hurst scored when John Nogowski, on a rehab assignment for an injury from being hit by a pitch, was hit by a pitch. Moroff scored on a Lars Nootbaar ground out.
Durham plated a run in the second inning, but Memphis responded In the bottom half as Hurst singled, Moroff was hit by a pitch and Rondon drove in Hurst on a single. The Redbirds led 3-1.
It was all downhill after that. Thompson gave up a two-run home run in the fourth and was replaced by Bernardo Flores Jr. Flores surrendered a three-run shot in the fifth. He tossed two more scoreless innings, but in the eighth gave up back-to-back singles. Roel Ramirez allowed one inherited runner to score. He returned to start the eighth and allowed five runs before Garrett Williams took over. He gave up a solo home run to number 1 MLB prospect Wander Franco. When the smoke cleared, Flores, Ramirez, and Williams were charged with seven runs over the final two innings.
Leadoff man Hurst had two of Memphis’ six hits, a walk and scored twice to pace the offense.
Sunday’s game: vs. Durham, Johan Oviedo RHP (0-0, 0.00) vs. Chris Ellis RHP (0-0, 7.71) 2:05 CT.
The Springfield Cardinals went down to defeat at the hands of the Wichita Wind Surge for the fourth time in five games. The Cardinals plated all three of their runs early but were held scoreless the rest of the way.
The Wind Surge took the lead 2-0 in the top of the second inning against Springfield starter Alvaro Seijas. The Cardinals offense responded with a run in the bottom of the second on a solo home run by Nick Dunn.
Wichita increased its lead to 5-1 in the third with three more runs off Seijas. Dalton Roach got the final out. In the home third, Nolan Gorman hit his first Double-A home run, a two-run shot to decrease Wichita’s lead to 5-3.
🚨 Nolan Gorman first Double-A home run alert! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/aGrbI2LzoX
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) May 9, 2021
Roach surrendered a run in the fourth to make it 6-3 for the Wind Surge. Grant Black held Wichita scoreless in the fifth and sixth, but the Wind Surge hitters finally got to him in the seventh for three additional runs.
Jacob Bosiokovic was Springfield’s final pitcher. No runs were charged to him though he did allow two of Grant’s inherited runners to score in the seventh.
The Cardinals defense committed three errors. Gorman made a throwing error as did Julio Rodriguez. Irving Lopez had a fielding miscue.
Sunday’s game: vs. Wichita, Domingo Robles LHP (0-0, 0.00) vs. Josh Winder RHP (0-0, 0.00) 6:05 CT.
Peoria at Cedar Rapids – postponed
Saturday’s contest between Peoria and Cedar Rapids was postponed due to rain. The game will be made up in a doubleheader on Sunday.
Sunday’s games: at Cedar Rapids, Nathanael Heredia LHP (0-0, 0.00) vs. Matt Canterino RHP (0-0, 0.00) 2:05 CT (Game 1), Ian Bedell LHP (0-1, 40.50) vs. Jon Olson RHP (0-0, 0.00) (Game 2)
Palm Beach Cardinals (2-3) pitching was hammered by the offense of the Daytona Tortugas on Saturday night at Roger Dean Stadium. No Beach Birds pitcher was untouched by the ferocious bats of the Daytona hitters.
The start for Palm Beach pitcher Edwin Nuñez began quietly enough, as he put three scoreless innings under his belt and was staked to a three-run lead before the onslaught began. Battery mate Carlos Soto hit a two-run home run in the first inning to get the Cardinals on the board. In the second, Masyn Winn drew a walk and Soto singled to left and a fielding error in left field gave Winn the opening to score. Palm Beach led 3-0 and all seemed good.
The fourth inning began with Nuñez giving up a single. Two batters later a double was allowed. Nuñez balked in a run. A two-run home run followed, then a single. Nunez was replaced by Luis Ortiz who got the last two outs.
It did not get better as Ortiz surrendered six runs in the fifth. Enmanuel Solano pitched three innings and allowed three more runs. The final pitcher for the Cardinals, Yordy Richard, was charged with six runs, four earned.
The Palm Beach offense did manage to score – just not enough. Soto again was the driver of offense on a bases clearing double in the fourth inning. In the eighth, Patrick Romeri plated a run on a single and another came home on a wild pitch. Soto had a 4-for-6 night with five RBI and two runs scored. He also had two passed balls behind the plate.
Sunday’s game: vs. Daytona, Nick Trogrlic-Iverson RHP (0-0, 0.00) vs. James Proctor RHP (0-0, 0.00) 11:00 am CT.
It was not a great day for pitchers in the St. Louis system.
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