Cardinals Minor League Notebook – July 30, 2021

photo: Connor Lunn (Peoria Chiefs)

On Thursday, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-5. TCN Player of the Day Connor Lunn threw seven innings of one-run ball, but the Peoria bullpen failed in extra innings.

Results from the games played Thursday, July 29th.

Memphis 7 vs. Gwinnett 6

The Redbirds survived a late rally to edge the Stripers, 7-6, at AutoZone Park.  Memphis (38-37) moves into a fourth-place tie with Gwinnett with the win and leads the series two games to one.

The home team scored seven times over the initial four innings, propelled by two home runs that began and ended the scoring.  First baseman Juan Yepez went yard with Nolan Gorman aboard in the first to go up 2-0.

Juan Yepez

The lead improved to 3-0 the next frame after center fielder Scott Hurst singled up the middle with one away.  Starter Miles Mikolas put down a successful sac bunt, putting Hurst in position to easily score on third baseman Kramer Robertson’s 13th double.

But the big offensive blow was saved for the fourth inning.  Evan Mendoza doubled to open the frame, the shortstop advancing to third via catcher Dennis Ortega’s single to left.  Hurst lined a single to center, driving in Mendoza and putting two on for pinch hitter Clint Coulter.  Coulter came through with a big blast over the center field wall, giving Memphis a 7-0 lead.

The Redbirds garnered 12 hits, led by Hurst who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one driven in.  Defensively, the center fielder was credited with an outfield assist at second.  Yepez and Ortega both went 2-for-4 with a run scored, with Yepez’ long ball generating two RBI.

But Gwinnett would not go quietly.  Down 7-0 through five, the visitors pushed across six tallies over the next three innings, three times putting the potential tying run in scoring position.

Making his second rehab start, Mikolas extended himself to four scoreless innings, throwing 36 of his 58 pitches for strikes. The righty scattered three hits and a base-on-balls.

Pitching in relief in his regular rotation slot, Angel Rondon (W, 2-2) had an off night, permitting five runs on seven hits and two walks in 2 2/3 frames.  Two of the five tallies came off one home run ball.

Austin Warner retired three batters, stranding the bases loaded with Rondon’s runners, but allowed a run on three hits subsequently.  Kodi Whitley (S, 1) recorded the last four outs, quelling two more Striper threats.  The 26-year-old stranded two inherited runners, ending his first threat but created another one by issuing a free pass and single before notching two K’s to finish the game.

Friday’s game:  vs. Gwinnett (38-37) (ATL), 7:10 pm CT, Zack Thompson (1-6, 7.66)

Springfield 4 vs. Arkansas 11

The S-Cards were never in the game, falling to the Travelers, 11-4, at home.  Springfield (28-47) has yet to break into the win column after three tries in the six-game set.

Arkansas’ offense scored in each of the first four frames, building an 8-0 advantage, much of it built on the long ball.  Starter Domingo Robles (L, 2-5) was more than a big homer prone, surrendering three bombs generating four of six runs charged to the lefty on nine hits and two walks during his three innings on the bump.

Freddy Pacheco issued a free pass prior to surrendering a home run in his Double-A debut.  Michael Brettell took over in the fifth and fanned four over three scoreless innings.  Johan Quezada tossed a clean eighth but served up a three-run home run before the ninth ended.

Alec Burleson

Right fielder Alec Burleson provided half of his team’s offensive results with his 14th home run.  It came with designated hitter Ivan Herrera (single) aboard and closed the gap to 8-2 after five.  The bomb was Burleson’s only hit in four at bats although he did work a free pass.

Second baseman Nick Dunn was the sole S-Card with more than one of the team’s seven hits, singling twice in four at bats with a walk, run scored and one knocked in.  In his first action back with Springfield after being on the IL since May 8th, catcher Julio Rodriguez went 1-for-3 with a base-on-balls.

Shortstop Delvin Perez contributed a fielding gem.

Friday’s game:  vs. Arkansas (40-34) (SEA), 7:05 pm CT, Dalton Roach (5-6, 5.15)

Peoria 3 vs. Beloit 10 (12 innings)

An eight-run 12th inning sent the Chiefs to a 10-3 defeat by the Snappers at Dozer Park.  Peoria (30-45) holds a two-games-to-one lead in the six-game series.

The contest was tied 1-1 after two and remained so until the two squads both added an 11th-inning tally.  But two big blows off Fabian Blanco turned a tight game into a blowout.

Starter Connor Lunn acquitted himself well, holding Beloit to a solo shot in seven innings.  The right-hander scattered six hits, struck out six and did not issue a free pass.

Connor Lunn

Pitching for the first time since a July 4th start, Jack Ralston tossed a scoreless eighth, permitting a hit and throwing two wild pitches.  Cory Thompson retired the side in order twice, fanning four.

With a base runner now beginning each inning at second, Fabian Blanco (L, 2-3) allowed an 11th-inning score via a single and sac fly but the flood gates really opened subsequently.  The southpaw surrendered two home run balls, a three-run shot followed by a grand slam, that were two of the nine hits and two walks allowed against three outs recorded.

With the bases empty and the game pretty much out of reach, Peoria let infielder Chandler Redmond pitch for the first time in his pro career.  Redmond retired all three batters faced on a 6-3 ground out, pop out to short and fly out to right.

Five Springfield players each had one hit.  Todd Lott’s first A-Advanced home run knotted the game at one all.  That was the only earned run yielded by Snapper hurlers with both the 11th and 12th inning scores unearned due to the runner beginning the frame at second.

Friday’s game:  vs. Beloit (32-43) (MIA), 6:35 pm CT, Wilfredo Pereira (2-6, 4.44)

Palm Beach 3 vs. Tampa 8 (7 innings) – Game 1
Palm Beach vs. Tampa – Game 2 – postponed

On Thursday, the Beach Birds and Tarpons finally took the field for the first time this week, but the weather once again dictated the terms of play. Game 1 of a scheduled twin bill was shortened to an 8-3 7-inning loss and Game 2 postponed once again.

The contest actually played, originally scheduled for July 27th, began with starter Levi Prater (L, 1-5) serving up two long balls in 1 2/3 innings, accounting for four of the five runs the lefty yielded.  Pitching for the first time in eight days, Prater issued six free passes along with those two hits and hit a batter.

Edwin Nunez recorded six outs, permitting three tallies on two hits and three walks.  The 19-year-old prospect was wild, plunking three batters and throwing two wild pitches.

Edwin Nuñez

The next two Palm Beach hurlers arrived at their professional debuts from very different paths but both came through in their maiden efforts.  Right-hander Gordon Graceffo, the fifth-round selection in the 2021 First-Year Player Draft, retired four batters, permitting a hit and stranding three inherited runners.  Righty Ryan Loutos, an undrafted free agent signee on July 29, 2021, gave up a two-out single to left but the base runner was nailed trying to take second base on the play, giving Loutos a one-two-three sixth.

Gianluca Dalatri struck out the side in the seventh, issuing a free pass.

The home team matched their guests’ six hits but none of Palm Beach’s hits were home runs, resulting in just three tallies.  Designated hitter L.J. Jones and second baseman Donivan Williams both went 2-for-3 with a double and run scored.

Palm Beach and Tampa were unable to get in Thursday’s regularly scheduled contest which was rescheduled as part of a double header on Friday, July 30th.  The start time for Game 1 is 3:00 pm ET.

Friday’s games:  vs. Tampa (49-23) (NYY).  Game 1 – 3:00 pm ET, TBA/TBA

FCL Cardinals 7 at FCL Mets 6 (7 innings)

The FCL Cardinals (11-8) capitalized on 11 walks to slip past the FCL Mets, 7-6.  The game was called after seven frames due to rain.

The Florida Birds generated just three hits but combined them with the 11 free passes issued plus a hit batsman to score seven tallies, six earned.  Six FCL Cardinals worked at least one base-on-balls, designated hitter Jake Burns being the Grand Poobah with four.  Burns touched home twice despite not recording an official at bat.

Jake Burns

Catcher Roblin Heredia and left fielder Luis Montano also scored two times, with Heredia going 0-for-2 with two walks and Montano doubling once in two at bats with a walk and RBI.

Right fielder Adanson Cruz and third baseman Brandon Hernandez both drove in two, the former by singling once in three at bats with a base-on-balls and the latter by going 0-for-1 with two walks and a sac fly.

Four Florida Birds pitchers took the mound starting with Yordy Richard who lasted just 2/3 of an inning.  Richard yielded two hits, three walks and hit a batter, resulting in three tallies.

Reliever Roy Garcia (W, 2-0) pitched the bulk of the game, blanking the FCL Mets (11-10) on two hits with four strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings.  He also left Richard’s last three runners aboard.

Tyler Statler retired six batters, permitting three scores, two earned, on three hits, a base-on-balls and key wild pitch.  Omar Sanchez used an inning-ending (turned out to be game-ending) 6-4-3 double play to negate two base runners who reached on a single and fielding error by Hernandez.

Friday’s game:  vs. FCL Astros (14-9), 12:00 pm ET, TBA

DSL Cardinals Blue 5 vs. DSL Phillies Red 13

It was a long day for C-Blue (6-6) hurlers who were pounded for 22 hits in the 13-5 loss to the DSL Phillies Red.

The visitors scored eight times before C-Blue batters even came to the plate.  Making his first start after transferring from the C-Red on July 27th, Victor Herrera (L, 1-2) lasted just 2/3 of an inning.  His first five batters reached base with the righty allowing six runs, three earned, on four hits and two free passes issued in all.

Frankely Guzman retired seven batters but not before yielding four tallies, three earned, on nine hits, a hit batsman and a wild pitch.  Guzman allowed both inherited runners to cross home plate.

Marlyn Almonte pitched the fourth, permitting a run on a hit and three walks.  Miguel Martinez replaced Almonte at the fifth’s start, recording eight outs while giving up two scores on five hits and four wild pitches.

Alejandro Cervantes limited the damage to Martinez by stranding two base runners.  The Mexico native was unscored upon over the game’s last 2 1/3 innings, extending his scoreless streak to 9 2/3 frames in five game appearances in his first year of pro ball.

Maycol Justo

C-Blue batters banged out nine hits led by shortstop Maycol Justo who went 3-for-3 with two hit-by-pitches and two runs scored out of the two hole.  Batting right behind Justo, 17-year-old Leonardo Bernal went 2-for-5 with a two-run bomb comprising one of his two runs scored and two of this three RBI.

The contest was a mixed bag defensively for the Cardinals Blue and catcher Juan Sanchez held both bags.  The positive bag contained a pickoff at third base for the 19-year-old but the negative bag held a catcher’s interference call with Herrera on the mound subsequently resulting in three unearned scores.  Right fielder Christian Avendano showed off his arm with an outfield assist at third base.

Friday’s game:  at DSL Phillies Red (4-7), 10:30 am ET, TBA

DSL Cardinals Red 0 at DSL Phillies White 4

The DSL Cardinals Red (7-5) mustered just four singles in their 4-0 road defeat by the DSL Phillies White.

The visitors were unable to capitalize on the eight free passes issued by their hosts, going 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranding 11.  Third baseman and number seven hitter Raul Guzman reached base three times, singling once in two at bats with two base-on-balls.  Four other C-Red players reached base twice.

Raul Guzman

Defensively, the Cardinals Red’s number of miscues matched their hit total.  Shortstop Elias Reynosa was tagged for a missed catch error, his third overall, while second baseman Lizandro Espinosa was charged with his first bobble when one of his throws did not hit the intended target.  Center fielder Romtres Cabrera and starter Diorys Guerrero were also charged with their first miscues due to errant throws.

The lack of offensive output left Guerrero tagged with his first defeat against one win despite a strong mound showing.  The 20-year-old lefty fanned six over five innings, his outing a high mark among C-Red hurlers.  Guerrero yielded one run on five hits and did not issue a free pass.

Right-hander Samuel Fabian permitted a tally on two hits and a walk during his two-inning stint.  Eduar Pimentel’s first action of 2021 was a bit rocky as the righty gave up two scores on two hits and a base-on-balls against three outs recorded.

Friday’s game:  vs. DSL Phillies White (7-4), 10:30 am ET, TBA

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