photo: Leonardo Bernal (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system was 2-2 on Friday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day is catcher Leonardo Bernal, who was 3-for-4 with two RBI in Palm Beach’s win. Other standouts include Tres Barrera, Michael Curialle, and Jose Alvarez.
Results for games played on Friday, April 14.
The Memphis Redbirds defeated the Stripers by the score of 9-4 on Friday night in Georgia. Starter Connor Thomas pitched seven innings, gave up three runs on nine hits, struck out six and walked one to earn his first win of the season.
Jake Walsh relieved Thomas and threw a scoreless eighth. New Memphis returnee Ryan Loutos surrendered one run in the ninth.
Memphis took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a Luken Baker walk, a wild pitch and RBI single by Tres Barrera. Gwinnett answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning.
The Redbirds cut the lead to 3-2 in the fifth. Juniel Querecuto reached on an error and stole second base. Kramer Robertson singled, moving Querecuto to third. Masyn Winn plated Querecuto on a force out.
In the seventh, Memphis took a 4-3 lead on RBI singles by Robertson and Ivan Herrera. A Barrera solo home run and an RBI ground out by Robertson made it 6-3.
Barrera plays long ball! pic.twitter.com/mhmW5CT2w3
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) April 15, 2023
The Redbirds increased the lead to 9-3 in the top of the ninth on a double by Baker and a two-run single by Querecuto. The Stripers added one run in the bottom of the ninth.
Barrera was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Baker was 2-for-2 with an RBI. Robertson was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Chase Pinder was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Querecuto drove in two.
On the base paths, Querecuto stole his third base of the season. Winn swiped his sixth bag. Pinder stole his third base.
Riding a five-game winning streak, Memphis has improved to 8-5 on the season.
Saturday’s game: at Gwinnett, RHP James Naile (2-0, 0.00) vs. Dylan Dodd LHP (0-0, 0.00) 5:05 CT.
The Springfield Cardinals lost to the Travelers on Friday night as a ninth inning rally fell short.
There was a late change as announced starter Connor Lunn was scratched and Wilfredo Pereira was drafted to replace him. Pereira pitched 3 2/3 innings, gave up two runs on three hits, struck out six and walked four. The right-hander suffered his first loss of the season.
Nick Trogrlic-Iverson relieved Pereira and surrendered three runs, two earned in two innings pitched. Ryan Shreve threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Logan Sawyer tossed a scoreless eighth.
Arkansas went ahead 1-0 in the first inning then added a second run in the third. Springfield scored one run in the fourth on a single by Jose Alvarez to cut the lead to 2-1.
The Travelers made it 3-1 in the fifth and widened the tally to 5-1 in the sixth. The Cardinals rallied in the ninth but were unable to push more than two runs across. Both runs scored on a single by Chandler Redmond.
Alvarez was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Pedro Pages was 2-for-3. Matt Koperniak was 2-for-4.
On the base paths, Alvarez stole his first base of the season. In the field, Arquimedes Gamboa made a throwing error. Alvarez had an outfield assist at second base. Pages had a passed ball.
Springfield is 2-5 on the season.
Saturday’s game: at Arkansas, Logan Gragg RHP (0-0, 6.75) vs. Kyle Tyler RHP (0-0, 18.00) 7:05 CT.
The Peoria Chiefs fell to the Timber Rattlers on the road on Friday night. Starter Cooper Hjerpe pitched 3 2/3 innings, gave up four runs on six hits, struck five and walked three. Hjerpe took the loss, his first as a professional.
Edgar Manzo relieved Hjerpe and surrendered one run in 2 2/3 innings. Bryan Pope and Alfredo Ruiz combined to toss the final 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Wisconsin took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Timber Rattlers added to their lead with three runs in the third.
The Chiefs got on the board with two runs in the fourth to cut the lead to 4-2. Jimmy Crooks III led off with a walk. Crooks III advanced to second on a ground out and scored on a single by Nathan Church. Church stole second base and came home on a triple by Osvaldo Tovalin.
Wisconsin added a run to make it 5-2 in the seventh.
Peoria scored two runs on six hits. No Chief had multiple hits. The offense was 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.
Church’s stolen base was his second of the season.
The Chiefs are 2-5 in 2023.
Saturday’s game: at Wisconsin, Austin Love RHP (0-0, 3.86) vs. Stiven Cruz RHP (0-0, 4.50) 1:10 CT.
The Cardinals blew past the Tortugas in an 8-3 road win on Friday night. Starter Max Rajcic pitched 5 2/3 innings, gave up two runs on five hits and struck out four to earn his first win.
Hunter Hayes relieved Rajcic and surrendered one run in 3 1/3 innings. Hayes earned his first save.
Daytona took the first lead with two runs in the second inning. The Beach Birds responded in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead. Chris Rotondo reached first on a strikeout/wild pitch. Rotondo scored on a double by Leonardo Bernal. Michael Curialle singled and Joshua Baez followed with a two-run double.
In the sixth, Palm Beach added two runs to increase the lead to 5-2 on a sac fly by Curialle and a double by Tre Fletcher.
In the top of the ninth the Cardinals widened their tally to 8-2 on an RBI single by Bernal and a fielding error that scored two runs. Daytona added one more run in the bottom of the ninth.
Bernal was 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored. Curialle was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Fletcher was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
On the base paths, Lizandro Espinoza stole his fourth base of the season. In the field, Curialle and Rotondo each made a fielding error.
Palm Beach is 3-4 in 2023.
Saturday’s game: at Daytona, LHP Pete Hansen (0-0, 4.50) vs. TBA 5:35 CT.
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