Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 22, 2023

photo: Paul DeJong (Jeff Curry/USA TODAY Sports)

On Friday, the St. Louis Cardinals system was 4-1 as Peoria swept a doubleheader. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, shortstop Paul DeJong, went 3-for-4 with six RBI in Memphis’ 11th straight win. Other standouts include Jacob Buchberger and Pete Hansen.

Results for games played on Friday, April 21.

Memphis 8, Indianapolis 4

The Redbirds beat the Indians in an 8-4 contest on Friday at AutoZone Park. Starter James Naile pitched five innings, gave up two runs on four hits, struck out five and walked two to earn his third win of the season.

Grant Black relieved and surrendered two runs in the sixth. Kyle Leahy threw two scoreless innings. Jake Walsh tossed a scoreless ninth.

The Indians scored first with one run in the top of the first. Memphis answered with one run to tie in the bottom of the inning on a single by rehabbing St. Louis shortstop Paul DeJong.

Paul DeJong

In the second, DeJong’s three-run double gave the Redbirds a 4-1 lead. Three runs were added to the tally in the fourth on a two-run home run by DeJong and solo long ball by Moises Gomez, his first of 2023.

Indianapolis made it 7-2 in the fifth, then scored two more in the top of the sixth to cut the lead to 7-4. The Redbirds added a run in the home half of the sixth on a single by Oscar Mercado for the final score of 8-4.

DeJong was 3-for-4 with six RBI. Gomez was 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Masyn Winn was 2-for-4. Mercado was 3-for-5 with an RBI.

On the base paths, Juniel Querecuto stole his fourth base of the season. Winn stole his eighth base.

Memphis is 14-5 on the season.

Saturday’s game:  vs. Indianapolis, RHP Gordon Graceffo (0-1, 3.27) vs. RHP Osvaldo Bido 3:05 CT.

Springfield 5, Midland 6 (11 innings)

The Cardinals were topped by the RockHounds in an extra innings contest on Friday at Hammons Field. Starter Kenny Hernandez pitched five innings, gave up two runs on five hits, struck out five and walked two.

Wilfredo Pereira relieved and surrendered three runs, one earned, in 4 2/3 innings. Andre Granillo allowed one unearned run in the final 1 1/3 innings. Granillo took the loss.

Midland got on the board first with one run in the first inning. Springfield answered with two runs in the third on solo home runs by Jacob Buchberger and Mike Antico.

In the fifth, the RockHounds tied the game at 2-2. Midland took a 3-2 lead in the top of ninth. The Cardinals tied it in the home half of the ninth on a second long ball from Buchberger.

Jacob Buchberger

Midland went up 5-3 in the top of the 10th. Springfield responded by tying the game again on a single by Chandler Redmond and a fielding error.

In the 11th, the RockHounds broke the 5-5 tie with one run to make it 6-5. The Cardinals were unable to respond.

Buchberger was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Antico and Redmond each had an RBI.

In the field, Nick Raposo made two errors, one fielding and one throwing.

Springfield is 5-8 on the season.

Saturday’s game:  vs. Midland, RHP Logan Gragg (0-0, 5.63) vs. RHP Royber Salinas (0-0, 3.24) 6:05 CT.

Peoria 5, Fort Wayne 3 (seven innings, Game 1)

The Chiefs defeated the TinCaps in the first game of a twin bill at Dozer Park on Friday. Cooper Hjerpe pitched five innings, gave up three runs on two hits, struck out five and walked three to earn his first win of his career.

Edgar Manzo relieved and threw a scoreless sixth. Andrew Marrero tossed a scoreless seventh to earn his third save.

Peoria got on the board first with one run in the second inning. Jimmy Crooks III began the inning with a single. Thomas Francisco singled. Osvaldo Tovalin singled to plate Crooks III.

Fort Wayne came back in the third to score two runs and take a 2-1 lead. The TinCaps added a run in the fourth to increase the lead to 3-1.

The Chiefs regained the lead with a four-run fifth inning. Nathan Church singled. Jeremy Rivas and Crooks III walked to load the bases. Aaron McKeithan reached on an error and Church scored. Francisco walked and Rivas scored. Tovalin plated Crooks III on a sac fly. McKeithan scored on a double by Patrick Romeri.

Tovalin was 2-for-2 with two RBI. Church was 2-for-4. McKeithan, Francisco, and Romeri each had an RBI.

Osvaldo Tovalin

On the base paths, Tovalin stole his third base of the season. Rivas stole his first game of the season.

In the field, Rivas made a throwing error.

Peoria 3, Fort Wayne 2 (seven innings, Game 2)

The Chiefs took the second game of the twin bill by a 3-2 score at Dozer Park on Friday. Fill-in starter Dionys Rodriguez pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowed one hit, struck out one and walked three.

Alfredo Ruiz relieved and surrendered one run in 1 1/3 innings. Gustavo Rodriguez allowed one run in two innings pitched. Rodriguez received the win in his Peoria debut. Leonardo Taveras tossed a scoreless seventh to earn his first save.

Peoria took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Victor Scott II singled and advanced to third on an error. Scott scored on a ground out by Nathan Church.

Fort Wayne tied the game in the fifth. In the sixth, the Chiefs plated two runs to take a 3-1 lead on solo inside the park home run by Tyler Reichenborn and a single by Jeremy Rivas.

Tyler Reichenborn

The TinCaps made it 3-2 in the seventh but got no farther.

The offense scored three runs on four hits. No Chief had more than one hit. Church drove in two.

On the base paths, Church was caught stealing.

Peoria is 6-7 on the season.

Saturday’s game:  vs. Fort Wayne, Trent Baker RHP (0-1, 6.75) vs. Adam Mazur RHP (0-0, 4.50) 6:35 CT.

Palm Beach 2, Dunedin 1 (11 innings)

The Cardinals edged the Blue Jays in a 2-1 game at Roger Dean Stadium on Friday. Pete Hansen started this extra innings contest and pitched six scoreless innings, allowed one hit, struck out seven and walked one.

Pete Hansen

Angel Cuenca threw two scoreless innings of relief. Chandler Arnold followed with 2/3 scoreless frames. Tanner Jacobson surrendered one unearned run in 1 1/3 innings. Victor Villanueva tossed a scoreless 11th and earned the win, his first.

This game was scoreless through nine innings. In the top of the 10th, Dunedin took a 1-0 lead. In the home half of the 10th, the Beach Birds tied the game. With Michael Curialle on second base, R.J Yeager singled to bring Curialle home.

The Blue Jays failed to score in the top of the 11th.  In the bottom of the inning, Alex ladisernia’s bunt single plated Chris Rotondo from second base to win the game on a walk off.

Alex Iadisernia

ladisernia was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Yeager drove in one.

On the base paths, lasidernia stole his second base of the season and Joshua Baez took his first.

In the field, Leonardo Bernal made an error on a pickoff. Tre Fletcher had an outfield assist at second base.

Palm Beach is 7-6 on the season.

Saturday’s game:  vs. Dunedin, RHP Hancel Rincon (1-1, 7.27) vs. TBA 5:00 CT

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