photo: Lizandro Espinoza (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system went 1-3 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Lizandro Espinoza, had a walk-off single for Palm Beach. Other standouts include Masyn Winn, Mike Antico, Nathan Church and Chris Rotondo.
Results from games played Saturday, May 27th.
The Memphis Redbirds (26-24) fell to the Norfolk Tides (BAL, 35-14) on Saturday night at AutoZone Park.
Starter Tommy Parsons tossed five innings and yielded four runs on six hits and one walk. The right-hander fanned six. In relief, JoJo Romero took his first Triple-A loss this year after he surrendered two runs in 1 2/3 innings with five strikeouts.
After the Tides scored three runs in the first, Luken Baker blasted a solo homer in the home half that broke his bat. TCN’s no. 14 prospect leads the International League in home runs.
In the third, the Redbirds took the lead as Matt Koperniak singled to score one. Moisés Gómez and Taylor Motter both brought a run across to make the score 4-3.
Guillermo Zuñiga pitched just 2/3 of an inning and was charged with four runs. Grant Black gave up a run in the final 1 2/3 innings.
Down 11-4, the Redbirds mounted a comeback in the final innings that fell short. Motter hit his first home run of the season in the eighth. In the ninth inning, Nick Raposo added his first homer for Memphis.
The lineup recorded 10 hits and two walks but left six runners on base. Masyn Winn went 3-for-5 with a run scored. Koperniak and Motter had two hits apiece and Jordan Walker walked twice.
Motter took his first bag of the season.
Sunday’s game: vs. Norfolk, LHP Zack Thompson (0-1, 13.03) vs. RHP Chris Vallimont (2-0, 2.65) 6:05 CT
Springfield 3, Wichita 6 (10 innings)
The Springfield Cardinals (20-24) lost to the Wichita Wind Surge (MIN, 20-23) in extra innings at Hammons Field.
Connor Lunn yielded two runs in 4 2/3 innings on eight hits, a walk and seven strikeouts. Jose Martinez pitched a scoreless 1 1/3 innings. Logan Sawyer struck out three in two scoreless innings.
In the second, Jacob Buchberger gave the Cardinals the lead with a single. Wichita responded with two runs in the third. Springfield tied the game after Justin Toerner grounded into a double play to bring Chandler Redmond across.
With a tie score in the ninth, the contest went into extra innings. Andre Granillo gave up four runs, three earned, in 1 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old took his third loss of the season. Edgar Escobar struck out one in 1/3 of an inning.
In the bottom of the 10th, the Cardinals needed four runs to tie the game. Nick Dunn plated one via sacrifice fly but Springfield could not complete the comeback.
Mike Antico recorded two of the six Cardinals hits. Buchberger went 1-for-2 with two walks. The lineup went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and grounded into three double plays.
Antico stole his 13th base of the season.
Toerner threw a runner out from right field.
Sunday’s game: vs. Wichita, LHP Kenny Hernandez (4-1, 5.75) vs. RHP Chad Donato (1-3, 9.90) 6:05 CT
In an ninth inning reversal, the Peoria Chiefs (21-23) fell to the Great Lakes Loons (LAD, 29-15) at Dozer Park on Saturday.
RHP Ian Bedell threw four innings and was touched for a run on three hits, a walk and four strikeouts. TCN’s no. 15 prospect has a 1.44 ERA in High-A this season. Bryan Pope struck out four in 2 2/3 scoreless frames.
The Chiefs scored both runs in the first inning. Aaron McKeithan brought Victor Scott II (single) across via sacrifice fly. Thomas Francisco plated Nathan Church (double) to make the score 2-0.
In the ninth, the bullpen surrendered four runs. Matt Hickey was charged with three runs, two earned, in 1 1/3 innings to take his first professional loss. Andrew Marrero yielded an unearned run in one inning of relief. A costly error by right fielder Darlin Moquete broke the tie.
Church went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run. Ramon Mendoza also doubled. The lineup went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on base.
Sunday’s game: vs. Great Lakes, RHP Trent Baker (2-2, 2.76) vs. LHP Maddux Bruns (0-1, 3.86) 6:35 CT
The Palm Beach Cardinals (26-18) walked off the Tampa Tarpons (NYY, 17-27) on Saturday evening at Roger Dean Stadium.
Starter Cade Winquest pitched 4 2/3 innings and gave up two runs on two hits and three walks. The 2022 draftee struck out four.
The Beach Birds struck in the first inning with two runs. R.J. Yeager and Won-Bin Cho recorded RBI singles. Adanson Cruz singled in another run in the third. Tampa responded with two runs in the fourth to pull within 3-2.
Angel Cuenca was charged with four runs in 3 1/3 innings. The right-hander fanned two. Nathanael Heredia earned his first win of 2023 after a scoreless ninth inning.
The Tarpons scored four runs in the eighth to take the lead, but the Cardinals answered. In the bottom half, Yeager brought the deficit within two with a single. Leonardo Bernal tied the contest with a double in the ninth. With two out, Lizandro Espinoza won the game for Palm Beach via single.
Five different players in the lineup recorded two hits. Yeager brought in two and Bernal drove in two as a pinch hitter in the ninth. The lineup left 14 runners on base but still won the game with a walk-off.
Chris Rotondo stole his fifth bag of the season.
Sunday’s game: vs. Tampa, RHP Max Rajcic (4-1, 2.21) vs. TBA 11:00 CT
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book copy today!
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
https://thecardinalnation.com/order-tcns-2023-cardinals-prospect-guide/
Not yet a member?
Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
Follow Luke Kotcher on Twitter @luke_kotcher.
© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or republished.