photo: Thomas Francisco (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system was 3-4 on Friday as Memphis split a doubleheader. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, 1B Thomas Francisco, was 2-for-4 with three RBI in Peoria’s one-run loss. Other standouts include Juan Yepez, Max Rajcic and Logan Gragg.
Results for games played on Friday, June 16.
Memphis 6 at Jacksonville 3 (seven innings, Game 1)
The Memphis Redbirds were the victors in the first game of a twin bill visiting the Jumbo Shrimp. Starter Tommy Parsons pitched three innings, gave up two runs on two hits, struck out two and walked three.
JoJo Romero threw two scoreless innings of relief. James Naile tossed a scoreless sixth to earn the win. Jake Walsh surrendered one run in the seventh.
Memphis took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a solo home run by Juniel Querecuto. The Redbirds added two in the third. Errol Robinson walked and Masyn Winn singled. Both runners advanced on a balk. Juan Yepez plated Robinson and Winn on a single.
JUAN YEPEZ pic.twitter.com/zX2q98EtmE
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) June 16, 2023
Memphis continued to score with one run in the top of the fourth on a bases loaded walk by Ivan Herrera.
Jacksonville finally scored in the bottom of the fourth, adding two runs to cut the lead to 4-2. The Redbirds made it 5-2 in the fifth on a solo long ball from Moises Gomez, his 19th in 2023.
No. 18 for Gomez! pic.twitter.com/F4O6ZgwLoh
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) June 16, 2023
The score became 6-2 in the seventh when Gomez singled and later scored on a single by Robinson. The Jumbo Shrimp added a final run to their tally in the bottom of the seventh.
Gomez was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Querecuto was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Robinson was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Yepez had two RBI.
On the base paths, Robinson stole his third base of the season and Gomez swiped his fourth bag.
Chase Pinder made a fielding error.
Memphis 1 at Jacksonville 5 (seven innings, Game 2)
In the second game of Friday’s twin bill, the Redbirds lost to the Jumbo Shrimp 5-1. Starter Zack Thompson continued to struggle, pitching 3 2/3 innings and gaving up five runs on six hits, striking out three and walking three. The lefty took the loss, his second.
Ryan Loutos tossed the final 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
Jacksonville scored first and often, with one run in the first inning, another in the third and three runs in the fifth.
Memphis plated their only run in the sixth. Ivan Herrera doubled and scored on a single by Juan Yepez.
Yepez was 2-for-3 with an RBI. The offense scored one run on five hits. They were 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position and left four men on base.
Memphis is 35-32 on the season and is in fifth place in the International League West, 11 games back of St. Paul.
Saturday’s game: at Jacksonville, RHP Michael McGreevy (6-1, 3.38) vs. LHP Devin Smeltzer 5:35 CT.
The Springfield Cardinals were blanked by the Drillers in a 3-0 loss on Friday at Hammons Field. Starter Logan Gragg pitched 6 2/3 innings, gave up one run on eight hits, struck out six and walked two. Gragg took the hard-luck loss, his fourth.
Bryan Pope threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to keep it close. Logan Sawyer relinquished two insurance runs in the ninth.
The game was scoreless through six innings. In the seventh, Tulsa broke through with one run. They added two runs in the ninth.
The Cardinals scattered five hits and were held scoreless. The only extra base hit was a double by Justin Toerner. The offense was 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.
Jacob Buchberger made a fielding error.
Springfield is 31-30 on the season and is in third place in the Texas League North, seven games back of Arkansas and Tulsa.
Saturday’s game: vs. Tulsa, Edgar Escobar RHP (7-2, 4.38) vs. Kyle Hurt RHP (2-2, 3.47) 6:35 CT.
The Peoria Chiefs were topped by the Lugnuts in a Friday night road contest that featured multiple lead changes. Starter Tink Hence pitched four innings, gave up one run on four hits, struck out four and walked one.
The pen was leaky as Edgar Manzo relieved Hence and surrendered three runs while recording only one out. Roy Garcia relinquished two runs in 1 1/3 innings. Zane Mills allowed three runs in 1 2/3 innings. Alfredo Ruiz got the final out of the ninth. Mills took the loss.
Peoria took an early 5-0 lead in the second inning. Jimmy Crooks singled and advanced to second on a passed ball. Jeremy Rivas singled, and Crooks came home Rivas scored on a double by Osvaldo Tovalin. Francisco Hernandez singled. Thomas Francisco doubled to plate Tovalin and Hernandez. Victor Scott II singled. Francisco crossed home on a sacrifice fly by Nathan Church.
Lansing cut into the lead in the fifth with four runs. In the top of the sixth, the Chiefs added two on a single by Francisco and a double by Tyler Reichenborn. The Chiefs led 7-4.
The Lugnuts quickly responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it 7-6. Peoria made it 8-6 in the top of the eighth on a single by Francisco.
Lansing answered again with three runs in the home half of the eighth to go up 9-8.
Francisco was 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Tovalin was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Hernandez was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Scott II was 2-for-5.
On the base paths, Scott II stole two bases to increase his total to 47.
In the field, Crooks made a throwing error.
Peoria is 30-31 on the season and is tied for second place in the Midwest League West with Quad Cities, six games back of Cedar Rapids.
Saturday’s game: at Lansing, Dionys Rodriguez RHP (1-4, 4.74) vs. Jacob Watters RHP (1-5, 6.69) 6:05 CT.
Palm Beach 1, St. Lucie 0 (five innings)
The Palm Beach Cardinals blanked the Mets in a rain-shortened game at Roger Dean Stadium on Friday. Starter Max Rajcic pitched five scoreless innings, allowed four hits, struck out three and walked one to earn his sixth win of the season.
The Beach Birds scored the only run of the game in the first inning. R.J Yeager was hit by a pitch and came home on a double by Leonardo Bernal.
The rain came after 4 1/2 innings, and after a delay, the game was called as an official game.
The Palm Beach offense scored one run on three hits. The only extra base hit was the Bernal double. Won-Bin Cho and Brandon Hernandez singled.
Palm Beach is 35-26 on the season and is in first place in the FSL East.
Saturday’s game: vs. St. Lucie, TBA (PB) vs. Jawilme Ramirez RHP (2-3, 4.31) 3:00 CT.
The Florida Complex League Cardinals defeated the Astros by the score of 3-1 in Jupiter on Friday. Starter Leonel Sequera pitched three innings, gave up one run on three hits and struck out two.
Ruben Menes relieved Sequera and threw three scoreless innings to earn his second win of the season. Miguel Martinez hurled two scoreless innings. Antoni Cuello tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his first save.
The Astros scored first, pushing their only run of the game across the plate in the second inning. The Cardinals plated two runs in the fifth to take a 2-1 lead. Todd Lott, on a rehab assignment from Springfield, doubled to start the inning. Luis Pino followed with a walk. Lott stole second base and came home on a throwing error. Pino stole third base and scored on a passed ball.
The Cardinals added their third and final run in the eighth. Adari Grant was hit by a pitch and later crossed the plate on a ground out by Jose Suarez.
The Cardinals offense scored three runs despite having only two hits. The only extra base hit was the Lott double.
On the base paths, Lott and Pino each stole a base. Grant was picked off and caught stealing.
The rookie-level Cardinals are 4-4 on the season.
Saturday’s game: Off day.
DSL Cardinals 1 at DSL Phillies White 5
The Dominican Summer League Cardinals fell to the Phillies White in a 5-1 contest on Friday. Starter Brailyn Paulino pitched three innings, gave up two runs on four hits, struck out two and walked four. Paulino took the loss.
Yordy Herrera surrendered two runs in three innings of relief. Jovi Galvez allowed one unearned run int the final two innings.
The Phillies White took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Cardinals scored their lone run in the second inning. Yordalin Pena doubled and later scored on a ground out by Luis Atocha.
The Phillies White scored twice in the fourth and one final run in the seventh to reach the final score of 5-1.
Pena was 2-for-4 as the only Cardinal with multiple hits. The offense scored one run seven hits, was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left four men on base.
On the base paths, Atocha was caught stealing for the first time. Elias Reynoso was picked off first base. Reynoso committed a fielding error and Galvez made an error on a pickoff. Pena had two outfield assists, one at first base and one at home.
The Cardinals are 3-6 on the season.
Saturday’s game: vs. DSL LAD Bautista, TBA vs TBA 10:00 am CT.
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