photo: Chris Rotondo (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system went 1-3 on Sunday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Peoria RF Chris Rotondo, was a single shy of the cycle with a walk, two runs and seven RBI. Other standouts include Moisés Gómez, Victor Scott, Zane Mills and Joshua Baez.
Results from games played on Sunday, August 20th.
Memphis 5, Norfolk 6 (10 innings)
The Memphis Redbirds (20-25) were edged by the Norfolk Tides (BAL, 24-21) in 10 innings at AutoZone Park.
Starter Connor Thomas pitched three innings and gave up three runs on two hits and two walks. The left-hander fanned three. In his first Triple-A appearance, Andre Granillo surrendered a run in two innings with one hit, six walks and one strikeout.
The Redbirds and Tides traded single runs in the second inning. Moisés Gómez blasted a solo home run, his 24th of the season. After Norfolk scored two runs in the third, Kramer Robertson made the score 3-2 with a sacrifice fly. The Tides took a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning.
Gomez! Gone! pic.twitter.com/LkaDxFqffH
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 20, 2023
In two innings, Dalton Roach was touched for a run but recorded four strikeouts. Jacob Barnes took his first Memphis loss after he yielded an unearned run in 2 2/3 frames. Grant Black pitched a scoreless 1/3 of an inning.
Juniel Querecuto brought the Redbirds within one run via a solo shot in the sixth. Iván Herrera doubled to plate one in the seventh and came across after Juan Yepez grounded into a forceout to make the score 5-5. In the 10th, the Tides scored a run to take the lead. Robertson advanced Nick Raposo to third with one out in the home half but Memphis could not bring him home.
The Redbirds lineup had nine hits and six walks but went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position with 13 runners left on base. Gómez and Querecuto both homered and singled. Every player in the lineup was on base at least once.
Memphis went 3-3 against Norfolk this week. They are 8.5 games out of first in the International League West.
Tuesday’s game: at Charlotte, TBA vs. TBA 5:35 CT (The Redbirds are off Monday)
The Springfield Cardinals (21-24) were walloped by the Wichita Wind Surge (MIN, 24-21) on Sunday afternoon at Riverfront Stadium.
Starter Logan Gragg tossed three innings and surrendered five runs on six hits, three walks and two punchouts. The right-hander took his sixth loss. In relief, Nick Trogrlic-Iverson was touched for three runs in three innings.
The Cardinals scored their only run in the first inning. On the first pitch of the game, Victor Scott blasted a solo home run, his third for Springfield and fifth of the year.
First pitch, no problem 😎 Victor Scott II launched the first pitch of today's game out of the park for a solo home run, his third longball in Double-A!@budweiserusa x #budweiserusa pic.twitter.com/W205Xlgnlv
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 20, 2023
Bryan Pope threw a scoreless seventh inning with one strikeout. In the eighth, Jose Martinez yielded four runs on four hits, two walks and two strikeouts.
Scott recorded the only multi-hit game with two. The lineup was 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.
On the bases, Mike Antico was caught stealing. Noah Mendlinger threw a runner out at home from right field.
The Cardinals are three games out of first in the Texas League North after a 1-5 week in Wichita.
Tuesday’s game: vs. Corpus Christi, TBA vs. TBA 6:35 CT (The Cardinals are off Monday)
The Peoria Chiefs (27-21) topped the Lake County Captains (CLE, 23-23) at Classic Auto Group Park.
Zane Mills gave up one run in five innings to earn his sixth win of the season. TCN’s no. 42 prospect struck out three. Out of the bullpen, Matt Hickey tossed a scoreless sixth inning.
Lake County opened scoring in the first inning with a solo home run. The Chiefs responded with seven runs over the third and fourth innings. Jimmy Crooks singled to score one and R.J. Yeager doubled to bring another home. Chris Rotondo blasted a three-run home run to make the score 5-1. Rotondo drove in two more in the fourth on a double.
Yesterday, Chris Rotondo raked in 7 RBI against the Lake County Captains; the most RBI in a single game since LJ Jones’ 8 RBI on August 28 of last year.
Check out how he did it ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/fLQFiIK6c7
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) August 21, 2023
In the seventh inning, Gustavo Rodriguez yielded a run. Jack Ralston fanned four to close out the final two scoreless frames.
The Chiefs put the game away in the eighth inning with five runs. Alex Iadisernia hit a two-run shot, his fifth in High-A. Rotondo tripled to plate two runs. To close out Rotondo’s career day, he scored on a balk to make the score 12-2.
Rotondo recorded nine total bases with seven RBI, both career-highs. The 2022 round 19 pick was a single shy of the cycle with a walk and two runs scored.
The lineup had 13 hits and six walks to close out the two-week road trip. Crooks was 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored. Iadisernia walked, singled, homered, drove in two runs and came across twice. Broody Moore had two hits and one walk.
On the base paths, Iadisernia and Jeremy Rivas both stole a bag. Moore was caught stealing. In the field, Moore committed a fielding error.
Peoria went 2-4 against the Captains this week. In the Midwest League West, they are four games back of first.
Tuesday’s game: vs. West Michigan, TBA vs. RHP Wilkel Hernandez (3-8, 3.89) 6:35 CT (The Chiefs are off Monday)
The Palm Beach Cardinals (21-25) were outslugged by the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (MIN, 22-26) at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on Sunday.
Starter Chen-Wei Lin was charged with five runs on seven hits and one walk in 3 2/3 innings. The 21-year-old struck out six and took his second loss. Augusto Calderon surrendered two runs with four punchouts in 2 1/3 frames.
After Fort Myers made it 3-0 in the second, the Beach Birds took the lead with four runs in the home half. Sammy Hernandez blasted a two-run home run, his first for Palm Beach. Lizandro Espinoza hit a solo home run and Michael Curialle brought home a run via single. The Mighty Mussels took a one-run lead in the fourth.
Henry Gomez was touched for two runs in one inning. In 2/3 of an inning, Wilmer Ortega yielded four unearned runs. Tyler Bradt pitched a hitless 1 1/3 innings.
Palm Beach put up two runs in the seventh after Fort Myers made it 9-4. William Sullivan tripled to bring one across and Brayden Jobert scored Sullivan with a single. The Mighty Mussels answered with four more runs in the eighth but the Cardinals attempted a comeback in the ninth. Sullivan brought home a run via forceout and Jobert plated one with a single.
Joshua Baez went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and Jobert drove in two with two singles. Curialle was 2-for-4 with a walk, one RBI and a run. Sullivan tripled and Hernandez and Espinoza both homered. The lineup left eight runners on base.
Chase Davis stole his first professional base and Baez took two. In the field, Sullivan committed a throwing error.
The Cardinals are tied for second place, two games out in the Florida State League East after a 2-4 week at home.
Tuesday’s game: at Tampa, TBA vs. TBA 5:30 CT (The Cardinals are off Monday)
FCL Cardinals – Off
In the FCL East, the last place Florida Complex League Cardinals (17-31) are eliminated from playoff contention.
Monday’s game: at FCL Nationals, TBA vs. TBA 9:00 CT
DSL Cardinals – Off
The seventh-place Dominican Summer League Cardinals (17-35) are eliminated from playoff contention in the DSL South.
Monday’s game: vs. DSL Mariners, TBA vs. TBA 9:00 CT (completion of 8/8 game)
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