photo: Chris Rotondo (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system was 2-2 on Wednesday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Peoria DH Chris Rotondo, was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a stolen base. Other standouts include Gordon Graceffo, Pete Hansen and Jose Suarez.
Results for games played Wednesday, June 19.
The Triple-A Redbirds edged the Jumbo Shrimp in a 3-2 win at AutoZone Park. Starter Gordon Graceffo pitched five scoreless innings, allowed four hits, struck out four and walked two. Graceffo has thrown 13 consecutive scoreless innings and earned his eighth win of the season on Wednesday
Packy Naughton relieved Graceffo and threw two scoreless innings. Jacob Bosiokovic hurled a scoreless eighth. Kolton Ingram surrendered two runs in the ninth but still received his third save.
Memphis took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Thomas Saggese doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a ground out by Willson Contreras.
The Redbirds added a run in the third. Alfonso Rivas walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Thomas Saggese reached on an error and Rivas came home.
Jared Young hit a solo home run in the eighth to increase the lead to 3-0. Jacksonville rallied for two runs in the ninth but fell just short as the game ended with the bases loaded.
The offense scored three runs on three hits. No Redbird had multiple hits. St. Louis’ rehabbing catcher Contreras went 0-for-2 with an RBI groundout at the plate and caught five innings as planned. On defense, Rivas had an outfield assist at first base.
Memphis is 37-34 on the season and is in second place in the International League West, 13 games back of Omaha.
Thursday’s game: vs. Jacksonville, Zack Thompson LHP (2-2, 3.86) vs. TBD (JCK) 7:05 CT.
Springfield at Corpus Christi (postponed)
Springfield’s Wednesday game at the Hooks was postponed due to inclement weather. It will be played as part of a doubleheader on June 20.
Thursday’s games: at Corpus Christi, Trent Baker RHP (3-5, 6.66) vs. Joey Mancini RHP (0-0, 0.00) (game one) 4:30 CT, LHP Cooper Hjerpe (0-1, 16.88) vs. Michael Knorr RHP (0-5, 5.26) (game two).
The High-A Chiefs blanked the Kernels by the score of 7-0 on Wednesday. Pete Hansen pitched six scoreless innings, allowed four hits, struck out five and walked two to earn his first win of 2024, in his 12th start.
Nathanel Heredia relieved Hansen and threw two scoreless innings. Zane Mills tossed a scoreless ninth.
Peoria went up 1-0 in the first inning. Won-Bin Cho doubled and scored on a double by Chris Rotondo. The Chiefs added two runs in the second on a two-run home run by Brody Moore to lead 3-0.
MOORE, A FIRST PITCH AMBUSH HAMMERED TO LEFT FIELD…GONE for a 2-run homer!!!
PEO 3 | CR 0
– – –#peoriachiefs #TopDogs@milb | @CardsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/rX32rsKx4M— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) June 19, 2024
In the fifth, Peoria scored twice. Alex Iadisernia doubled and was plated by a single from Darlin Moquete. Moquete later came home on a single by Rotondo.
ANOTHER ONE…ROTONDO A LINE DRIVE BASE HIT TO CENTER FIELD and MOQUETE heads home to score!!
PEO 5 | CR 0
– – –#peoriachiefs #TopDogs@milb | @CardsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/Vq0KCNSzfb— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) June 19, 2024
The Chiefs widened their tally with two runs in the seventh to win 7-0. Cho doubled and scored on a single by Rotondo. Dakota Harris plated Rotondo on a double.
The Peoria offense scored seven runs on 14 hits. Rotondo was 3-for-4 with three RBI. Cho was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Tovalin was 2-for-4. Iadisernia was 2-for-5. Moore had two RBI.
On the bases, Tovalin stole his fifth base. Moore swiped his fifth bag. Rotondo stole his third base. Iadisernia was picked off and caught stealing.
On defense, Moquete made a fielding error. Hansen made an error on a pickoff.
Peoria is 26-39 on the season and are in last place in the Midwest League West, 15.5 games back of Wisconsin. The final game of the first half will be played on Thursday before the Midwest League standings reset for the remainder of the season.
Thursday’s game: at Cedar Rapids, Hancel Rincon RHP (4-4, 3.66) vs. Jeremy Lee RHP (0-3, 7.71) 6:35 CT.
The Low-A Cardinals were edged by the Tarpons in Tampa by one run on Wednesday. Starter Darlin Saladin pitched six innings, gave up two runs on six hits, struck out two and walked three.
Hunter Hayes relieved Saladin and surrendered two runs in two innings. Hayes took the loss.
Tampa took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Beach Birds came back with two runs in the sixth to tie the game. Lizandro Espinoza and Travis Honeyman singled. Miguel Villarroel plated Espinoza on a single. Honeyman came home on a ground out by Kade Kretzschmar.
The Tarpons scored the walk off run in the ninth on three straight singles.
For the evening, the Cardinals offense scored two runs on seven hits. Espinoza was 2-for-3.
Villarroel stole his 23rd base of the season. New arrival Anyelo Encarnacion swiped his first bag.
On defense, Saladin picked a runner off second base.
Palm Beach is 36-29 on the season and is tied with Jupiter for first place in the FSL East with one game remaining in the first half. Due to its 5-4 head-to-head record vs. Jupiter, Palm Beach will clinch a playoff berth with a win or a Jupiter loss on Wednesday.
Thursday’s game: at Tampa, LHP Ixan Henderson (3-1, 2.72)? vs. TBD 5:30 CT
The rookie Cardinals were edged by the Mets in a 9-8 loss on Wednesday. Starter Leonel Sequera pitched 3 2/3 innings, gave up five runs on 10 hits, struck out four and walked three.
Samuel Fabian relieved Sequera and surrendered one unearned run in 2 1/3 innings. Jovi Galvez yielded three runs, two earned, in 2/3 of an inning and took the loss. Randel Clemente tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Without a hit, the Cardinals went up 4-0 in the top of the first inning. Samil De La Rosa drew a walk and stole second base. Jonathan Mejia reached on an error and De La Rosa scored. Yordalin Pena and Jose Suarez walked. Mejia came home on a wild pitch. Luis Pino walked. Heriberto Caraballo plated Pena on a ground out. Suarez scored on a wild pitch.
The Mets answered with one run in the home first. They added two runs in both the third and fourth innings to lead 5-4.
The Cardinals came back to post two runs in the top of the sixth on solo home runs by Suarez and Pino to regain the lead 6-5. The Mets tied the game in the home sixth.
The Cardinals produced one run in the top of the seventh to regain the lead a second time 7-6. Pena walked and scored on a double by Suarez.
The Mets rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to retake the lead 9-7. The Cardinals tacked on one run in the ninth but could not re-tie. Pena singled and later scored on a sac fly by Pino.
The Cardinals scored eight runs on six hits. Suarez was 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Pino had two RBI.
On the bases, De La Rosa stole his fifth base of the season. Mejia swiped two bags. Pino stole his first base.
On defense, the Cards committed five errors. Yancel Guerrero made two, one throwing and one fielding. Arfeni Batista had a throwing error. Suarez had a fielding miscue. Mejia made a throwing error. Suarez had an outfield assist at second base.
The Cardinals are 12-19 on the season and are in last place in the FCL East, 9.5 games back of the Marlins.
Thursday’s games: vs. FCL Astros, RH Nelfy Ynfante (G1) and LH Yadiel Batista (G2 – makeup of June 11) 9:00 am CT
DSL Cardinals – Off
The Dominican Summer League Cardinals are 5-6 for the season.
Thursday’s game: at DSL Nationals, RH Andrew Bolivar (0-0, 0.00) vs. TBD 10:00 am CT.
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