Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 6, 2026

photo: Jon Jon Gazdar (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 2-2 on Sunday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Springfield second baseman Jon Jon Gazdar, launched a grand slam to highlight a three-hit, five-RBI performance. Other standouts include Bligh Madris, Bryan Torres, Skylar Hales, Mason Molina and Cade McGee.

Results for games played on Sunday, April 5, 2026.

Memphis Redbirds 1, Norfolk Tides 9 (Game 1, 7 innings)

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds dropped the opener of Sunday’s twin bill to the Norfolk Tides. It was the reschedule of Saturday’s rainout.

Brycen Mautz made his second start for the Redbirds. The left-hander pitched 1 ⅔ innings and allowed five runs, four earned, on one hit, four walks, and no strikeouts. Mautz took the loss.

Tink Hence tossed 1 ⅓ shutout frames with a strikeout in relief of Mautz. Scott Blewett followed and yielded two runs across two innings. Ian Bedell surrendered two runs and recorded just two outs. Gerson Moreno didn’t allow a run across the final 1 ⅓ innings.

Norfolk plated the first run of the game in the top of the first inning.

Memphis tied the game in the bottom of the frame. With two outs, César Prieto and Blaze Jordan singled. Leo Bernal lined a third consecutive single to score Prieto and tie the game at one.

Leonardo Bernal

The Tides scored four runs in the second, and two runs apiece in the fourth and sixth innings, to jump ahead 9-1.

Memphis looked to rally in the bottom of the seventh. Brody Moore lined an infield single, though it was erased on a double play. Torres lined a single but was stranded to end the game.

The Redbirds scored one run on seven hits, all singles. Jordan was 2-for-3 and the lone Redbird with multiple hits. Bernal singled and drove in a run. Torres singled and drew a walk.

On the bases, Colton Ledbetter stole his first bag of the season.

Defensively, right fielder Ledbetter committed a fielding error.

Memphis Redbirds 7, Norfolk Tides 3 (Game 2, 7 innings)

The Memphis Redbirds bested the Norfolk Tides in the nightcap of Easter Sunday’s doubleheader.

With Jared Shuster called up to St. Louis, Max Rajcic started for the Redbirds. The right-hander threw three innings and allowed four runs on four hits, five walks, and four strikeouts.

Luis Gastelum yielded a run across 1 ⅓ innings with three strikeouts and picked up the win. Skylar Hales fanned three over 2 ⅔ shutout frames. Ryan Fernandez tossed a shutout ninth to finish the game.

Memphis opened the scoring with a two-run bottom of the first.

Bryan Torres and Joshua Báez walked and swiped second base and third base, respectively, on a double steal. Jimmy Crooks took the third walk of the inning to load the bags with one out. Blaze Jordan scorched a double to score Torres and Báez and give Memphis a 2-0 lead.

Blaze Jordan

Norfolk tied the game at two in the second.

Memphis reclaimed the lead with a two-run bottom of the third. César Prieto led off the frame with a single. Crooks followed with his second walk of the game. Crooks and Prieto advanced on a Colton Ledbetter groundout. Bligh Madris doubled to score Prieto and Crooks for a 4-2 Redbirds lead.

Bligh Madris

Norfolk moved within a run in the top of the fourth.

Memphis took the run back in the bottom of the frame. Torres walked and moved to second base on a wild pitch. Prieto lined a single to plate Torres and extend the lead to 5-3.

The Redbirds scored twice in the fifth, their third consecutive scoring inning. Madris hit a ground-rule double and crossed home plate on a Ramon Mendoza double.

Ramon Mendoza

Matt Koperniak followed with a walk. Torres laced a single to score Mendoza and stretch the lead to 7-3.

Bryan Torres

The Memphis lineup tallied five hits with runners in scoring position in the win.

The Redbirds scored seven runs on eight hits. Madris was 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI, and a run scored. Jordan doubled and tallied two RBI. Mendoza walked, doubled, scored a run, and drove in a run. Torres was a perfect 2-for-2 with two walks, two runs scored, and an RBI.

On the bases, Torres swiped third base for his second steal of 2026. Báez swiped his second bag of the season. Prieto stole his first base of the year.

Memphis is 8-1 on the season after taking five of six from Norfolk. They are off Monday as they travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a six-game series with the Charlotte Knights, beginning Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: at Charlotte (CWS). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 5:35 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals 6 at Amarillo Sod Poodles 4 (10 innings)

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals won in extra-innings over the Sod Poodles in Amarillo to sweep their first series of 2026.

Mason Molina started for Springfield in his Double-A debut. The left-hander pitched five innings and allowed one run on four hits, two walks, and six strikeouts.

Mason Molina

Ryan Murphy threw a scoreless sixth inning in relief of Molina as he made his organizational debut. Darlin Saladin made his season debut and tossed a shutout seventh frame. Also in his first 2026 appearance, Tyler Bradt added a scoreless eighth. Domenic Picone pitched the final two innings and yielded three runs with three strikeouts. He was tagged with a blown save but still received the win.

Amarillo took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning.

Springfield grabbed the lead late with a four-run eighth. Travis Honeyman and Miguel Ugueto singled and Jeremy Rivas walked to load the bases with one out. Jon Jon Gazdar crushed a grand slam, his first Double-A home run and the team’s third grand slam in three games, to put the Cardinals in front 4-1.

Jon Jon Gazdar

The Sod Poodles sent the game into extras with three runs in the bottom of the ninth.

The Cardinals regained the lead with two runs in the 10th inning. With Honeyman at second base to begin the frame, Ugueto doubled to move Honeyman to third base and put two runners in scoring position. Rivas brought Honeyman home with a sacrifice fly.

Gazdar lined a single to score Ugueto for a 6-4 lead.

The Cardinals stranded 10 Sod Poodles on base in the win.

Springfield scored six runs on 10 hits. Gazdar was 3-for-5 with a grand slam in a five-RBI day. Rivas walked, singled, scored a run, and drove in a run. Honeyman was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Ugueto went 2-for-4, including a double and two runs scored.

On the bases, Rivas swiped his first bag of the season.

Defensively, pitcher Murphy picked a runner off first base.

Springfield is 3-0 on the young season. They are off Monday and head home to Hammons Field for their first home series of 2026 as they will face the Tulsa Drillers, starting Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Tulsa (LAD). RHP Brandt Thompson (0-0, 0.00) vs. TBA. 6:35 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs 8 at Cedar Rapids Kernels 14

The Peoria Chiefs fell to the Cedar Rapids Kernels in Sunday’s road series finale.

Blake Aita started for the Chiefs in his organizational debut. The right-hander pitched 3 ⅓ innings and allowed three runs on five hits, two walks, and five strikeouts.

Gerardo Salas surrendered three runs across 1 ⅔ innings in relief of Aita and took the loss. Aaron Holiday yielded seven runs, one earned, and recorded just two outs. Jawilme Ramírez followed and gave up one run over 1 ⅓ innings. Lefty Jack Findlay fired a shutout eighth frame in his season debut.

Peoria opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first. Tai Peete drew a leadoff walk and moved to second base on Jesús Baéz’ single. Peete took third base on a throwing error after a fly out. Cade McGee hit into a fielder’s choice third out, but Peete was able to cross home plate before the out was recorded to put the Chiefs in front 1-0.

The Chiefs extended the lead with a three-run third inning. Sammy Hernandez hit a leadoff double and Peete followed with a walk. Rainiel Rodriguez hit a ground ball single to score Hernandez for the second run of the game.

Rainiel Rodriguez

Baéz grounded into a double play, with Peete to third base. Cho lined a single to bring Peete home for a 3-0 lead.

Won-Bin Cho

Cade McGee followed with a double to score Cho and extend the lead to 4-0.

Cade McGee

The Kernels scored three runs in the third inning, one in the fourth, three in the fifth, and seven in the sixth frame to move ahead 13-4.

Peoria chipped into the large gap with a pair of runs in the seventh. Anyelo Encarnación blasted a solo home run to begin the inning.

Anyelo Encarnacion

Hernandez followed with his second double of the day. Rodriguez was hit by a pitch. Baéz singled home Hernandez for a 13-6 score.

Cedar Rapids took a run back in the home seventh for a 14-6 lead.

Peoria added a run in the eighth. José Suárez lined a double. Encarnación reached base on a throwing error. Encarnación and Suárez swiped second base and third base, respectively, on a double steal, with Suárez home on the play via a throwing error from the catcher.

Down to their final three outs, the Chiefs tried to rally. Baéz reached first base on a fielding error to start the ninth. Cho singled and McGee walked to load the bases with no outs. With one out, Miguel Villarroel grounded into a forceout, with Baéz home on the play for a 14-8 score to conclude the scoring.

Peoria scored eight runs on 11 hits. McGee doubled and tallied two RBI. Encarnación hit a solo home run. Baéz and Cho were both 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Rodriguez singled and drove in a run. Villarroel collected an RBI.

On the bases, Villarroel and Encarnación swiped their first bags of the season. Suárez stole third base for his first steal of the campaign.

Defensively, shortstop Encarnación made a throwing error and a fielding error. Suárez nailed a runner at home plate from left field.

The Chiefs are 1-2 on the season after taking one of three from Cedar Rapids. They are off Monday and head home to Dozer Park to begin a six-game series with the South Bend Cubs, beginning Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: vs. South Bend (CHC). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals (off day)

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals were off Sunday, as they prepare for a six-game road series with the Bradenton Marauders, starting Tuesday.

Palm Beach is 1-2 on the season after facing the St. Lucie Mets at home.

Tuesday’s game: at Bradenton (PIT). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 PM CT.

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