photo: Jack Flaherty (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)
In a 2-4 Wednesday across the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system, our Player of the Day, Jack Flaherty pitched Memphis to yet another win. Springfield continues to pad its division lead.
Results from games played Wednesday, August 16.
Memphis Redbirds 3, Nashville Sounds 2
Backed by over seven quality innings from Jack Flaherty and a pair of home runs, the Redbirds defeated the Sounds on Wednesday by a 3-2 final score.
Flaherty, our Player of the Day, limited the Sounds to two runs on six hits in 7 1/3 innings, lowering his earned run average to 2.82 in 73 1/3 innings with the Redbirds. Flaherty whiffed seven and improved his Memphis record to 5-2.
Third baseman Patrick Wisdom and designated hitter Stephen Piscotty provided the offense. Wisdom’s 26th long ball of the year, a two-run shot, came in the second, and Piscotty’s fourth homer in the sixth proved to be the game-winning run for Memphis. First baseman Rangel Ravelo was in on the action as well, going 2-for-4 with a double and scoring on Wisdom’s big fly.
Thursday’s game: Luke Weaver (10-2, 2.55) vs. Nashville Sounds, 7:05 PM Central time.
Springfield Cardinals 6, San Antonio Missions 3
The Cardinals put up three unanswered runs from the seventh inning on to defeat the Missions, 6-3 on Wednesday.
Starter Ryan Helsley kept the Cardinals in the game through his six innings, as he allowed three runs (two earned) and struck out eight Missions. Through four starts with Springfield, Helsley’s earned run average sits at 1.99 with 28 strikeouts.
Cardinals third baseman Darren Seferina had a productive game in the batter’s box, recording base four times with a walk and three hits, including a solo home run in the seventh inning. Seferina drove in two runs. Left fielder Anthony Garcia had two hits, scored a run, and drove in a run, and catcher Jesse Jenner did the same. Shortstop Tommy Edman and right fielder Adolis Garcia drove in a run apiece, and Helsey, center fielder Magneuris Sierra, and second baseman Eliezer Alvarez came around to score one of the club’s half-dozen runs.
Thursday’s game: Sandy Alcantara (7-5, 4.41) vs. San Antonio Missions, 7:10 PM Central time.
Dunedin Blue Jays 3, Palm Beach Cardinals 2 (11 innings)
After coming back to tie the game in the ninth, the Cardinals ultimately fell to the Blue Jays, 3-2, in 11 innings.
Mike O’Reilly turned in a solid start, allowing two runs on three hits in five innings, with the two runs coming on a home run in the bottom of the first. Ross Vance logged two scoreless innings of relief before Ian McKinney posted zeroes across the next three frames. The Blue Jays got to Hector Mendoza in the 11th for the game-winning run, causing Mendoza’s record to fall to 0-6.
Palm Beach second baseman Andy Young’s fifth home run of the season tied the game at two in the ninth inning. Catcher Jeremy Martinez went 1-for-4 with an RBI double in the seventh, scoring center fielder Shane Billings. The Cardinals combined to go just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leaving eight runners on.
Thursday’s game: Sam Tewes (0-1, 3.00) at Dunedin Blue Jays, 5:30 PM Central time.
Quad Cities River Bandits 9, Peoria Chiefs 8
Despite scoring six unanswered runs, the Chiefs fell in Quad Cities on Wednesday, 9-8.
The River Bandits did all of their damage early, scoring nine runs – all earned – off Chiefs starter Frederis Parra in 2 2/3 innings. Parra allowed six hits and three walks and finished his day with a game score of -1. Considering the havoc wreaked on Parra, the Chiefs’ relief staff did a masterful job. Ronnie Williams led the way with 2 2/3 scoreless, followed by Colton Thomson’s 1 2/3 frames and Leland Tilley’s zero put up in the eighth.
With eight runs of their own, the Chiefs had a solid night at the plate. Left fielder Dylan Carlson had two hits in four at-bats, including a two-run home run, his seventh of 2017. Designated hitter Matt Fielder scored two runs and drove in as many, and right fielder Mick Fennell went 2-for-5 with a double and three runs batted in. Peoria went 4-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Thursday’s game: Austin Warner (2-2, 2.70) at Quad Cities River Bandits, 6:35 PM Central time
West Virginia Black Bears 5, State College Spikes 1
The Black Bears put up four runs on Spikes’ starter Johan Oviedo in his seven-inning outing and defeated State College, 5-1.
Oviedo took the loss, evening his record to 1-1 as a member of the Spikes. The Black Bears scored two of their four runs against Oviedo on solo home runs, one in the fifth and one as part of their three-run seventh.
It was a quiet night for the Spikes offense, as right fielder Brandon Benson drove in the only run on a fifth-inning sacrifice fly. Benson had one hit in three at-bats, recording his seventh double of the season as State College’s lone extra-base hit. Designated hitter Caleb Lopes reached twice on base hits and scored on Benson’s sacrifice fly. The Spikes went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, stranding six runners.
Thursday’s game: Jonathon Mulford (2-4, 4.70) at West Virginia Black Bears, 6:05 PM Central time.
Johnson City Cardinals off
The Johnson City Cardinals were off Wednesday and will resume play on Thursday on the road against the Bluefield Blue Jays. Alvaro Seijas (4-1, 5.24) will toe the rubber for the Cardinals at 6:05 PM Central time.
GCL Cardinals off
The GCL Cardinals were off Wednesday and will pick back up Thursday, as they travel to Port St. Lucie to take on the Mets at 11:00 AM Central time.
DSL Mets1 4, DSL Cardinals 3
The Mets1 put up four runs in the fifth inning to knock off the Cardinals on Wednesday, 4-3.
Cardinals starter Wilfredo Pereira twirled four scoreless innings and was followed out of the bullpen by Roy Garcia. The Mets jumped on Garcia for four runs in the fifth, taking advantage of two walks. The Cardinals’ bats couldn’t rebound, and Garcia suffered his fourth loss in five decisions.
Right fielder Luis Montano hit a solo home run, his second long ball of the season. Catcher Ivan Herrera went 2-for-4 with a run batted in, and center fielder Carlos Soler walked, tripled, and scored a run in five trips to the plate.
Thursday’s game: TBA vs. DSL Mets1, 9:30 AM Central time.
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