photo: Andrew Dutkanych (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 2-2 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Palm Beach RHP Andrew Dutkanych IV, pitched a career-high five innings of one-run ball with three strikeouts. Other standouts: Quinn Mathews, Rainiel Rodriguez, Brandt Thompson, Brandon Clarke, Sebastian Dos Santos and Brayden Smith.
Results for games played on Saturday, July 18, 2026.
Memphis Redbirds 4, Iowa Cubs 5 (10 innings)
The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds lost a close extra-inning contest at AutoZone Park on Saturday.
Prior to the game, the club made a late change to its starting pitching plans.
A late change to the rotation. Quinn Mathews was moved up to tonight, with Cijntje's Memphis debut tomorrow.
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) July 18, 2026
Quinn Mathews made his 18th start for Memphis. The left-hander pitched six innings and allowed one run on three hits, one walk and four strikeouts. It was his ninth straight outing in which he allowed three or fewer runs.
In another notable shift that has potential St. Louis implications, Brycen Mautz made his first professional relief appearance and fired two shutout innings.
Victor Santos yielded three runs, two earned, over 1 ⅓ innings and took the loss. Newcomer Durbin Feltman gave up a run as he secured the final two outs of the 10th inning.
Memphis broke the scoreless tie with a run in the home fifth inning. Ramon Mendoza tripled and Colton Ledbetter walked. Brody Moore grounded a single into center field to score Mendoza and put the Redbirds in front 1-0.
Brody puts us in front! pic.twitter.com/WVH5GChvMw
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) July 19, 2026
Iowa tied the game with a run in the sixth. The game remained knotted at one to force extra innings. The Cubs plated four runs in the top of the 10th to move ahead 5-1.
Memphis looked to counter the big inning with three outs remaining. César Prieto began at second base and moved to third on a Joshua Báez flyout. Nolan Gorman ripped a single to bring Prieto home and bring the Redbirds within three at 5-2.
Gorman drives in Prieto pic.twitter.com/HLsa3p4Ceh
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) July 19, 2026
Leo Bernal followed with a single to bring the tying run to the batter’s box. Gorman advanced to third on a flyout from Mendoza. Bernal took second base on defensive indifference. Ledbetter singled home Gorman and Bernal to move Memphis within a run at 5-4. Chase Davis pinch-hit for Moore and was hit by a pitch but Noah Mendlinger struck out to cut the rally just short.
The Redbirds scored four runs on six hits. Ledbetter walked twice, singled, and tallied two RBI. Moore singled and drove in a run. Gorman walked, singled, scored, and notched an RBI. Mendoza drew two walks, tripled, and scored.
On the bases, Moore stole his sixth bag at Triple-A on the season. Báez swiped his 15th.
On defense, pitcher Mathews picked a runner off first base to highlight an errorless night by the Redbirds.
Memphis is 8-12 in the second half and 55-40 overall. They will look to clinch the three-game series win on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: vs. Iowa. SHS Jurrangelo Cijntje (Triple-A debut) vs. TBA. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 PM CT.
Springfield Cardinals 4, Amarillo Sod Poodles 3
The Double-A Springfield Cardinals edged the Amarillo Sod Poodles at Route 66 Stadium on Saturday.
Cooper Hjerpe started his third game of the season for Springfield and it was his best showing to date. The left-hander threw three innings and allowed one run on two hits, one walk, and six strikeouts.
Cooper Hjerpe goes three innings tonight, striking out six with two hits, a walk and one run allowed. pic.twitter.com/3s25xS0ykB
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) July 19, 2026
Domenic Picone tossed a shutout fourth frame in relief. Back with Springfield yet again, Brandt Thompson pitched 4 ⅔ innings and gave up two runs, one earned, with six strikeouts to earn his third win of the year with Springfield.
Brandt Thompson was cruising tonight, tossing 4.2 innings while striking out six, allowing two runs (one earned). pic.twitter.com/uWulmR0tl8
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) July 19, 2026
Lefty Jack Findlay recorded the final out of the game and picked up his third save.
The Cardinals opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Travis Honeyman led off with a single and moved to third on Rainiel Rodriguez’ double. Honeyman crossed home plate on a sacrifice fly from Deniel Ortiz.
Amarillo tied the game in the top of the second.
The Cardinals immediately regained the lead with a run in the home half of the frame.
Miguel Ugueto singled and scored on a Tre Richardson III double.
Springfield added two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Dakota Harris and Honeyman singled. Rodriguez hit a third consecutive single to plate Harris. Honeyman scored on an errant pickoff throw for the fourth Springfield run.
The Sod Poodles scored single runs in the sixth and eighth innings but were unable to snatch the lead as the Springfield bullpen held strong.
The Cardinals scored four runs on 13 hits. Rodriguez was 3-for-4, including a double and an RBI.
Rainiel Rodriguez tallies a 3-for-4 night with a double and an RBI. pic.twitter.com/eW78flO4Z6
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) July 19, 2026
Ugueto and Harris each collected two singles and scored a run. Richardson III went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Honeyman singled twice and scored twice. Ortiz drew two walks and logged an RBI. Zach Levenson doubled.
On the basepaths, Harris swiped his 24th bag. Ugueto was caught stealing second base. Levenson was caught swiping third base. Rodriguez was caught stealing home.
On defense, shortstop Jesús Báez committed a fielding error.
Springfield is 13-7 in the second half and 44-44 overall. They hold a one-game lead in the Texas League North Division. The Cardinals will look to win the three-game weekend series on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: vs. Amarillo. LHP Liam Doyle (1-5, 5.46) vs. RHP Daniel Eagan (3-7, 5.68) 6:05 PM CT.
Peoria Chiefs 4 at South Bend Cubs 10
The High-A Peoria Chiefs fell to the South Bend Cubs in a lopsided road loss on Saturday.
Jack Martinez started for Peoria in his High-A debut. The right-hander pitched four innings and allowed six runs, three earned, on six hits, one walk, and two strikeouts, taking the loss.
Ring him up! Jack Martinez, @TheSunDevils, records his first strikeout as a Chief!💥@CardsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/FwjBrFQjXW
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) July 18, 2026
Ty Van Dyke surrendered four runs across four innings in relief of Martinez.
South Bend took that 8-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the second, three in the third, two in the fourth, and a pair of runs in the sixth.
Peoria got on the board with a four-run eighth. Luis Pino hit a leadoff single and advanced to third on a Jack Gurevitch double. Cade McGee was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jalin Flores drew a walk to force Pino home. Michael Dattalo lined a single to plate Gurevitch and McGee.
✌🏼 runs score on one swing by Michael Dattalo!
PEO 3 | SB 8 pic.twitter.com/jYwmAR5OPW
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) July 19, 2026
Ian Petrutz followed with a single to score Flores and cut the lead in half to 8-4.
Cutting the lead in half with an RBI single by Ian Petrutz!
PEO 4 | SB 8 pic.twitter.com/Sy3lqfox5U
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) July 19, 2026
South Bend added two insurance runs in the home eighth to jump ahead 10-4. The Chiefs were unable to answer.
The Chiefs scored four runs on eight hits. Dattalo was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Petrutz went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Flores walked twice, scored a run, doubled, and drove in a run. Gurevitch doubled and scored.
On the bases, Pino swiped his fifth bag with the Chiefs. Petrutz was caught stealing second base.
On defense, right fielder José Suárez committed a fielding error.
Peoria is 9-13 in the second half and 41-47 overall. They will look to clinch the series victory with a win on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: at South Bend. RHP Tanner Franklin (3-3, 4.81) vs. TBA. 1:05 PM CT.
Palm Beach Cardinals 7, St. Lucie Mets 4
The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals defeated the St. Lucie Mets at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Saturday to even the series at a game apiece.
Brandon Clarke started in his second rehab outing, first for Palm Beach, as he works to join the Double-A club. The left-hander threw 1 ⅓ innings and allowed two runs on one hit, two walks, and one strikeout. His velocity, which included 14 pitches above 100 mph in the first inning alone, grew great attention nationally.
Brandon Clarke is back, and he's throwing GAS ⛽️
The @Cardinals' No. 7 prospect dials it up to 103.1 mph in his first start for Single-A @GoPBCardinals, joining Aroldis Chapman as the only left-hander to touch 103+ mph in the pitch-tracking era. pic.twitter.com/lRTYwngcjR
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 19, 2026
Antoni Cuello secured the final two outs of the second inning. Andrew Dutkanych IV pitched a career-high five innings of one-run baseball with three strikeouts and earned his second win with Palm Beach. Nathan Shinn yielded a run across the final two innings to finish the game.
Palm Beach pounced early with a three-run bottom of the first inning. Sebastian Dos Santos walked and Ryan Weingartner singled. Brayden Smith lined a single to score Dos Santos, with Weingartner and Smith also home on the play via a fielding error.
St. Lucie moved within one with a pair of runs in the second.
Palm Beach took a run back in the home third. Smith launched his eighth home run of the year, a solo shot, for a 4-2 Cardinals lead.
Palm Beach added a trio of runs in the fourth. Yordalin Peña doubled and moved to third on a groundout. Chase Heath brought Peña home via a groundout. Alex Birge extended the inning with a single. Dos Santos followed with his third Palm Beach home run, a two-run shot, to widen the Cardinals’ lead to 7-2.
The Mets scored twice across the final four innings but were unable to surpass the Palm Beach lead.
The Cardinals scored seven runs on seven hits. Dos Santos walked, scored twice, hit a home run, and drove in two. Smith was 3-for-4, including a home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Heath tallied an RBI. Peña doubled and scored a run. Weingartner walked, singled, and scored.
On the bases, Matthew Miura swiped his 13th bag. Weingartner stole his 28th base.
On defense, Miura threw a runner out at first base from center field. Pitcher Dutkanych IV picked a runner off at first base. The Cardinals did not commit an error.
Palm Beach is 13-9 in the second half and 46-42 overall. They are a half-game behind Daytona for first place in the Florida State League East Division. The Cardinals will look to win the series on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: vs. St. Lucie. TBA vs. RHP Ethan Lanthier (0-3, 10.45) 11:30 AM CT.
FCL Cardinals at FCL Nationals (canceled)
The Florida Complex League Cardinals’ road doubleheader with the FCL Nationals was canceled on Saturday due to rain. The Cardinals will shift gears to prepare for another road doubleheader on Monday with the FCL Marlins.
The Cardinals will enter the new week with their most recent contest being a 3-2 win over the FCL Mets on Friday.
The FCL Cardinals are 19-29 on the season.
Monday’s games: at FCL Marlins. Pitching probables have not yet been announced for either game. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 9:00 AM CT. Game two is slated to start shortly after the conclusion of game one.
DSL Cardinals (off day)
The Dominican Summer League Cardinals were off Saturday, as the rookie league prepares for the DSL All-Star Game on Sunday.
Representing the Cardinals on the National League squad are catcher Sebastian Rojas and pitcher Daniel Gomez.
The Cardinals will play a home contest with the DSL NYY Bombers on Monday and look to continue their momentum following a 5-4 home win over the DSL Marlins on Friday.
The DSL Cardinals are 15-17 on the season.
Monday’s game: vs. DSL NYY Bombers. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 AM CT.
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