photo: Jalin Flores (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 1-3 on Sunday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Peoria infielder Jalin Flores, hit a grand slam. Other standouts: Hancel Rincon, Chase Davis, Rainiel Rodriguez, Brayden Smith and Matthew Miura.
Results for games played on Sunday, August 16, 2026.
Memphis Redbirds 7 at Durham Bulls 4
The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds edged the Bulls in Durham to clinch the series on Sunday.
Cooper Hjerpe started for Memphis. The left-hander threw 3 ⅓ innings and allowed one run on three hits, three walks and five strikeouts.
Cooper Hjerpe strikes out the third batter that he faces on the game.
That would be a strikeout of the side in order to open the game.
Here, the 78 mph sweeper HAHAHAHAHAHA's Austin Slater. pic.twitter.com/kKNgLcN31q— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) August 16, 2026
Inheriting the bases loaded with one out, Brycen Mautz finished the fourth inning on two strikeouts. Matt Svanson followed and yielded a run while recording two outs. Hancel Rincon struck out three over 2 ⅓ shutout frames and collected his sixth win. Ryan Murphy gave up two runs over the final two innings.
Memphis struck first in the top of the third inning on Ramon Mendoza’s solo home run, his ninth of the year.
MENDOZA @LennysSubs LONGBALL FOR THE LEAD!#LennysLongball pic.twitter.com/qdV37n6M7L
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 16, 2026
The Redbirds scored twice in the fourth. Leo Bernal began the frame with a solo home run, his 15th of 2026.
15th @LennysSubs LONGBALL FOR LEO BERNAL!#LennysLongball pic.twitter.com/JoLnJrnEVr
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 16, 2026
Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese hit back-to-back singles. Gorman moved to third on a groundout and scored on a pickoff error for a 3-0 lead.
Durham entered the run column in the home fourth to move the score to 3-1.
Memphis took back the run immediately in the top of the fifth.
Brody Moore singled. Victor Scott II legged out an infield single and moved to second on to a throwing error, with Moore also home for a 4-1 Redbirds lead.
Victor Scott II makes it four! pic.twitter.com/AHZLixzOlY
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 16, 2026
The Bulls trimmed the lead to 4-2 with a tally in the home fifth.
The Redbirds answered with a two-run sixth inning. Saggese hit an infield single. Ledbetter followed with a double, though Saggese was thrown out at home. Chase Davis singled home Ledbetter for the fifth Memphis run.
Chase Davis with a word for Jayden Daniels! pic.twitter.com/VWcLwNQqs5
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 16, 2026
Mendoza singled to move Davis to third. Moore brought Davis home via a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 6-2.
The Redbirds added an insurance run in the eighth. Ledbetter hit a ground-rule double and crossed home plate on Davis’s second single of the day for a 7-2 Memphis lead.
Davis again! pic.twitter.com/6pyZmxBOsf
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 16, 2026
Memphis pitching held Durham to just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
The Redbirds scored seven runs on 15 hits. Nine of the 10 Redbirds hitters recorded at least one hit. Davis was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI. Mendoza was 2-for-4 with a solo home run. Bernal went 2-for-5 with a solo home run. Moore singled, scored, and drove in a run. Ledbetter doubled twice and scored twice. Scott II collected two hits, including a double.
On the bases, Saggese swiped his eighth bag with Memphis. Bernal stole his ninth base of the year. Davis was caught stealing second.
On defense, pitcher Hjerpe picked a runner off first base to highlight an errorless team game.
Memphis is 21-25 in the second half and 67-53 overall after winning four of six from Durham. They reside in eighth place in the International League West Division. The Redbirds are off Monday and will head home to AutoZone Park for a six-game series with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, starting Tuesday.
Tuesday’s game: vs. Jacksonville (MIA). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM CT.
Springfield Cardinals 5, Northwest Arkansas Naturals 6
The Double-A Springfield Cardinals lost a close contest to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals at Sunday’s series finale at Route 66 Stadium.
Braden Davis started his 22nd game for Springfield. The left-hander pitched five innings and allowed six runs on seven hits, three walks, and five strikeouts, taking the loss.
Andrew Schultz, Domenic Picone, Randel Clemente, and Sandro Santana each threw one scoreless, no-hit inning with seven combined strikeouts in relief of Davis. Clemente struck out the side in the eighth.
The Cardinals pounced early with a three-run bottom of the first inning. Tai Peete and Rainiel Rodriguez doubled for a quick 1-0 Springfield lead.
That's how you start a ballgame! Two pitches in, the Cardinals score with back-to-back doubles from Tai Peete and Rainiel Rodriguez. pic.twitter.com/MXbgbE6jwS
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 17, 2026
Jesús Báez singled. Josiah Ragsdale brought Rodriguez home on a sacrifice fly. Báez advanced to third on a pickoff error and scored on a Deniel Ortiz single to widen the lead to 3-0.
The Naturals scored once in the second and four times in the fourth to move ahead 5-3.
Springfield moved within a run at 5-4 in the home fourth. Ragsdale doubled and scored on a single from Won-Bin Cho.
Northwest Arkansas added a run in the sixth to regain the two-run lead at 6-4.
Springfield came within a run once more in the eighth. Peete walked and moved to third on a Rodriguez’ second double of the day. Báez brought Peete home with a sacrifice fly, though a lineout to first and a strikeout stranded Rodriguez at third base as the tying run.
The Cardinals tried to finish the comeback in the bottom of the ninth. Jack Gurevitch walked and Cho singled to put runners at the corners with no outs, though both were stranded to end the game.
The Cardinals scored five runs on 10 hits. Báez was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored, and an RBI. Peete walked, doubled, and scored twice. Ragsdale doubled, scored, and drove in a run. Cho singled twice and notched an RBI. Ortiz singled and drove in a run.
On the bases, Ortiz was caught stealing second base.
The Cardinals did not commit an error.
Springfield is 27-18 in the second half and 58-55 overall after the series split with the Naturals. They are tied with Tulsa for first place in the Texas League North Division. The Cardinals are off Monday and will travel to Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock, Arkansas, for a six-game set with the Arkansas Travelers, starting Tuesday.
Tuesday’s game: at Arkansas (SEA). TBA vs. RHP Jason Ruffcorn (0-2, 5.62) 6:35 PM CT.
Peoria Chiefs 6, Beloit Sky Carp 16
The High-A Peoria Chiefs dropped a lopsided contest to the Beloit Sky Carp in Sunday’s series finale at Dozer Park.
Nate Dohm made his 13th start in his 21st game for the Chiefs. The right-hander pitched three innings and allowed six runs on six hits, one walk, and one strikeout. The home run ball was a major issue, as Dohm surrendered four.
Rubén Menes gave up three runs in the fourth in relief of Dohm. Liam Best threw a scoreless fifth. Bobby Olsen surrendered five runs and recorded just two outs. Trey Pooser gave up two runs across 2 ⅓ innings. Dylan Driessen tossed a scoreless ninth.
Beloit scored in seven of nine innings and carried a 16-0 lead in the ninth inning. To that point, Peoria was stifled offensively as they were held hitless with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base. The Chiefs looked to make a massive comeback with three outs left.
José Suárez was hit by a pitch. With two outs, Brayden Smith legged out an infield single. Yordalin Peña walked to load the bases. Sammy Hernandez walked to force Suárez home and put the Chiefs on the board. Tristan Bissetta walked to bring Smith home for the second Chiefs run. Jalin Flores belted a grand slam to clear the bases and move the score to 16-6.
It's a Flo state of mind…
Grand slam for Jalin Flores in the ninth. pic.twitter.com/i9t8bPbXbG
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) August 16, 2026
The Chiefs were unable to rally further in the loss.
The Chiefs scored six runs on eight hits. Flores was 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Hernandez walked, doubled, scored, and drove in a run. Bissetta walked, scored, and logged an RBI. Smith went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, and a run scored.
On the bases, Hernandez swiped his 18th bag of the year.
The Chiefs did not commit an error.
Peoria is 23-24 in the second half and 55-58 overall after taking just two of six from Beloit. The Chiefs are 5.5 games behind first place in the Midwest League West Division. They are off Monday and will travel to Jackson Field in Lansing, Michigan, for a six-game series with the Lansing Lugnuts, starting Tuesday.
Tuesday’s game: at Lansing (ATH). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM CT.
Palm Beach Cardinals 2 at Daytona Tortugas 12
The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals fell hard to the Daytona Tortugas in Sunday’s road series finale.
Payton Graham started for Palm Beach. The right-hander pitched 3 ⅔ innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits, three walks, and five strikeouts.
Alan Reyes fired 1 ⅓ innings of scoreless ball in relief of Graham. Kaden Echeman surrendered five runs and recorded just two outs, taking the loss. Dallis Moran gave up four runs and secured two outs. JR Fordham yielded a run over 1 ⅔ frames.
Daytona scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead.
The Cardinals tied the game in the sixth. Owen Henne was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on an Alexander Frias double. Miguel Hernández walked to load the bases. Matthew Miura lined a double to score Henne and Frias. The Cardinals were unable to add on, stranding the bases loaded.
The Tortugas scored six runs in the home sixth, three in the seventh, and one in the eighth to surge ahead 12-2. The Cardinals were unable to respond.
The Cardinals scored two runs on eight hits. Miura doubled and drove in both Palm Beach runs. Frias doubled and scored. Trevor Haskins doubled. Ryan Mitchell was 3-for-5. Henne walked and scored.
On the bases, Miura swiped his 18th bag of the year.
On defense, shortstop Yairo Padilla committed two errors, one fielding and one throwing. Mitchell threw a runner out at second base from eight field.
Palm Beach is 23-25 in the second half and 56-58 overall following the 2-5 series loss at first place Daytona. The Cardinals are in second place in the Florida State League East Division, eight games behind Daytona. They are off Monday and will head home to Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium for a six-game series with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, starting Tuesday.
Tuesday’s game: vs. Fort Myers (MIN). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 PM CT.
DSL Cardinals (off day)
The Dominican Summer League Cardinals were off Sunday, as they prepared for a road contest with the DSL Mets Blue on Monday.
The Cardinals enter the week looking to build momentum after a 7-2 loss at home to the DSL Angels.
The DSL Cardinals are 26-26 on the season, in fourth place, eight games behind Colorado.
Monday’s game: at DSL Mets Blue. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 CT.
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