photo: Elehuris Montero (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system went 3-1 on Thursday. Co-Players of the Day are Evan Kruczynski, who allowed two runs in six innings for Palm Beach, and Peoria third baseman Elehuris Montero, who reached base all five times, including twice via doubles.
Results from games played Thursday, April 12th.
Memphis (7-1) edged the Storm Chasers (1-6) (KC), 5-4, on Thursday for a three-game series sweep.
What proved to be the decisive score came in the eighth, generated without a hit. Adolis Garcia worked a free pass to begin the frame, advancing to second via his second stolen base of 2018. Identical 5-3 groundouts by Patrick Wisdom and Carson Kelly advanced Garcia, who scored on Kelly’s at bat.
The home team’s eight hits were spread among seven players, with Tyler O’Neill the only Redbird with more than one. The left fielder singled twice in four at bats, scoring once. Max Schrock and Rangel Ravelo both went 1-for-4 with a double, Schrock touching home twice and Ravelo knocking in two.
Austin Gomber earned his first Triple-A win in his initial decision of the season. The lefty gave up six hits, including a solo bomb, and two walks in 6 2/3, resulting in three runs. Gomber fanned four with eight ground- and five fly-ball outs. Derian Gonzalez retired four batters, issuing a base-on-balls. Edward Mujica (S, 1) was charged with a run on two hits in the ninth, but had enough cushion to get the save.
Friday’s game: vs. Iowa (2-4) (CHC), 7:05 pm CT, Jack Flaherty (1-0, 1.29)
A six-run third launched Springfield (2-5) to a 10-5 victory over Midland in their home opener. It was the S-Cards’ first win in four tries against the RockHounds in the young season.
11 Springfield players came to the plate that frame, pecking to death Midland’s starter on six singles and a double. The S-Cards banged out 13 hits in all, as five players had two apiece: Edmundo Sosa, Lane Thomas, Andrew Knizner, Victor Roache and Thomas Spitz. Thomas and Roach each went yard with the bases clear while Sosa had one of his team’s two doubles. Darren Seferina had the other two-base knock, his only hit in four at bats.
Estarlin Arias was credited with the win, his first at Double-A, after working around two hits and a walk for 1 2/3 scoreless. Arias pitched in relief of Ryan Helsley, who fell two outs shy of five innings. Helsley yielded four runs on five hits and four walks, with three of the tallies generated by two long balls.
Ramon Santos allowed a home run of his own in the eighth, the second of his two frames on the bump. Santos struck out three. Chris Ellis pitched the ninth, giving up one hit.
Friday’s game: vs. Midland (5-2) (OAK), 7:10 pm CT, Conner Greene (0-1, 16.20)
Palm Beach (5-3) won the Battle of the Birds on Thursday, clipping the Blue Jays, 4-3, for a three-games-to-one home series win.
Dunedin (4-4) (TOR) struck the initial blow, scoring twice in the first off Beach Birds’ starter Evan Kruczynski. Both tallies resulted from one home run. But co-Player Player of the Day Kruczynski blanked his opponents the next five frames, striking out eight over six. Three of the six hits and the only walk permitted by the southpaw overall occurred in the first.
Kruczynski departed in line for his first Florida State League win as Palm Beach clung to a slim 3-2 advantage. Luke Gregerson, making his third rehab appearance, held that lead. The righty gave a single to his first batter faced but used a 4-6-3 double play to erase the runner for a one-two-three frame.
But an unearned run off Yeison Medina (BS, 1) (W, 1-1) in the eighth knotted the score at three all. Medina allowed two singles, the latter of which – combined with a fielding error by shortstop Jose Martinez – allowed the tying run to score. An assist at third by left fielder J.B. Woodman ended both the threat and the frame.
The PB-Cards answered right back in the home half of the eighth, as Brian O’Keefe doubled in Stefan Trosclair after the latter led off with a walk. Palm Beach generated 10 hits in all, eight starters garnering at least one each. Evan Mendoza singled and doubled in four at bats with a run scored while Jose Godoy went 2-for-3 with a walk and RBI. O’Keefe’s double was his only hit in four at bats but the designated hitter led the team with two RBI.
Palm Beach then turned the ball over to Jesus Cruz, who had jumped from short-season ball in 2017 to open 2018 in the Florida State League. Cruz worked around a one-out single for his first full-season save.
Friday’s game: vs. Florida (2-6) (ATL), 6:30 pm ET, Austin Warner (0-0, 3.86)
The Chiefs (1-5) could not hold an early lead, falling to the undefeated Kernels, 9-5. Peoria lost all four games of the series, held at Dozer Park.
The home team’s bats led to a 4-0 lead through five but Chiefs’ starter Jake Walsh gave three of those back while recording just one out the next frame. All three runs occurred in one blow, the home run finishing Walsh’s appearance. The righty had dominated to that point, allowing just two singles through five with five K’s.
Fabian Blanco recorded four outs, but not before allowing two runs on three hits and two walks for his first blown save of 2018. Thomas St. Clair (L, 0-1) effectively put the game out of reach in his only inning of work, giving up four runs, three earned, on two hits and two walks. Levi MaVorhis joined St. Clair in stranding an inherited runner, as MaVorhis retired four with one hit permitted.
Peoria garnered 11 hits in all, led by co-Player of the Day Elehuris Montero, who was on base all five times. Along with two walks, the third baseman went a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles, two free passes, two runs scored and one knocked in. The only blemish on his performance was a throwing miscue, his first of the season.
Batting right behind Montero, Dylan Carlson accounted for three tallies too, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, two walks, scoring once and driving in two from the five hole. The final Chief with a multi-hit performance was catcher Julio Rodriguez, who singled and doubled in four at bats with two RBI.
Friday’s game: vs. Wisconsin (3-4) (MIL), 6:30 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (0-1, 135.00)
Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation: Memphis Redbirds Notebook: 2018 Week 1
Not yet a member?
Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system. Annual members may purchase our new 193-page 2018 Prospect Guide for less than half price. Our limited edition printed edition is sold out.
© 2018 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.