photo: Diomedes Del Rio
On a 3-5 Thursday across the St. Louis Cardinals system, the three complex clubs notched wins. Our Player of the Day is Dominican Summer League Blue center fielder Diomedes Del Rio who plated five and missed a cycle only because he hit two doubles and no singles! Del Rio is batting .474 in the young season.
Results from the games played Thursday, June 21st.
New Orleans 2 at Memphis 1 (10)
The Redbirds began a four-game home series versus the second-place Baby Cakes with a 2-1 loss in 10. Memphis (43-30) still leads the American Southern Division by 6 ½, although New Orleans is in the midst of a five-game winning streak.
The low-scoring affair featured a combined 11 hits and Adolis Garcia had the key one for his team. Garcia’s fourth-inning single drove in Luke Voit after the latter reached base as the lead runner on back-to-back walks. A double by Tyler O’Neill was the only one of Memphis’ five hits to go for extra bases.
Taking the place of John Gant, who was recalled to St. Louis earlier in the day, Daniel Poncedeleon retired nine of the 10 batters he faced in his scheduled short start. Poncedeleon issued one free pass and struck out three.
Landon Beck (1 2/3) and Sean Gilmartin (2 1/3) combined for four scoreless frames but a run against Conner Greene (BS, 2) (L, 0-1) in the eighth sent the game into extras. Greene did not retire any of his three batters faced in the 10th, allowing two hits and three walk. Edward Mujica prevented further damage by inducing a double play ball before ending the 10th with a strikeout, but the offense could not rally.
As misfortune would have it, Mujica was the runner placed on second and he was unable to score on a single to center by Oscar Mercado. After Mercado swiped second, the right men were up – Tyler O’Neill and Luke Voit – but they could get either runner home.
Friday’s game: vs. New Orleans (36-36) (MIA), 7:05 pm CT, Chris Ellis (0-0, 4.00)
The S-Cards fell to the Travelers, 7-3, in the first of four games between the two squads at Hammons Field. Springfield (0-3) sits in fourth and last place in the early part of the Texas League’s second-half schedule, 2 ½ games in back of their guests.
Mike O’Reilly blanked Arkansas through five innings but departed with two gone in the sixth after giving up three runs. O’Reilly yielded two hits and three free passes while fanning six.
Ian McKinney (L, 2-2) recorded two outs, giving up three hits and a walk that not only plated O’Reilly’s last base runner but led to three of his own doing. All three scored with Colton Thomson on the mound. Yeison Medina restored order with 2 1/3 innings of shutout ball, but it was too late.
Springfield generated 10 hits but only four reached scoring position. Andrew Knizner accounted for two of his squad’s three scores, going 3-for-4 with a solo shot and two RBI. Tommy Edman and Luke Dykstra each had two hits.
Friday’s game: vs. Arkansas (2-0) (SEA), 7:10 pm CT, Connor Jones (4-2, 4.11)
First-half division champion Palm Beach (0-1) began the second half of its season by absorbing a 10-1 home pounding at the hands of the Stone Crabs.
Starter Sam Tewes (L, 1-1) did not finish the fifth, surrendering eight runs on 12 hits, including a grand slam and solo bomb. Tewes did not issue a free pass.
Eric Carter recorded five outs without allowing a batter to reach base but Robbie Gordon was charged with two runs, one earned, on three hits over two. Newcomer Thomas St. Clair pitched a clean ninth.
The Beach Birds had six hits. Dylan Carlson singled twice in four at bats and scored the only run.
Friday’s game: vs. Charlotte (1-0) (TB), 6:30 pm ET, Jake Walsh (2-1, 3.00)
Peoria – postponed
Peoria’s second half opener versus Burlington was rained out Thursday evening.
The postponed contest has been rescheduled as part of a Friday evening double-header at Dozer Park. As is always the case in the minors, both games will be of seven innings duration.
Friday’s games: vs. Burlington (0-0) (LAA). Game 1 – 6:00 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (2-6, 5.82)/Zach Prendergast (5-2, 2.37)
State College 3 at West Virginia 4
The Spikes were edged by the Black Bears, 4-3, in the road series opener. State College (3-4) is in a three-way tie for third with Batavia (MIA) and West Virginia, three games in back of Mahoning Valley (CLE).
Winston Nicacio (L, 0-1) held the opposition scoreless through five but could not finish the sixth. The righty gave up three runs on four hits and four walks through 5 1/3. All three runs scored with other pitchers on the mound.
Brett Seeburger (BS, 1) inherited a bases-loaded with one out jam and walked both batters he faced. Edgar Gonzalez served up an RBI single to his first batter, scoring Nicacio’s final runner plus one of Seeburger’s as well. Seeburger’s tally was unearned due to a throwing error by left fielder Lars Nootbaar. Gonzalez permitted three hits in all over 1 2/3. Gabe Gentner pitched an uneventful eighth.
State College outhit West Virginia, 10 to seven, but went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Oddly, no Spikes were credited with an RBI, as the Bears tried to help their cause. The three State College runs scored on a wild pitch, passed ball and a throwing error.
Wadye Infante reached base all four times up, going 3-for-3 with a double, hit-by-pitch and a stolen base out of the seven hole. Lead-off batter Edwin Figuera also had three hits, adding a double to two singles in five at bats.
Friday’s game: at West Virginia (3-4) (PIT), 7:05 pm ET, Angel Rondon (0-0, 0.00)
Johnson City 10 at Bluefield 11
The Appy Birds’ rally fell just short as they were clipped by the Blue Jays, 11-10, in the decisive third game of the season-opening series. Johnson City (1-2) is tied for fourth with Greeneville (CIN), with both teams trailing Elizabethton (MIN) and Kingsport (NYM) by two games.
Down 10-2 after seven, the visitors did not give up, putting up a four spot in each of the last two frames but never tying the game up thanks to an eighth-inning score against the pen. Home runs by Michael Perri, Carlos Soto and Sanel Rosendo accounted for five of the 10 runs, the only hits of the game for each player. Jonatan Machado and Zach Jackson both went 2-for-4. Machado also walked with two runs scored and one knocked in while Jackson hit two two-baggers. The team had 10 hits in all.
It was an awful night for JC-Cards’ hurlers, who allowed a combined 21 hits. Those hits were split pretty evenly between just two pitchers, Junior Gonzalez and Juan Alvarez. Gonzalez (L, 0-1) yielded seven runs on 11 hits in 3 2/3 while Alvarez was touched for four tallies on 10 hits, including a two-run bomb.
Friday’s game: vs. Kingsport (3-0) (NYM), 7:00 pm ET, TBA
GCL Cardinals 8 at GCL Nationals 5
The Gulf Birds’ six-run first lifted them past the GCL Nationals, 8-5, in West Palm. The Cardinals (3-0) lead the East Division, a game up on the Mets.
Rehabbing John Nogowski led the team’s 13-hit onslaught, going 4-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI. Raffy Ozuna and Brandon Benson posted nearly identical lines, each going 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. The only difference between their respective performances was a double by Benson.
Enmanuel Solano (W, 1-0), making his first Gulf Coast League start after three successful outings for the DSL Cardinals Blue, hurled six quality frames. Both tallies charged to the 19-year-old occurred in the third on two of the six hits and the only walk he allowed.
Cole Aker, St. Louis’ 18th round selection in the recent June First-Year Player Draft, had a successful professional debut with two scoreless frames. The righty yielded a hit and walk.
Reliever Wilberto Rivera had a rough 2018 debut, permitting three runs on two hits and a base-on-balls while recording just two outs. Right-hander Jose Geronimo, up from the DSL Cardinals Red, retired his only batter for his first save.
Friday’s game: at GCL Mets (2-1), 12:00 pm ET, TBA
DSL Cardinals Blue 8 vs. DSL Phillies Red 6
The C-Blues rebounded from consecutive pastings by the Twins with an 8-6 victory over the Phillies Red. The DSL Cardinals Blue (12-5) are in second place in the South Division, a game behind the Twins.
The home team generated 13 hits, led by Player of the Day Diomedes Del Rio, who had a massive day at the plate. The center fielder went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and solo shot, a sac fly, one run scored and five driven in.
Three other players also had multi-hit games: Right fielder Diowill Burgos singled three times in five at bats, first baseman Freddy De Jesus and second baseman Ramon Mendoza. De Jesus singled and doubled in four at bats with a free pass, touched home once and one knocked in while Mendoza went 2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored.
Righty Julio Puello went the initial three innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on a hit and three walks with three strikeouts. Puello also hit a batter.
Josue Ramirez followed Puello to the mound and was credited with the win. Ramirez tossed three frames, allowing a run on two hits while fanning three. It was the longest outing to date in five appearances for the 17-year-old who is in his first year of professional ball. Ramirez plunked a batter too.
Reliever Miguel Yedis faced seven batters but recorded just three outs, yielding three tallies on three hits and a free pass. Freddy Pacheco struck out two over the final two innings, stranding one of two inherited runners, for his third save.
Friday’s game: at DSL Phillies Red (5-12), 10:30 am ET, TBA
DSL Cardinals Red 13 at DSL Phillies White 8
A big fourth inning launched the C-Reds over the DSL Phillies White, 13-8. The DSL Cardinals Red (7-10) are in a three-way tie for fourth with the Dbacks2 and Phillies White, 5 ½ games in back of the Brewers.
The C-Reds scored 11 times that inning and all tallies were earned. The visitors garnered 12 hits and eight walks in total with two players having three hits apiece in five at bats: shortstop Sander Mora and second baseman Franklin Soto. Both crossed home once, and Soto tripled and drove in three. Left fielder Alexander Samuel went 1-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored, with his only hit a grand slam that capped the scoring in the fourth.
Ludwin Jimenez started, permitting five hits and two walks that produced three runs through 3 2/3 frames. Miguel Maiz (W, 2-0) retired seven batters, matching Jimenez’ four K’s and leaving Jimenez’ last three runners on base.
Rodard Avelino did not record an out, surrendering three runs on four walks. His last two runs scored with Gabriel Contreras pitching. Contreras walked three and retired two, yielding two tallies of his own. Dionys Rodriguez pitched the final 2 1/3, holding the opposition scoreless on a hit.
Friday’s game: vs. DSL Phillies White (7-10), 10:30 am ET, TBA
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