photo: Adolis Garcia (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Another Memphis bullpen failure wasted Player of the Day Adolis Garcia’s single, double and triple on a 1-3 Sunday across the St. Louis Cardinals system. Palm Beach flipped the script with a five-run ninth inning comeback win. Peoria was blown out and Springfield lost an early lead.
Results from games played Sunday, May 26th.
Three San Antonio ninth-inning runs on one swing of the bat sent the Redbirds to a 7-4 home loss at the hands of the Missions. It was the fourth loss in a row for Memphis (23-27), including the first two of a six-game set versus San Antonio.
Chris Beck (L, 0-2) served up the deciding three-run bomb in his second inning of work, unknotting a 4-4 tie. The home run was one of three hits and a walk yielded over two innings.
Pressed into starting with scheduled starter Genesis Cabrera bound for St. Louis, Ryan Helsley tossed three scoreless frames, limiting his opponents to two walks, both in the first. The righty was tagged with an unearned tally due to a throwing error by second baseman Ramon Urias which allowed the lead runner to score. Helsley struck out two and threw 45 pitches, 23 for strikes.
Chasen Shreve issued three free passes during his two-inning stint, handing the ball off to Dominic Leone. Leone’s struggles continued as he was charged with three tallies on four hits and two walks with six outs recorded. The right-hander’s Triple-A ERA is up to 10.13.
The Redbirds generated nine hits, paced by Player of the Day Adolis Garcia who went 3-for-4 with a double, triple, two runs scored and one knocked in. Drew Robinson, the only other Memphis player with more than one hit, went 2-for-2 with a walk, double, triple, touched home once and drove in two.
Monday’s games: vs. San Antonio (30-20) (MIL). Game 1 – 1:05 pm CT, Daniel Ponce de Leon (4-2, 3.48)/Ryan Meisinger (0-4, 3.49)
The S-Cards could not hold an early lead, falling to the Travelers, 6-3. Springfield (19-31) claimed only one of the four-game series at Arkansas (32-16) (SEA).
The visitors led 3-1 through four but a three-run fifth against Johan Oviedo (L, 1-1) placed them in a hole from which they could not escape. Oviedo allowed five runs in all on 10 hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings. One of the hits was a home run with the bases empty.
Hector Mendoza retired all five batters faced, leaving Oviedo’s final runner on. Seth Elledge gave up a run on two hits in the eighth.
Six Springfield players divided the team’s seven hits with shortstop Alberto Triunfel singling twice in four at bats.
Monday’s game: Off
A five-run ninth propelled the PB-Cards past the Stone Crabs, 7-4, in the series finale. Palm Beach (31-18) took the road set, three games to one, over Charlotte (26-24) (TB).
The first six Beach Birds taking an at bat that inning all reached, flipping a 4-2 deficit into a 6-4 lead and knocking Charlotte’s pitcher from the game before he recorded an out. Catcher Julio Rodriguez swung the most productive bat for a squad that generated 14 hits in all, going 3-for-4 with a walk, double and three RBI.
Two other Palm Beach players also generated three hits apiece: Luken Baker and Lars Nootbaar. Baker went 3-for-5 with a solo blast while Nootbaar singled three times in four at bats with one driven in. Justin Toerner and Yariel Gonzalez each had two hits. Toerner went 2-for-6 with a triple plus two runs scored and Gonzalez singled twice in five at bats, touching home once and knocking in two. Defensively, left fielder Nootbaar was credited with an outfield assist at home.
Perry DellaValle struck out five over the first 4 1/3, allowing six hits but not issuing a free pass. The last of his two runs charged came home under Patrick Dayton’s watch on one of the three hits Dayton yielded in 1 2/3 innings.
The tally charged to Dayton scored in the seventh after the lefty gave up a single to his initial batter. Ramon Santos, who replaced Dayton, could not overcome his own throwing error on an attempted sac bunt with both runners scoring on subsequent plays.
Zach Prendergast worked around two singles and a base-on-balls for a clean eighth, putting him in line for his second win in three decisions. Bryan Dobzanski faced the minimum in the ninth for his fifth save.
Monday’s game: Off
It was a long Sunday for four Chiefs’ hurlers as Peoria (21-28) was blown out at Cedar Rapids, 14-1. The visitors will try to salvage a four-game split when the series concludes on Monday.
Put in the rotation over struggling Cole Aker, Michael Brettell (L, 1-1) did not fare any better. Brettell recorded four outs but not before surrendering eight runs, six earned, on eight hits and a base-on-balls. One of the hits was a three-run long ball.
Thomas St. Clair tossed 2 2/3 innings, yielding a tally on five hits and a walk while stranding an inherited runner. Working in relief, Aker was charged with three runs, one earned, on three hits and three free passes in three frames. Edgar Escobar pitched the eighth, giving up two runs, one earned, on two hits.
As can be seen in the pitching stats, Peoria received little help from their position players, who committed nearly as many errors (five) as they garnered hits (six). Those bobbles led to five unearned runs. Brettell was charged with a throwing error, left fielder Leandro Cedeño had a fielding miscue as did first baseman Josh Shaw and shortstop Delvin Perez committed two fielding bobbles.
Offensively, second baseman Brendan Donovan and third baseman Nolan Gorman posted nearly identical marks. Both players singled and doubled in four at bats, with Gorman’s single driving in Donovan to prevent the shutout.
Monday’s game: at Cedar Rapids (25-25) (MIN), 12:05 pm CT, Diego Cordero (2-3, 2.61)
Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation
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 the new 2019 Prospect Guide PDF for less than half price. In addition, our limited edition printed and bound Guides are $5 off, so get yours today!
© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.