Cardinals Minor League Notebook – July 14, 2021

photo: Kramer Robertson (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Perfect offensive efforts by Memphis’ Kramer Robertson and the Cardinals Red’s Romtres Cabrera led their teams to the system’s only victories on Tuesday.  Springfield was tagged with a walk-off defeat and Peoria, the FCL and DSL Blue squads fell as well. Palm Beach was rained out.

Results from games played Tuesday, July 13th.

Memphis 4 vs. Norfolk 3

Kramer Robertson’s perfect night at the plate paced Memphis (24-36) over Norfolk in the home series opener, 4-3.

Co-Player of the Day Robertson accounted for three of the Redbirds’ four tallies, going 3-for-3 with a double and two-run home run comprising one of his two runs scored and both RBI’s.  It was the third baseman’s 11th double and sixth long ball of 2021.

Kramer Robertson

Four Redbirds had one hit each, with the biggest Chance Capel’s long ball that was part of his team’s three-run second.  A double by shortstop Evan Mendoza was sandwiched between Capel’s solo shot and Robertson’s bomb, the second of three consecutive hits by Memphis.

Defensively, the Redbirds committed two bobbles.  First baseman Juan Yepez was charged with a fielding miscue and one of Robertson’s throws went awry.

Starter Jake Woodford compiled a solid effort, scattering four hits and three walks over five innings.  The only damage against the Florida native was two runs, one earned, a home run.

Seth Elledge (BS,2) took over in the sixth but was unable to hold the 3-2 advantage.  The righty yielded the tying run on a two-out triple and wild pitch in his only inning on the bump.

Garrett Williams notched two swinging strikeouts along with a pop out, thus negating the lead-off free pass issued.  T.J. McFarland tossed two clean frames, allowing a hit and intentional walk.  The lefty acquired his first win as a member of the organization when the Redbirds scored in the home half of the eighth via Scott Hurst’s single which drove in Robertson (double).

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Norfolk (24-33) (BAL), 7:10 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (0-0, 9.00)

Springfield 6 at Frisco 7

Alec Burleson’s grand slam was not enough as Springfield (22=39) suffered a 7-6 walk-off loss at Frisco.

The S-Cards rallied from a five-run deficit to go up 6-5 after eight, thanks in large part to Burleson.  The right fielder went 3-for-4, his big bomb propelling his squad into the lead.  The blast came with Aaron Antonini (hit by pitch), Delvin Perez (single) and Nick Plummer (walk) aboard.

Alec Burleson

Luken Baker got the scoring started in the fifth, his long ball struck with Justin Toerner (double) on base.  It was the first baseman’s only hit in four at bats.  Memphis garnered eight hits in all while Plummer worked his team’s only base-on-balls.

Dalton Roach got off to a shaky start, permitting five runs in the first before settling down to toss three scoreless frames.  Roach was touched for nine hits and a base-on-balls but notched eight strikeouts.

Salvador Justo kept things quiet during his 2 1/3-inning stint, allowing a hit and issuing three free passes.  Ramon Santos (L, 3-2) retired his first seven batters, striking out five and stranding an inherited runner, only to hit his eighth batter then surrender the walk-off home run.

Wednesday’s game:  at Frisco (38-23) (TEX), 7:05 pm CT, Domingo Robles (2-3, 5.21)

Peoria 1 vs. Wisconsin 6

Peoria’s (22-39) losing skid reached seven with a 6-1 home defeat at the hands of Wisconsin.

Making his second straight start after 16 relief appearances, Wilfredo Pereira (L, 1-6) gave up three runs, two earned, on four hits and a base-on-balls in five innings.  The Panamanian fanned six.

Leonardo Taveras inserted a strikeout into a string of four walks, pushing a run across home which got him the hook.  One of the two hits yielded by Cory Thompson in 1 2/3 frames drove in one of the three base runners inherited from Taveras.  Mac Lardner struck out four over the last two innings, allowing a run on three hits.

The Chiefs mustered eight hits to go with five walks but struck out 15 times and went a dismal 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.  The sole score was generated by Chandler Redmond’s eighth home run.  It gave Peoria a brief 1-0 lead at the fourth’s midpoint.

Chandler Redmond

Jordan Walker and Tyler Reichenborn both went 2-for-4 including a double.  Walker added a base-on-balls.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Wisconsin (29-31) (MIL), 6:35 pm CT, Michael YaSenka (0-5, 5.70) (current League Pitcher of the Week)

Palm Beach vs. St. Lucie – postponed

The home series opener between Palm Beach (23-36) and the St. Lucie Mets was postponed due to inclement weather.  The contest has been rescheduled as part of a double header on Wednesday, July 14th with Game 1 starting at 2:00 pm ET.

Wednesday’s games: vs. St Lucie (31-29) (NYM).  Game 1 – 2:00 pm ET, Ludwin Jimenez (0-4, 5.45)/TBA

FCL Cardinals 4 at FCL Astros 6

Two late tallies snapped a 4-4 tie, sending the FCL Cardinals (4-6) to a 6-4 road loss to the FCL Astros (6-6).

Tink Hence (L, 0-1) yielded the two deciding runs on two hits and a walk in the eighth, his only inning of work.  Enrique Saldana went the initial five frames, permitting three tallies, two earned, on two hits and a walk with six strikeouts.  The unearned score resulted from a fielding error by first baseman Luis Rodriguez which let the baserunner (walk) advance to third, from where he scored easily on a 5-4 force.  The other two runs were generated by a two-run home run in Saldana’s final inning.

Diego Cordero (BS, 1) surrendered a solo shot to his first batter, tying the game at four all.  The lefty hit a batter then picked him off first but got the hook after issuing a two-out free pass.  Victor Villanueva struck out his only batter, leaving Cordero’s baserunner aboard.  Colin Schmid maneuvered around a two-out double for a clean seventh.

Jeremy Rivas

The Florida Birds matched the Astros’ six hits, with Jeremy Rivas representing the only Florida Cardinal with a multi-hit effort.  The shortstop singled twice in five at bats, touching home once and swiping a bag.  Catcher Jake Burns lined a two-run single to right, scoring Rivas and Roblin Heredia (single) and giving his team a 2-0 lead after one.  Right fielder Luis Montano’s double was the only Cardinals hit to go for extra bases.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. FCL Marlins (5-5), 12:00 pm ET, TBA  

DSL Cardinals Blue 3 at DSL Nationals 4 (7)

Defense proved the DSL Cardinals Blue’s (0-2) undoing as they were downed by the DSL Nationals (2-0), 4-3 in seven innings.

The game was scoreless over the first three frames due to a strong maiden effort by Antoni Cuello.  The tall (6’5”) right-hander faced one batter over the minimum, issuing a free pass with four strikeouts.

Antoni Cuello

The C-Blue broke through in the fourth on back-to-back-to-back singles to go up 1-0.  Center fielder Luis Pino, designated hitter Leonardo Bernal and first baseman Fernando Diaz did the damage, with Diaz driving in Pino.

The advantage was short-lived, however, as the Nationals responded with three tallies of their own off reliever Randel Clemente.  The righty allowed two hits, a walk, hit a batter and committed a balk in 2/3 of an inning.  All three scores were unearned due to a fielding error by Diaz, one of his two miscues.

Clemente’s final runner scored under Frankely Guzman’s watch.  The 18-year-old retired two batters, yielding a run on a hit and three base-on-balls.  Alejandro Cervantes successfully negotiated out of a bases-loaded and one out inherited jam, recording five outs and issuing two free passes.  It was the professional debut for all four right-handers.

Down 4-1 through five, the visitors mounted a sixth-inning rally that came up just short.  Overall, the C-Blue outhit the Nationals, six to three, with Pino and Diaz garnering two hits apiece.  Pino crossed home twice in four at bats and Diaz knocked in one run and scored another in three at bats but did commit the costly bobble.

Wednesday’s game:  Off

DSL Cardinals Red 14 vs. DSL Giants Black 12 (7)

The DSL Cardinals Red (1-1) mounted a huge late rally to slip past the DSL Giants Black (1-1), 14-12 in a seven-inning slugfest.

Trailing 7-1 after four frames, the C-Red closed the gap with a four-run fifth.  The Giants Black answered with a five-run sixth to go up 12-5 with six outs to go.  Only three of the 12 tallies charged to Cardinals Red hurlers were earned due to four miscues.

That set the stage for a nine-run home half of the sixth, an inning in which the C-Red sent 15 batters to the plate.  The Giants Black hurler fresh into the game retired his first batter then proceeded to load the bases on two plunked batters and a base-on-balls.

Another hit batsman and walk forced two base runners across home plate, closing the score to 12-7 and bringing a new pitcher into the game.  Co-Player of the Day Romtres Cabrera, a 17-year-old center fielder from San Pedro de Macoris, greeted the lefty with a grand slam and the Cardinals Red trailed by a single score, 12-11.  Cabrera was a perfect 3-for-3 with a triple and home run, two runs scored and seven RBI.

Romtres Cabrera

The next two batters worked walks, and the lead runner scored the tying run on an RBI single by left fielder Miguel Vargas, his second hit in three at bats.  Yet another pitcher entered and second baseman Bryan Encarnacion lifted the ball deep enough to score the runner from third for a 13-12 lead.  A single and base-on-balls reloaded the bases, leaving nowhere to put third baseman Samil De La Rosa after he was plunked for the second time that inning.  Another run scored, making the edge 14-12.

The C-Red offense generated eight hits, were issued 10 free passes and plunked five times. De La Rosa channeled his inner Fernando Vina and was hit three of the five.  Cabrera and Vargas both mustered multi-hit performances with seven of their teammates either scoring or driving in a run.  All 10 Cardinals Red players participating in the contest reached base.

Defensively, the C-Red were charged with four errors.  First baseman Santiago Carbonara, right fielder Jeremy Ramos, second baseman Encarnacion and third baseman De La Rosa were each tagged for a fielding miscue.  It was the first error for all four players.

Five Cardinals Red right-handers took the mound, only one of them yielding earned runs.  The earned tallies belonged to starter Brayan Ramirez, who permitted three runs on five hits and a base-on-balls in three innings.

Omar Yanez recorded just two outs, giving up four unearned runs on four hits and a walk.  Bruno Lopez retired his only batter, stranding two inherited runners.

Victor Herrera (W, 1-0) tossed two frames, allowing five unearned runs on three hits and two walks.  Darlin Saladin tossed a one-two-three seventh for his first professional save.  All but Ramirez were making their professional debuts.

Wednesday’s game:  Off


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