Cardinals Minor League Notebook – August 10, 2022

photo: Matt Koperniak (Springfield Cardinals)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 6-0 on Tuesday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, RF Matt Koperniak, hit for the cycle with four RBI and three runs scored in Springfield’s win. Other standouts: Tommy Parsons, Julio Rodriguez, Inohan Paniagua, Benjamin Arias.

Results from games played Tuesday, August 9.

Memphis 5, Indianapolis 1

The Memphis Redbirds beat the Indians in the series opener on Tuesday night at AutoZone Park. Tommy Parsons started for Memphis and pitched six scoreless innings, allowed two hits, struck out four and walked one to earn his seventh win of the season.

Tommy Parsons

Zack Thompson surrendered one run in the seventh. Kodi Whitley and JoJo Romero each tossed a scoreless inning.

Memphis scored first with four runs in the fourth inning to take a 4-0 lead. Moises Gomez singled and Luken Baker walked. Delvin Perez plated Gomez and Baker on a single. Kramer Robertson thumped a two-run home run to left center field.

Kramer Robertson

Indianapolis posted their only run in the seventh. The Redbirds added their fifth and final run in the home half of the seventh. Robertson doubled and scored on a sac fly by Alec Burleson.

Robertson went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two run scored. Perez was 2-for-4 with two RBI. In his first rehab game, St. Louis’ Juan Yepez was 1-for-3 as the designated hitter.

Memphis is 56-49 and is in third place in the International League West, 7.5 games back of first place Nashville.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Indianapolis, RHP Jack Flaherty (rehab opener) followed by regular starter LHP Connor Thomas (5-5, 4.65) vs. Osvaldo Bido RHP (1-6, 5.35) 7:05 CT.

Springfield 11 at Amarillo 9

The Springfield Cardinals were the victors over the Sod Poodles in an 11-9 road slugfest on Tuesday night. Starter Kyle Leahy pitched 5 2/3 innings, and gave up four runs on eight hits, struck out six and walked three.

Reliever Logan Gragg surrendered five runs in just 1/3 of an inning. Tyler Pike threw two scoreless frames. Dalton Roach tossed a scoreless ninth. Pike got the win.

The Cardinals put up four runs in the first inning on an RBI single by Matt Koperniak and a three-run home run by Julio Rodriguez. Springfield added a fifth run in the third on a single by Rodriguez.

Julio Rodriguez

Amarillo cut the lead to 5-4 in the home half of the third. In the fifth, Springfield widened the tally with two runs on a long ball by Koperniak.

A Chase Pinder two run single in the sixth increased the lead to 9-4. The Sod Poodles scored five in the seventh to tie it 9-9.

The Cardinals regained the lead in the ninth on a solo home run by Nick Dunn and an RBI triple by Koperniak, completing his cycle. It was just the third in Springfield history.

Matt Koperniak

Koperniak went 4-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored. Dunn was 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored. Jordan Walker was 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Rodriguez was 2-for-5 with four RBI. Errol Robinson was 2-for-4. Pinder had two RBI.

On the base paths, Mike Antico was caught stealing for the third time. Robinson was picked off first base. In the field, Robinson and Pike both made throwing errors. Center fielder Walker had an outfield assist at home plate.

Springfield is 18-16 in the second half and is in second place in the Texas League North, three games back of first place Wichita.

Wednesday’s game:  at Amarillo, RHP Connor Lunn (3-6, 6.72) vs. Slade Cecconi RHP (5-4, 4.27) 7:05 CT.

Peoria 7 at Great Lakes 1

The Peoria Chiefs blew past the Loons in a 7-1 road win on Tuesday night. Inohan Paniagua took the mound for the Peoria and pitched six innings, gave up one run on six hits and fanned six. Paniagua received the win.

Inohan Paniagua

Nick Trogrlic-Iverson tossed the final three scoreless innings to earn his third save.

The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a walk by Tyler Reichenborn followed by two throwing errors.

Great Lakes tied it up in the fourth. In the seventh, Peoria posted three runs on a throwing error on a bunt single by Wade Stauss and a two-run single by Todd Lott.

The Chiefs added to their lead with three more runs in the eighth on RBI singles by Stauss and Lott, and a wild pitch.

Todd Lott

Lott was 3-for-5 with three RBI. Stauss was 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.

On the base paths, Reichenborn stole his 18th base of the season.

Peoria is 18-19 in the second half and is in fifth place in the Midwest League West, 5.5 games back of first place South Bend.

Wednesday’s game:  at Great Lakes, RHP Wilfredo Pereira (6-5, 4.46) vs. Nick Frasso RHP (0-0, 0.00) 6:05 CT.

 Palm Beach 6 at Bradenton 4

The Palm Beach Cardinals defeated the Marauders on Tuesday night by the score of 6-4. Starter Trent Baker pitched three innings, gave up four runs, three earned, on five hits, struck out two and walked three.

Hayes Heinecke relieved Baker and threw three scoreless innings. Nelfri Contreras hurled 1 2/3 scoreless innings, and Andrew Marrero tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Contreras got the win, Marrero the save.

Bradenton got on the board first with two runs in the first inning. Palm Beach tied it in the second. Thomas Francisco singled. Jimmy Crooks drew a walk. Michael Curialle doubled to plate Francisco and Crooks.

Michael Curialle

The Marauders re-took the lead with two runs in the third. In the sixth, the Cardinals scored two to tie the game a second time. The runs scored on a two-run home run by Francisco.

Thomas Francisco

The Beach Birds took a 6-4 lead in the eighth. Chris Rotondo singled. Curialle singled and Rotondo advanced to third on a throwing error. Brody Moore singled to plate Curialle.

Francisco was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Curialle was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Rotondo was 2-for-5. The Palm Beach lineup was unique and got the job done, as only DH Alex Iadisernia did not reach base.

On the base paths, Victor Scott stole his fourth base of the season. In the field, Moore made a throwing error. Rotondo had an outfield assist at first base.

Palm Beach is 23-14 in the second half and is in first place in the FSL East.

Wednesday’s game:  at Bradenton, Tink Hence RHP (0-1, 1.03) vs. TBA 11:00 am CT.

FCL Cardinals 3 at FCL Marlins 1

The Florida Complex League Cardinals (19-24) beat the Marlins 3-1 in a Tuesday morning contest at Roger Dean Stadium.

Starter Benjamin Arias pitched seven innings, gave up one unearned run on four hits, struck out three and walked one to earn his first win of the season.

Benjamin Arias

Edwin Nunez relieved Arias and threw 2/3 of a scoreless inning. Angel Cuenca tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his first save.

The Cardinals tallied all three of their runs in the second inning on a three-run long ball by Fernando Diaz. The Marlins scored their only run in the third.

Fernando Diaz

Jhon Torres was 2-for-4. Diaz’ three run home run was the game’s only extra base hit.

On the base paths, Won-Bin Cho stole his fourth base of the season. Tre Fletcher swiped his first bag. Lizandro Espinoza was caught stealing.

In the field, Espinoza made a throwing error. Fletcher had an outfield assist at third base.

Wednesday’s game:  Off

DSL Cardinals 16 at DSL Mets2 9

The Dominican Summer League Cardinals (28-21) shellacked the Mets2 club in a 16-9 contest on Tuesday morning. Starter Juan Salas pitched five scoreless innings, allowed two hits, struck out four and walked one to earn his second win of the season. From there, however, the Cardinals relievers struggled.

Juan Salas

Samuel Fabian surrendered four runs without recording an out. Yordy Herrera allowed two runs in 2/3 innings. Omar Yanez relinquished one run in two innings of work. Bruno Lopez gave up two runs, one earned, in the final 1 1/3 innings.

The Cardinals began the scoring in the first inning on a solo home run by Jonathan Mejia. In the third, the Cardinals increased the lead to 4-0 on a sac fly by Jose Suarez and a two-run single by Maikel Hernandez.

In the fifth, Suarez doubled and scored on Carlos Carmona’s single. The Cardinals continued to pile on in the sixth, adding four more runs on two bases loaded walks, a sac fly by Carmona, and a wild pitch.

The Mets scored in a big way with six runs in the sixth to cut the lead to 9-6. In the eighth, the Cardinals put up their own crooked number, scoring seven runs. A bases loaded walk by Keshawn Rombley began the rally. Elias Reynoso plated two on a double. Rombley scored on a groundout by Yancel Guerrero. Mejia doubled to score a run. The final two runs in the inning scored on a wild pitch and a passed ball.

Jonathan Mejia

In the bottom of the eighth the Mets added one run, then scored two more in the bottom of the ninth bring the final score to 16-9.

The Cards had nine hits but were the recipients of 15 walks. Cardinals pitching was only slightly better with seven hits and 11 free passes granted.

Mejia went 2-for-5 with two RBI and four runs scored. Reynoso was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Suarez, Carmona, and Hernandez each drove in two.

On the base paths, Yancel Guerrero stole his ninth base of the season. Reynoso was caught stealing for the first time. Alejandro Loaiza was picked off first base.

Anyelo Encarnacion committed a fielding error.

Wednesday’s game: Off


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