All posts by Luke Kotcher

Cardinals Prospects Fall to Marlins in First Spring Breakout Game

photo: Spring Breakout, 03/15/24 (Luke Kotcher/The Cardinal Nation)

In the first ever St. Louis Cardinals Spring Breakout game, the Cardinals prospects fell to the Marlins by a 3-2 score. Tink Hence stood out with three strikeouts in two scoreless innings. Zach Levenson hit a solo home run. TCN’s Luke Kotcher reports from Jupiter.

Results from the Cardinals Spring Breakout game played on Friday, March 15th.

Cardinals Prospects 2, Marlins Prospects 3 (7 innings)

The St. Louis Cardinals prospects were edged by the Marlins prospects in a seven-inning contest on Friday afternoon at Roger Dean Stadium.

Tink Hence (The Cardinal Nation prospect #2) started for the Cardinals and had a 1-2-3 first inning. In his second inning, the right-hander yielded a single and stolen base but recorded three strikeouts.

Tink Hence

The Cardinals were on the board first with a run in the second inning. With two outs, Joshua Baez (TCN #32) walked and Chase Davis (#13) singled. After R.J. Yeager walked to jam the sacks, Victor Scott (#4) walked to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

Max Rajcic (#10) relieved for two innings but took the loss after yielding up two runs. With two outs and two batters on base in the third, Miami tied the game with a single. Rajcic surrendered a solo home run in the fourth inning and was roughed for five total hits with two strikeouts. In the fifth inning, Tekoah Roby (#3) was touched for an unearned run.

St. Louis pulled to within one in the sixth inning as Zach Levenson (#33) hit a solo home run.

Zach Levenson

Gordon Graceffo (#6) threw a perfect sixth inning with one strikeout. TCN’s no. 6 prospect threw nine of his 13 pitches for strikes. Sem Robberse (#14) closed out the seven-inning contest with a scoreless frame.

The Cardinals offense had three hits and five walks. Masyn Winn (#1) walked twice and stole a bag. César Prieto (#23) tripled in the third inning but was stranded.

César Prieto

Defensively, Thomas Saggese (#5) committed a fielding error and Pedro Pagés (#28) caught a runner stealing. Shortstop Jeremy Rivas had a standout defensive play behind Graceffo in the sixth.

Jeremy Rivas

The pitching staff was touched for three runs, two earned, on seven hits and two walks with seven punchouts.

Eight of TCN’s top 10 prospects appeared on Friday, with Cooper Hjerpe (#7) and Michael McGreevy (#8) not making an appearance. 18 of the 20 players that appeared in the game are among TCN’s Top 50 Prospects.

50 Days, 50 Nights, 50 St. Louis Cardinals Prospects for 2024

What is next

The second and final Cardinals Spring Breakout game will be held against the Houston Astros prospects on the morning of Sunday, March 17th at Roger Dean Stadium. McGreevy gets the start for the Cardinals.

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Cardinals 2023 Minor League Award Winners Recognized

Now Available – 2024 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its seventh year. It includes 282 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or spiral bound book today!

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

Order TCN’s 2024 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide

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© 2024 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or republished.

2023 St. Louis Cardinals Arizona Fall League Recap

photo: Victor Scott and Tekoah Roby (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Eight St. Louis Cardinals prospects participated in the 2023 AFL, including three Fall Stars – Victor Scott, Tekoah Roby and Cooper Hjerpe. Luke Kotcher reviews the final stats for all eight.

The Scottsdale Scorpions (15-14) ended their 2023 Arizona Fall League season on Friday with a loss in the play-in semifinal game. They finished in third place in the six-team AFL.

Victor Scott

Victor Scott was the primary center fielder for the Scorpions and batted leadoff in most games. In 84 at-bats, he posted a .286/.388/.417/.805 slash line. TCN’s no. 11 prospect was second in the AFL in stolen bases with 18 in 21 attempts.

Jeremy Rivas

At shortstop, Jeremy Rivas played in 21 games for Scottsdale. He hit .230 with one home run and seven walks. The 20-year-old struck out 22 times in 74 at-bats.

Jimmy Crooks

Jimmy Crooks scuffled offensively in limited playing time with a .498 OPS in 43 at-bats. Crooks moved among first base, catcher and the designated hitter spot in his 14 games.

Three pitchers were working this fall to get additional innings after missing time in 2023 – Tekoah Roby, Inohan Paniagua and Cooper Hjerpe. Though all three are starters, the latter two worked in relief in the AFL.

Tekoah Roby

Roby was the Cardinals’ designated starting pitcher and posted a 5.93 ERA in five appearances. His batting average against was .263 with a 1.54 WHIP. One positive aspect was the right-hander’s 18 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings.

Inohan Paniagua

Working in long relief, Paniagua appeared in six games and 16 2/3 innings, including one spot start. On the downside, he tied for the most home runs surrendered in the AFL at six. Still, Paniagua fanned 17 batters to only six walks and logged a 4.86 ERA.

Cooper Hjerpe

Hjerpe tossed 8 1/3 innings of relief for the Scorpions. TCN’s no. 7 prospect struck out 15 batters against six walks with a 4.32 ERA.

Edwin Nuñez

The Cardinals had two relievers working in the back end of the bullpen. Edwin Nuñez was 2-for-3 in save opportunities in eight games. The 22-year-old posted a 2.53 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 10 2/3 frames.

Andre Granillo

Andre Granillo had the lowest ERA among the five Cardinals pitching prospects at 1.80. In 10 innings, TCN’s no. 37 prospect struck out 14 batters with three walks. The big right-hander did have a .310 average against and a 1.60 WHIP but was 3-for-3 in save opportunities.

Scottsdale’s offense ended the season fifth in the six-team AFL in runs scored (149) and last in team OPS (.692). The Scorpions staff had the third-lowest ERA in the league at 4.94.

In Friday’s play-in semifinal, the Scorpions went up 9-0 but lost a heartbreaker to Peoria by a score of 12-9 to end their season.

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Jimmy Crooks in His Own Words

Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or republished.

Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – November 10, 2023

photo: Inohan Paniagua (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

To wrap up regular season AFL play, Scottsdale was topped by Mesa. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Inohan Paniagua, tossed three hitless innings with four strikeouts for Scottsdale. The Scorpions face Peoria in the Play-in Semifinals Friday.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played on Thursday, November 9th.

Scottsdale 1 at Mesa 4

The Scottsdale Scorpions (15-14) fell to the Mesa Solar Sox (14-16) on Thursday night at Sloan Park. Three Cardinals prospects appeared in the contest.

Jimmy Crooks started at catcher and hit in the third spot of the lineup. He singled in the first inning to drive in Scottsdale’s only run of the game. Crooks was 1-for-4 on the night.

At shortstop, Jeremy Rivas walked and went 0-for-2 in the eighth spot. TCN’s no. 47 prospect walked in the second inning.

Inohan Paniagua

Inohan Paniagua took the mound in the sixth inning and pitched three hitless innings for the Scorpions. TCN’s no. 27 prospect yielded one walk with four strikeouts in his scoreless outing.

Scottsdale’s lineup was 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position with only three hits and two walks. They struck out 14 times in the contest.

Scottsdale ended their regular season with this loss. The play-in semifinal is on Friday vs. Peoria at Camelback Ranch. The Scorpions owned a 5-0-1 record against the Javelinas during the regular season. Friday’s winner moves ahead to the finals on Saturday against Surprise (19-11) at Scottsdale Stadium.

Friday’s game: vs. Peoria, TBA vs. TBA 7:30 CT (Play-In Semifinal)

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Tekoah Roby in His Own Words

Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF copy today! (The printed books are sold out.)

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

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© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or republished.

Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – November 6, 2023

photo: Victor Scott (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

In the AFL Fall Stars Game Sunday night, the National League lost 6-3. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day Victor Scott doubled, walked twice and stole three bases as the leadoff batter. Tekoah Roby started and Cooper Hjerpe appeared in relief as they retired all five batters faced including three strikeouts.

Results from the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game played on Sunday, November 5th.

National League 3 at American League 6

The American League Fall Stars topped the National League Fall Stars on Sunday night at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona.

Victor Scott led off for the visiting team and started in center field. TCN’s no. 11 prospect reached base in all three plate appearances with a double and two walks. Scott stole three bags before leaving the game in the sixth inning.

After his leadoff double in the first, Scott stole third base with one out (see above photo and video below), but the next two batters fanned, leaving him stranded. In the third, Scott walked and stole second, but was again not driven in. Scott took his second free pass with two down in the fifth. He promptly swiped second but did not advance further.

Victor Scott

Tekoah Roby started for the NL and recorded a 1-2-3 first inning with two strikeouts. He impressively threw eight of his nine pitches for strikes.

Tekoah Roby

Out of the bullpen, Cooper Hjerpe tossed the first 2/3 of the eighth inning as both managers made in-inning substitutions to get everyone in the game. The lefty prospect struck out one batter.

Cooper Hjerpe

The NL was 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Their pitching struck out 12 batters but yielded three home runs for four of the six scores against them.

Scottsdale (14-13) begins their final three games of the regular season on Tuesday afternoon with a finals berth at stake.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Peoria, TBA vs. TBA 3:30 CT (The Scorpions are off Monday)

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

2023 Cardinals Minor League Leaders – Pitching Rate Stats

Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book copy today!

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

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© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or republished.

Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – November 5, 2023

The Scottsdale Scorpions were off Saturday due to the AFL Home Run Derby. No Cardinals prospects participated in the Derby but Victor Scott, Tekoah Roby and Cooper Hjerpe are on the National League roster for the Fall Stars Game on Sunday.

Results from the Arizona Fall League on Saturday, November 4th.

Scottsdale Scorpions – Off

The Scottsdale Scorpions (14-13) had an off day on Saturday with the AFL Home Run Derby held that evening. The Scorpions are in second place in the AFL, three games behind Surprise.

Twins outfield prospect Kala’i Rosario won the Derby.

On Sunday night, the Fall Stars Game starts at 7:00 p.m. CT at Sloan Park in Mesa and will be shown on MLB Network. On Tuesday vs. Peoria, Scottsdale starts their final three games of the regular season.

Cardinals through Week 5

Victor Scott has been the starting center fielder for the Scorpions with 81 at-bats in 22 games. TCN’s no. 11 prospect is slashing .272/.366/.407/.773 with 16 stolen bases, the second most in the league. Scott is one of seven outfielders on the National League Fall Stars roster.

Victor Scott

Jeremy Rivas is eighth on the team in batting average at .236. At the plate, he has 21 strikeouts to six walks as the starting shortstop.

Splitting time among first base, designated hitter and catcher, Jimmy Crooks has struggled at the plate with a .498 OPS in 39 at-bats. TCN’s no. 22 prospect has two doubles and four RBI in limited action.

Tekoah Roby

Tekoah Roby is 1-2 in five appearances for the Scorpions with a 5.93 ERA. He has 18 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings.

Out of the bullpen, Cooper Hjerpe has a 4.32 ERA in 8 1/3 frames. TCN’s no. 7 prospect has struck out 15 batters. Roby and Hjerpe are two of 11 pitchers on the NL Fall Stars roster.

Cooper Hjerpe

Inohan Paniagua is 1-2 after six appearances and 13 2/3 innings. Among with 13 strikeouts, Paniagua has surrendered six home runs through five weeks, the most in the AFL.

In eight appearances, Andre Granillo had a 2.00 ERA but a .316 average against. Granillo has 12 strikeouts in nine frames and is 2-for-2 in save opportunities.

Edwin Nuñez has a .092 WHIP in 8 2/3 innings of relief for Scottsdale. TCN’s no. 25 prospect has posted a 3.12 ERA with two saves in three opportunities.

Scottsdale is fifth in the six-team AFL in runs scored (138) and last in team OPS (.698). The Scorpions staff has the lowest ERA in the league at 4.81. In the last week, the pitching has improved but the hitters have slumped.

Scottsdale has lost seven of their last 10 games with three regular season games to go. Still, the Saguaros still have a shot to be the team facing Surprise in the title game this coming Saturday.

Sunday’s game: NL Fall Stars at AL Fall Stars, TBA vs. TBA 7:00 CT

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

2023 Cardinals Minor League Leaders – Pitching Counting Stats

Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book copy today!

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

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© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or republished.

Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – November 3, 2023

photo: Jimmy Crooks (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Scottsdale Scorpions fell to Salt River at home in Thursday night AFL action. Three Cardinals hitters and two pitchers appeared in the loss. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, DH Jimmy Crooks, singled and doubled.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played on Thursday, November 2nd.

Scottsdale 3, Salt River 5

The Scottsdale Scorpions (13-13) were topped by the Salt River Rafters (14-13) on Thursday night at Scottsdale Stadium. Five St. Louis Cardinals appeared in the contest.

Victor Scott led off for Scottsdale and singled in the eighth inning. TCN’s no. 11 prospect stole second base to bring his total to 15, the most in the AFL. He was 1-for-5 with a strikeout.

In the DH spot, Jimmy Crooks hit sixth. He was 2-for-4 with a double in the fourth inning and a single in the seventh.

Jimmy Crooks

Jeremy Rivas had a rough Thursday evening for Scottsdale. At the plate, Rivas went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. In the field, he committed three errors at shortstop, two fielding and one throwing. They led to four unearned runs.

Out of the bullpen, Inohan Paniagua took his second loss of the AFL season. TCN’s no. 27 prospect tossed 2 2/3 innings and gave up a run on three hits, three walks and three punchouts.

Paniagua has surrendered six home runs this season, the most in the AFL. However, his long ball Thursday evening did not leave the park. In the eighth, a line drive to center handcuffed Scott. He dived for the ball, which was tailing away, but he didn’t touch it as it rolled to the wall, 430 feet away from the plate. By the time Scott could get to his feet, the Rafters hitter circled the bases. It was scored an inside the park home run and represented Salt River’s fourth and eventual winning score.

Edwin Nunez entered in relief with two outs in the ninth inning and struck out his only batter faced.

The Scottsdale lineup went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base. Scorpions pitching allowed five runs but only one was earned. Every player in the lineup was on base at least once.

Friday’s game: at Glendale, RHP Davis Daniel (1-0, 1.89 LAA) vs. RHP Jordan Geber (1-1, 5.40 NYM) 8:30 CT

Notes

No Cardinals will be participating in the AFL Home Run Derby Saturday night.

Rosters for Sunday’s Fall Stars Game have yet to be announced.

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

2023 Cardinals Minor League Leaders – Speed

Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book copy today!

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© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or republished.

Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 31, 2023

photo: Victor Scott (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

To open Week 5 of the AFL, the Scottsdale Scorpions were defeated at Surprise on Monday afternoon. Three Cardinals prospects appeared. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day Victor Scott walked and stole his 13th bag of the AFL season.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played on Monday, October 31st.

Scottsdale 3 at Surprise 5

The Scottsdale Scorpions (12-11) fell to the Surprise Saguaros (15-9) at Surprise Stadium on Monday afternoon.

Leadoff batter Victor Scott was 0-for-3 with a walk. TCN’s no. 11 prospect walked and stole second base in the third inning. He is second in the AFL in stolen bases with 13.

Victor Scott

Shortstop Jeremy Rivas hit in the ninth spot and went 0-for-2. Rivas walked in the sixth inning.

At the DH spot, Jimmy Crooks hit fifth for the Scorpions. Crooks went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.

The Scorpions went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position with six runners left on base. The lineup had three hits and three stolen bases in their third straight loss. They dropped to third place in the AFL.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Peoria, RHP Tekoah Roby (1-2, 6.97) vs. TBA 4:30 CT

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

TCN’s 2023 Cardinals Minor League Manager of the Year

Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book copy today!

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

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© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or republished.

Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 29, 2023

photo: Jimmy Crooks (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Scottsdale Scorpions wrapped up Week 4 of the AFL season with a Saturday loss at Surprise. Four Cardinals prospects appeared. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day Jimmy Crooks started at first base and singled.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played on Saturday, October 28th.

Scottsdale 2 at Surprise 4 (7 innings)

The Scottsdale Scorpions (12-10) were defeated by the Surprise Saguaros (14-9) in a seven-inning Saturday game at Surprise Stadium.

Victor Scott started in center field for Scottsdale but went 0-for-3. TCN’s no. 11 prospect is tied for first in the AFL with 12 stolen bases. Scott is slashing .281/.378/.406/.784 in 64 at-bats.

Jimmy Crooks started at first base and hit cleanup. Crooks singled in the fourth inning but did not score. The 22-year-old has a .478 OPS in 28 at-bats for Scottsdale.

Jimmy Crooks

In the ninth spot of the lineup, shortstop Jeremy Rivas was 0-for-2. Rivas is batting .270 in 17 games for the Scorpions with four walks and 17 strikeouts.

Out of the bullpen, Inohan Paniagua pitched two innings and surrendered three runs. TCN’s no. 27 prospect yielded two home runs with two strikeouts. In the AFL this season, he has given up five home runs leading to a 6.55 ERA.

Scottsdale had four singles and one home run in the game. The lineup went 1-for-2 with runners in scoring position with three runners left on base. The pitching struck out eight batters in the seven-inning contest.

After four weeks of play, the Scorpions are in second place in the AFL. They are 1.5 games behind Surprise with two weeks to go.

Cardinals through Week 4

Tekoah Roby is 1-2 after four starts for the Scorpions. TCN’s no. 6 prospect has a 6.97 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 10 1/3 frames.

In relief, Edwin Nuñez is 2-for-3 in save opportunities. Nuñez has a 3.24 ERA with a 0.96 WHIP in 8 1/3 innings.

Edwin Nuñez

In 6 1/3 innings of relief, Cooper Hjerpe has a 5.68 ERA with 12 strikeouts and six walks. He has surrendered four runs on five hits.

Andre Granillo has a 3.00 ERA in six innings. TCN’s no. 37 prospect has nine punchouts through four weeks of the AFL.

Scottsdale is fourth in the six-team AFL in runs scored (123) but last in team OPS (.713). The Scorpions staff has the lowest ERA in the league at 5.01. 

Monday’s game: at Surprise, TBA vs. TBA 4:30 CT (The Scorpions are off Sunday)

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

TCN’s 2023 Cardinals Minor League Comeback Player of the Year

Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book copy today!

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

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© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or republished.

Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 27, 2023

The Scottsdale Scorpions were off Thursday. They are half a game behind Surprise for first place in the Arizona Fall League.

Scottsdale Scorpions – Off

On Thursday, the Scottsdale Scorpions (12-8) had an off day in week four of the Arizona Fall League. They are in second place in the AFL just a half game out of first place.

Friday’s game: vs. Salt River, RHP Christian McGowan (1-1, 4.05 PHI) vs. RHP Wilmer Flores (0-0, 4.09 DET) 8:30 CT

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

TCN’s 2023 Cardinals Minor League Emerging Pitcher of the Year

Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book copy today!

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

https://thecardinalnation.com/order-tcns-2023-cardinals-prospect-guide/

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© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or republished.

Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 24, 2023

photo: Jeremy Rivas (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Scottsdale Scorpions fell to the Glendale Desert Dogs in AFL action on Monday night. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day Jeremy Rivas singled. No other Cardinals appeared. Scottsdale is in first place with a half game lead over Surprise.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played Monday, October 23rd.

Glendale 9, Scottsdale 4

The Scottsdale Scorpions (11-7) were defeated by the Glendale Desert Dogs (9-10) at Scottsdale Stadium on Monday night. Only one Cardinals prospect appeared.

Jeremy Rivas started at shortstop for the Scorpions and hit eighth. TCN’s no. 47 prospect singled but was retired on a force out in the seventh inning. He also grounded out, flied out and struck out. Rivas is slashing .296/.333/.370/.703 in 54 at-bats.

Jeremy Rivas

Scorpions pitching struck out 16 but gave up three home runs. Scottsdale’s offense recorded two doubles and six singles. They went 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position but left seven runners on base.

Tuesday’s game: at Mesa, RHP Tekoah Roby (1-1, 6.75 STL) vs. RHP Zach Peek (0-1, 9.00) 8:30 CT

Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

TCN’s 2023 Cardinals Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year

Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book copy today!

All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!

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© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or republished.

Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 22, 2023

photo: Edwin Nuñez (Palm Beach Cardinals)

Scottsdale improved to 11-6 with a Saturday victory at Salt River. Five Cardinals prospects appeared for the Scorpions. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Edwin Nuñez, earned his second save of the AFL with a scoreless ninth inning to end Week 3.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played Saturday, October 21st.

Scottsdale 3 at Salt River 2

The Scottsdale Scorpions (11-6) edged the Salt River Rafters (9-9) on Saturday night at Salt River Fields.

Leadoff batter Victor Scott was 1-for-4 with a walk, a steal and a run scored. Scott drew a leadoff walk in the first inning, stole second base, took third when the throw went into center and came home on an error by the center fielder. TCN’s no. 11 prospect is slashing .250/.357/.292/.649 and is second in stolen bases with 10 in the AFL.

Jimmy Crooks was a late addition to the Scottsdale lineup at catcher and hit third. He was 0-for-3 with a walk and one strikeout. Crooks walked in the eighth inning before the Scorpions took the lead.

Shortstop Jeremy Rivas singled in the fourth inning but was called out at third after a wild pitch. TCN’s no. 47 prospect has a .720 OPS in 50 at-bats for Scottsdale. He has the second-most hits on the team with 15.

Cooper Hjerpe appeared in the eighth inning Saturday. TCN’s no. 7 prospect tossed a scoreless frame with two punchouts and received a hold, his first. Hjerpe has thrown 5 1/3 innings and has a 6.75 ERA with 11 strikeouts.

Edwin Nuñez

To close out the game, Edwin Nuñez recorded his second save of the AFL. Nuñez allowed one runner after a fielding error and a throwing error. After that, the right-hander struck out one batter and gave the Scorpions their 11th win of the season. 11 of his 13 pitches went for strikes. Nuñez is 2-for-3 in save opportunities with a 2.84 ERA in 6 1/3 innings through three weeks of the AFL season.

Scottsdale had just four singles in the contest but walked seven times. They went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and struck out 13 times. The Scorpions stole four bases and found a way to win. In the AFL, Scottsdale is in first place by one game over Peoria.

Cardinals through Week 3

Tekoah Roby has started three games for Scottsdale and has a 6.75 ERA in 6 2/3 frames. TCN’s no. 6 prospect has 11 strikeouts to three walks in his three starts.

Inohan Paniagua appeared in three games through three weeks of play with a 5.00 ERA. Paniagua has given up three home runs but also has eight strikeouts in nine innings.

Andre Granillo

Out of the bullpen, Andre Granillo has surrendered two runs in five innings for a 3.60 ERA. Granillo also has been recording strikeouts with eight compared to one walk.

Surprise is second in the six-team AFL in runs scored (124) and team OPS (.814). The Scorpions staff has the lowest ERA in the league at 4.86.

Monday’s game: vs. Glendale, TBA vs. TBA 8:30 CT (The Scorpions are off Sunday)

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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 20, 2023

On Thursday, the Scottsdale Scorpions fell at Surprise by a score of 5-0. Two Cardinals prospects appeared. Victor Scott and Jimmy Crooks went a combined 0-for-7.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played Thursday, October 19th.

Scottsdale 0 at Surprise 5

The Scottsdale Scorpions (9-6) were blanked by the Surprise Saguaros (9-7) at Surprise Stadium on Thursday night.

Leadoff man Victor Scott started in center field for Scottsdale. TCN’s no. 11 prospect was 0-for-4 with a strikeout and three groundouts.

Jimmy Crooks started the game at first base and batted seventh. He went 0-for-3 with two groundouts and a flyout.

The Scottsdale lineup only had three hits and two walks in the nine-inning contest. Surprise recorded six extra-base hits while Scottsdale had none. Rangers prospect Cameron Cauley hit two home runs and plated three for the Saguaros.

Friday’s game: at Peoria, RHP Thaddeus Ward (0-0, 5.79 WAS) vs. RHP Gabe Bierman (1-1, 9.95 MIA) 4:30 CT

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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 17, 2023

photo: Edwin Nuñez (Palm Beach Cardinals)

To open Week 3 of the AFL, the Scottsdale Scorpions were defeated by the Salt River Rafters at home in the ninth inning. Four Cardinals prospects appeared for the Scorpions. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Edwin Nuñez, pitched a scoreless inning out of the bullpen.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played Monday, October 16th.

Scottsdale 6, Salt River 7

The Scottsdale Scorpions (7-5) fell to the Salt River Rafters (8-5) in 96-degree heat on Thursday night at Scottsdale Stadium. Four Cardinals appeared in the contest.

Victor Scott led off the game for the Scorpions and went 0-for-3. TCN’s no. 11 prospect walked and scored a run.

Jeremy Rivas had a rough night at the plate after he was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and grounded into a double play. Rivas started at shortstop for Scottsdale.

Asked to protect a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning, reliever Cooper Hjerpe blew his first save in the AFL as control problems emerged. In just 2/3 of an inning pitched, TCN’s no. 7 prospect surrendered three runs on one hit, four walks, a wild pitch and one strikeout. Just 11 of his 31 pitches went for strikes.

Edwin Nuñez

Edwin Nuñez tossed a clean eighth inning to hold the Scorpions’ lead. The 21-year-old gave up one hit, walked one and induced three ground ball outs. 17 of his 27 pitches were strikes.

Scottsdale was leading 6-4 with two outs in the ninth inning but Pittsburgh prospect Jase Bowen blasted a three-run home run to give the Rafters the lead. The Scorpions were unable to answer in the home ninth.

Scottsdale’s lineup went 2-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Four of their hits were for extra bases.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Mesa, TBA vs. RHP Carter Baumler 8:30 CT

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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 15, 2023

photo: Andre Granillo (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

To close out Week 2 of the 2023 AFL, the Scottsdale Scorpions defeated the Peoria Javelinas. Two Cardinals appeared in the seven-inning contest. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Andre Granillo, recorded his first save of the AFL season. Jeremy Rivas started at shortstop.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played Saturday, October 14th.

Scottsdale 3 at Peoria 2 (7 innings)

The Scottsdale Scorpions (7-4) topped the first-place Peoria Javelinas (8-3) in a seven-inning contest. It was Game 2 of a Saturday AFL triple-header at Goodyear Ballpark.

Jeremy Rivas started at shortstop and went 0-for-3 in the contest. In the AFL this season, Rivas is slashing .353/.389/.481/.860 through nine games. He has the third highest batting average on the team.

Jeremy Rivas

Out of the bullpen, Andre Granillo pitched the seventh and final inning for Scottsdale. TCN’s no. 37 prospect yielded two hits with one punchout to record his first save. Granillo has appeared in three games this season with seven strikeouts in four innings. His ERA through four innings is 4.50 with eight hits and one walk allowed.

Andre Granillo

The Scorpions went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stole five bases in the seven-inning contest. Angels prospect Davis Daniel tossed six innings with 10 strikeouts for Scottsdale. The Scorpions are in third place in the AFL with a four-game winning streak. The AFL is off on Sunday to end Week 2.

Cardinals through Week 2

To date, Victor Scott is 10-for-32 with one double. TCN’s no. 11 prospect has walked six times with nine stolen bases, the most in the AFL. Jimmy Crooks has only one hit in 12 plate appearances for the Scorpions. With four catchers on the roster, Crooks has primarily been coming off the bench as a pinch hitter.

Cooper Hjerpe has appeared in three games in relief for the Scorpions with one run surrendered in 3 2/3 innings. Hjerpe has eight strikeouts with only two walks given up. Edwin Nunez has a 4.15 ERA through two weeks of the season. In 4 1/3 innings, Nunez is 1-for-2 in save opportunities.

Inohan Paniagua surrendered five runs and three home runs. He also has struck out five in two appearances with a 9.00 ERA. Tekoah Roby started two games for Scottsdale. He has a 7.36 ERA with five strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.

Monday’s game: vs. Salt River, TBA vs. TBA 8:30 CT (The Scorpions are off Sunday)

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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 13, 2023

photo: Jeremy Rivas (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

On Thursday night, the Scottsdale Scorpions defeated the Glendale Desert Dogs on the road. Three Cardinals prospects appeared for Scottsdale. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day is shortstop Jeremy Rivas, who was 2-for-5 with a go-ahead three-run home run and a stolen base.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played Thursday, October 12th.

Scottsdale 9 at Glendale 6

The Scottsdale Scorpions (5-4) topped the Glendale Desert Dogs (2-8) at Camelback Ranch on Thursday.

Center fielder Victor Scott hit second in the game for the Scorpions. TCN’s no. 11 prospect was 2-for-4 with a walk and one run scored. Scott doubled in the fifth inning, stole third base and scored on a sacrifice fly. He singled in the sixth and stole another bag. Scott leads the AFL in stolen bases with eight through 10 games.

Victor Scott

Jeremy Rivas went 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs as the starting shortstop. He blasted a three-run home run in the fifth inning, his first of the AFL season. The 20-year-old singled in the seventh and stole second base.

Jeremy Rivas

In the ninth inning, Jimmy Crooks came into the game as a pinch-hitter. Our just-named Peoria Chiefs Player of the Year grounded out to the first baseman before catching the bottom half.

Jimmy Crooks

Facing a 4-0 deficit in the second inning, the Scorpions answered with seven unanswered runs through the sixth. Scottsdale pitching struck out 12 batters with only one walk.

Friday’s game: vs. Glendale, TBA vs. RHP Josimar Cousin (0-1, 13.50 CWS) 4:30 CT

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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 10, 2023

photo: Jeremy Rivas (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Scottsdale Scorpions fell to the Salt River Rafters on Monday night. Three Cardinals played for the Scorpions. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Jeremy Rivas, had three singles, an RBI and a run scored. Victor Scott swiped three bags, but Andre Granillo struggled in relief. Tekoah Roby starts Tuesday.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played Monday, October 9th.

Scottsdale 6 at Salt River 7

Week 2 of the Arizona Fall League began with a loss as the Scottsdale Scorpions (3-3) were edged by the Salt River Rafters (3-4) at Salt River Fields on Monday night.

Center fielder Victor Scott led off and went 1-for-4 with a walk and scored in the eighth. TCN’s no. 11 prospect singled in the ninth inning. Scott stole three bags in the contest and leads the AFL with six. He also made a sliding catch in center field.

Jeremy Rivas

Jeremy Rivas continued his hot streak with three singles, an RBI and one run scored from the seventh spot of the lineup. The shortstop is slashing .474/.500/.526/1.026 through five AFL games this season. He was also caught stealing and picked off.

Out of the bullpen, Andre Granillo pitched one inning and was roughed for two runs. The right-hander yielded four hits and one strikeout.

Down 7-3, Scottsdale made a comeback in the final two innings but fell short by one run. The Scorpions finished 4-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Surprise, RHP Tekoah Roby vs. RHP Zak Kent 8:30 CT

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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 8, 2023

photo: Jimmy Crooks (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Scottsdale Scorpions were walked off by the Mesa Solar Sox by a score of 1-0 on Saturday afternoon. Jimmy Crooks was the only Cardinals prospect to appear when he came off the bench and grounded out.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played Saturday, October 7th.

Scottsdale 0 at Mesa 1

The Scottsdale Scorpions (3-2) were walked off by the Mesa Solar Sox (3-3) on Saturday afternoon at Sloan Park.

Cardinals catcher Jimmy Crooks came off the bench in the seventh inning to relieve Zach Morgan behind the plate. Crooks caught three innings and allowed one stolen base. TCN’s no. 22 prospect hit in the ninth inning but grounded out to second base. At the dish in the early AFL going, Crooks is 1-for-9, .111, with two strikeouts.

Jimmy Crooks

Scottsdale was 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position with one extra-base hit. Baltimore’s Billy Cook had a walk-off home run in the ninth inning.

The AFL has an off day on Sunday to conclude the first week of the season. The Scorpions are 3-2, in second place two games back of undefeated Peoria, after their first game ended in a draw.

Through Week 1, Jeremy Rivas is 6-for-15 (.400) with a walk. Victor Scott is 5-for-16 (.313) with three walks and three steals.

Out of the bullpen, Andre Granillo and Cooper Hjerpe have two scoreless innings each. Granillo allowed two hits and fanned five. Hjerpe has allowed no hits with three Ks. Both walked one.

In relief, Edwin Nunez was charged with two runs in two innings on two walks and two hits and a hit batter. Inohan Paniagua had a rough two-inning debut, yielding three runs on a walk and three hits, including two home runs. Paniagua struck out two.

Over three innings, starter Tekoah Roby yielded no runs on one hit with three strikeouts.

Monday’s game: at Salt River, TBA vs. TBA 8:30 CT (The Scorpions are off Sunday)

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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 6, 2023

photo: Edwin Nunez (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Scottsdale Scorpions defeated the Glendale Desert Dogs on Thursday night. Victor Scott, Jeremy Rivas and Edwin Nunez all played for the Scorpions. Scott singled and stole a base, Rivas doubled and Nunez recorded the save. The Scorpions are undefeated after four games.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played Thursday, October 5th.

Scottsdale 3 at Glendale 2

The Scottsdale Scorpions (3-0) edged the Glendale Desert Dogs (1-3) at Camelback Ranch on Thursday. Scottsdale is undefeated through four games including a tie in their opener.

As the leadoff batter, center fielder Victor Scott was 1-for-3 with a single, a walk and a run scored. TCN’s no. 11 prospect led off the game with a single and came across to score in the sixth inning after he walked and stole second base. He was also caught stealing.

Victor Scott

Jeremy Rivas hit seventh in Thursday’s game and had a double in the fifth inning. The shortstop prospect has a .455 average and 1.045 OPS through four games in the AFL.

Jeremy Rivas

To close out the win, Edwin Nunez tossed the ninth inning. TCN’s no. 25 prospect had a 1-2-3 outing with one strikeout to earn his first AFL save.

Edwin Nuñez

The Scorpions went 2-for-4 with runners in scoring position in their third win of the season. Scott and Rivas both scored in the one-run game.

Friday’s game: vs. Surprise, RHP Chase Chaney (LAA) vs. RHP Carson Spiers (CIN) 8:30 CT

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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 3, 2023

photo: Jeremy Rivas (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

In the AFL season opener, the Scottsdale Scorpions tied the Peoria Javelinas in extra innings. Cardinals prospects Victor Scott, Jeremy Rivas and Edwin Nunez appeared for the Scorpions. Rivas had two singles and an RBI. Scott stole a base and recorded an outfield assist.

Results from the Arizona Fall League game played Monday, October 2nd.

Scottsdale 10, Peoria 10 (10 innings)

The Scottsdale Scorpions (0-0) and Peoria Javelinas (0-0) season opener ended in a 10-10 tie in the 10th inning. Three Cardinals played in the evening contest at Scottsdale Stadium.

As the leadoff batter, Victor Scott went 0-for-6 with an RBI in his AFL debut. TCN’s no. 11 prospect contributed in a seven-run rally in the seventh inning with an RBI groundout. After he grounded into a forceout in the 10th inning, the center fielder stole second base. In the field, Scott threw a runner out at second.

Number eight hitter Jeremy Rivas recorded two hits, a walk, an RBI and a run scored. The shortstop started the 10th inning rally after he grounded out to make the score 10-9.

Jeremy Rivas

Edwin Nunez pitched the eighth inning but had a rough AFL debut. TCN’s no. 25 prospect blew the save with two runs given up on two hits, one walk and one strikeout. Nunez had two bases stolen on him and hit a batter, but he was rescued when Scott recorded an outfield assist to end the eighth inning.

The Scorpions went 5-for-14 with runners in scoring positions in the 10-inning draw on Monday. Scott had the only Scottsdale stolen base while Peoria stole seven bags.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Glendale, RHP Tekoah Roby (StL) vs. LHP Jake Eder (CWS) 8:30 CT

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – September 25, 2023

photo: Cesar Prieto (Memphis Redbirds)

Memphis concluded the Cardinals system’s 2023 Minor League season with a Sunday home loss. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, César Prieto, walked and hit a two-run homer. Arizona Fall League play begins in one week – on October 2.

Results from the game played on Sunday, September 24th.

Memphis 2, Charlotte 8

Ending the 2023 season, the Memphis Redbirds (32-42) fell to the International League East last place Charlotte Knights (CWS, 18-56) at AutoZone Park on Sunday afternoon.

Starter Adam Kloffenstein took his second Redbirds loss after he surrendered three runs in five innings. TCN’s no. 21 prospect yielded four hits, one walk and three strikeouts. In relief, Kyle Leahy fanned one in a scoreless inning. Ryan Loutos was roughed up for five runs in 1/3 of an inning and Grant Black tossed a scoreless 2/3 of an inning.

Down 8-0 and without a hit entering the seventh inning, the Redbirds offense scored their only two runs. Matt Koperniak was hit by a pitch and César Prieto blasted a two-run home run, his sixth at Triple-A.

César Prieto

Pete Hansen made his first Triple-A appearance after his call-up from Palm Beach on Friday. TCN’s no. 15 prospect pitched a 1-2-3 scoreless eighth. Chris Roycroft walked one in a scoreless ninth.

Over nine innings, the depleted Redbirds lineup had only two hits and two walks. Prieto homered and walked. Moisés Gómez doubled. The lineup was 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position.

In the field, Leahy committed an error. Kloffenstein picked off a runner and Jimmy Crooks had a passed ball.

Memphis finished the 2023 season with a 71-78 overall record. In the first half, they went 39-36 and were in fifth place in the International League West. In the second half, they were 32-42 and well out of playoff contention, ending in ninth place, 15 ½ games back.

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – September 24, 2023

photo: Chase Pinder (Springfield Cardinals Fanatic Photos)

With a Memphis win, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 1-0 on Saturday night. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, CF Chase Pinder, had a single and a go-ahead home run. Other standouts include Michael McGreevy and Kramer Robertson.

Results from game played on Saturday, September 23rd.

Memphis 7, Charlotte 3

The Memphis Redbirds (32-41) topped the Charlotte Knights (CWS, 17-56) on Saturday night at AutoZone Park.

Michael McGreevy tossed seven innings with two runs given up to earn his 11th win of the season. TCN’s no. 3 prospect yielded six hits and one walk with six punchouts in his final outing of the year.

Michael McGreevy

The Redbirds took a 2-1 lead in the first inning. Moisés Gómez brought in one via sacrifice fly and Nick Dunn scored a run with a single. In the second, Chase Pinder blasted a solo home run, his sixth of the season.

Chase Pinder

Gómez and Tres Barrera doubled in the third to plate one run each. To make the score 6-2, Kramer Robertson singled. Robertson added one more run in the eighth with an RBI single.

Kramer Robertson

Out of the bullpen, Andre Granillo surrendered a run in the eighth inning. James Naile pitched a scoreless ninth with one strikeout.

Pinder, Robertson and Nick Raposo each recorded two hits in the contest. Raposo doubled twice and Pinder homered. The lineup went 6-for-17 with runners in scoring position with six extra-base hits.

On the base paths, Thomas Saggese, Matt Koperniak and César Prieto all took one bag.

Memphis plays their final game of the season on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday’s game: vs. Charlotte, RHP Adam Kloffenstein (2-0, 2.65 with Mem) vs. RHP Chase Solesky (2-9, 6.28) 2:05 CT (Last Triple-A game of the season)

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – September 22, 2023

photo: Brandon Komar (Springfield Cardinals)

The St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-0 on Thursday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day Brandon Komar pitched 6 2/3 innings with one run given up and nine strikeouts in Springfield’s Game 2 victory. Other standouts include Sem Robberse, Chase Pinder and Mike Antico.

Results from games played on Thursday, September 21st.

Memphis 5, Charlotte 2 (Completion of 8/20 game)

The Memphis Redbirds (30-41) topped the Charlotte Knights (CWS, 17-54) in the completion of Wednesday’s contest at AutoZone Park.

The game was postponed on Wednesday after the top of the first inning. Starter Adam Kloffenstein surrendered a run in the first inning with two punchouts. Sem Robberse took the ball on Thursday, pitching six innings and was touched for a run on five hits, one walk and eight strikeouts.

Sem Robberse

With the Knights up one in the first inning, Chase Pinder responded in the second with a two-run home run. In the eighth, César Prieto broke a 2-2 tie with a triple to plate two runs. Preito came across on a throwing error.

Chase Pinder

Chris Roycroft tossed a scoreless eighth to earn his fifth Triple-A win. James Naile saved his third game with a hitless ninth.

The lineup collected seven hits and four walks. Moisés Gómez was 2-for-3 with a walk and one run scored. Pinder and Prieto drove in two runs apiece.

On the bases, Kramer Robertson took his 22nd bag of the year. In the field, Naile committed a fielding error.

The Redbirds have long been eliminated from playoff contention in the International League West. The two teams still need to make up Thursday’s originally scheduled game, but they might not because both teams are out of playoff contention.

Friday’s game: vs. Charlotte, LHP Connor Thomas (4-4, 5.50) vs. RHP Johan Dominguez (0-3, 5.47) 7:05 CT

Springfield 6 at Arkansas 4 (Division Series Game 2)

In a win or go home situation, the Springfield Cardinals defeated the Arkansas Travelers in Game 2 of the Division Series at Dickey-Stephens Park. The deciding third game is Friday.

Brandon Komar had a very solid outing as he tossed 6 2/3 innings and gave up just one run. The right-hander earned the win after he fanned a career-high nine. Working in relief, Connor Lunn surrendered a run in 1/3 of an inning.

Brandon Komar

The Cardinals scored all six runs between the second and fourth innings. Jacob Buchberger brought one across with a single in the second. In the third, Mike Antico scored one via sacrifice fly and Chandler Redmond doubled to plate one. Antico drove in two runs in the third inning with a single and one more came home after an error.

Mike Antico

Out of the bullpen, Ryan Shreve yielded two runs in 2/3 of an inning. Logan Gragg earned the save after 1 1/3 hitless innings.

Logan Gragg

Victor Scott was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Jose Alvarez also had two hits. Antico drove in three runs in Game 2 of the division series. The lineup recorded 10 hits and three walks.

On the base paths, Scott and Arquímedes Gamboa each stole a bag. Komar picked a runner off first base.

After the victory, Springfield plays Arkansas in Game 3 on Friday night to decide who advances to the Texas League Finals, which will open on Sunday.

Friday’s game: at Arkansas, RHP Tink Hence (2-5, 5.47) vs. TBA 6:35 CT (Division Series Game 3)

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – September 18, 2023

photo: Chandler Redmond (Peoria Chiefs)

The St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-0 on Sunday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Chandler Redmond, hit a three-run homer to give Springfield a late lead and clinch a spot in the Texas League playoffs. Other standouts include Michael McGreevy, Tres Barrera and Tink Hence.

Results from games played on Sunday, September 17th.

Memphis 7 at Norfolk 1

The Memphis Redbirds (29-40) defeated the Norfolk Tides (BAL, 39-30) in the series finale at Harbor Park.

Michael McGreevy threw five innings and gave up one run on seven hits and one walk. TCN’s no. 3 prospect struck out four and earned his team-high 10th win.

First baseman Tres Barrera singled in the second inning to give Memphis a 1-0 lead. The Tides tied it in the third. In the fourth, Moisés Gómez blasted a solo home run, his 30th of the season. Barrera hit a two-run shot and Matt Koperniak walked with the bases loaded. Irving Lopez plated one in the sixth with a single and Nick Dunn made it 7-1 in the eighth after he grounded into a forceout.

Tres Barrera

Out of the bullpen, Kyle Leahy fanned two in two scoreless frames. Dalton Roach tossed two scoreless innings.

The lineup recorded 13 hits and six walks. Barrera was 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. Lopez also had three hits. Dunn came across twice and Iván Herrera walked three times.

In the field, Michael Siani threw a runner out at home from center field.

In their final road series of 2023, Memphis went 3-3 at Norfolk this week. They are eliminated from playoff contention in the International League West.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Charlotte, TBA vs. TBA 6:45 CT (The Redbirds are off Monday)

Springfield 7 at San Antonio 5

In their last regular season game, the Springfield Cardinals (38-31) topped the San Antonio Missions (SD, 33-36) to clinch a playoff berth.

Tink Hence pitched five frames and yielded an unearned run on four hits and a walk. TCN’s no. 2 prospect struck out three.

Tink Hence

The Cardinals put up three runs in the first inning. Arquímedes Gamboa walked with the bases loaded and two runs scored after a throwing error.

In relief, Bryan Pope could not secure an out and was touched for three runs, two earned, on three hits. Ryan Shreve tossed two hitless innings to earn his fourth win of the season. Jack Ralston saved his second Double-A game despite surrendering a run in two innings.

Aaron Antonini grounded into a double play in the sixth inning and Gamboa scored. After the Missions tied the game in the sixth, Chandler Redmond blasted a three-run home run in the seventh inning, his 31st of the season.

Chandler Redmond

Springfield had seven hits and six walks in the regular season finale. Noah Mendlinger went 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored. Pedro Pagés walked and scored twice.

On the bases, Gamboa stole a bag and Victor Scott was caught stealing. In his first full season, between High-A and Double-A, Scott stole 97 bases in 111 tries.

In the field, Jacob Buchberger, Errol Robinson, Redmond and Gamboa each committed an error.

The Cardinals went 3-3 against San Antonio this week. They have clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2016.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Arkansas Travelers (SEA), TBA vs. TBA, 6:35 p.m. (Division Series Game 1). Game 2 (and 3 if needed) will be at Arkansas on Thursday (and Friday). If Springfield advances, they will play in the Texas League Finals, which will start Sunday afternoon.

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – September 17, 2023

photo: Victor Scott (Springfield Cardinals)

The St. Louis Cardinals system went 0-2 on Saturday night. Springfield leads the Texas League North by one game with one remaining. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Victor Scott, hit a two-run home run and scored twice. Other standouts include Juan Yepez and Connor Thomas.

Results from games played on Saturday, August 16th.

Memphis 2 at Norfolk 5

The Memphis Redbirds (28-40) were defeated by the Norfolk Tides (BAL, 39-29) on Saturday night at Harbor Park.

Starter Connor Thomas pitched six solid innings with two runs given up. The left-hander yielded nine hits, one walk and four punchouts.

Connor Thomas

The Redbirds tied the game in the eighth inning. Juan Yepez brought across two runs with a single to make the score 2-2. Norfolk took a 5-2 lead in the bottom half, however.

Juan Yepez

Out of the bullpen, Grant Black took his seventh loss after he surrendered two runs in 1 2/3 frames. James Naile was charged with a run in 1/3 of an inning.

Memphis recorded five hits, all singles, and four walks. Yepez plated two and Iván Herrera walked twice. The lineup went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

On the bases, Michael Siani was picked off.

The Redbirds are eliminated from playoff contention in the International League West.

Sunday’s game: at Norfolk, RHP Michael McGreevy (9-6, 4.71) vs. RHP Austin Voth (0-0, 4.32) 12:05 CT

Springfield 6 at San Antonio 7

The Springfield Cardinals (37-30) were edged by the San Antonio Missions (SD, 32-35) at Nelson Wolff Stadium on Saturday. As a result, the Double-A Cards did not clinch their playoff berth.

Starter Brandon Komar surrendered five runs in 6 1/3 innings on seven hits and one walk. The 24-year-old struck out three.

San Antonio took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Cardinals put up one run in the fourth as Chandler Redmond grounded into a double play. In the sixth, Victor Scott blasted a two-run home run, his seventh at Double-A.

Victor Scott

Pedro Pagés added his 16th homer of the year in the seventh, a solo shot.

Pedro Pagés

In relief, Nick Trogrlic-Iverson took his fifth loss of the season after he gave up two runs in the eighth inning. Matt Svanson tossed the remaining 2/3 of an inning with one strikeout.

The Missions took a 5-4 lead in the seventh but Noah Mendlinger’s RBI single in the eighth tied the game. San Antonio responded with two solo home runs in the bottom half against Trogrlic-Iverson. L.J. Jones singled in the ninth to plate one but the Cardinals rally fell short.

Scott went 2-for-5 including a two-run home run and two runs scored. Mendlinger and Jones also recorded two hits for Springfield. The Cardinals went 3-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left four runners on base.

On the base paths, Arquímedes Gamboa took his 24th bag of the season.

The Wichita Wind Surge also lost on Saturday night. In the Texas League North, the Cardinals are ahead of Wichita by one game with one game left in the season. Wichita holds the tie breaker, which is the better head-to-head record between the two teams.

Sunday’s game: at San Antonio, RHP Tink Hence (2-4, 6.09) vs. RHP Jared Kollar (2-2, 4.53) 1:05 CT (Last regular season game of 2023)

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – September 15, 2023

photo: Pedro Pages (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system went 1-3 on Thursday. Palm Beach’s season concluded with Peoria facing a deciding Game 3 on the road. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Pedro Pagés, was 4-for-5 with a triple, two runs scored and three RBI in Springfield’s win. Other standouts include Juan Yepez, Thomas Saggese, Mike Antico and Wilfredo Pereira.

Results from games played on Thursday, September 14th.

Memphis 10 at Norfolk 12

The Memphis Redbirds (27-39) were out-slugged by the Norfolk Tides (BAL, 38-28) on Thursday afternoon at Harbor Park.

Starter Adam Kloffenstein tossed four innings and gave up two runs on four hits, two walks and four punchouts. The right-hander yielded a homer to MLB no. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday.

The Redbirds scored six runs in the first two innings. Juan Yepez brought in one with a single and Iván Herrera blasted a two-run home run, his 10th in Triple-A. In the second, Yepez and Herrera both recorded an RBI single. Nick Dunn brought one run across with a single.

Iván Herrera

Memphis made it 9-2 in the fifth inning. Irving Lopez scored a run after a fielder’s choice. Kramer Robertson had an RBI groundout and Thomas Saggese doubled to plate a run. Norfolk put up two runs in the fifth and eight more in the sixth inning, including seven against reliever Kyle Leahy. In the seventh, Yepez drove in a run via sacrifice fly to close Memphis’ gap to two at 12-10.

Dalton Roach took his fourth Triple-A loss of the season after he surrendered three runs in two innings. Chris Roycroft pitched a scoreless eighth.

The lineup had 16 hits in the contest but went 5-for-18 with runners in scoring position. Saggese was 4-for-5 with three doubles, a walk, one RBI and two runs. Yepez recorded three hits, one walk, two runs and three RBI. Herrera drove in three runs and Lopez collected three hits.

On the base paths, Moisés Gómez and Chase Pinder both stole a bag.

The Redbirds are eliminated from playoff contention in the International League West.

Friday’s game: at Norfolk, RHP Sem Robberse vs. RHP Chayce McDermott (3-2, 2.49) 5:35 CT

Springfield 10 at San Antonio 2

The Springfield Cardinals (37-29) topped the San Antonio Missions (SD, 31-35) at Nelson Wolff Stadium on Thursday night.

Wilfredo Pereira earned his 10th win of the season after he pitched six innings and surrendered two runs on five hits and two walks. The right-hander struck out two.

Wilfredo Pereira

In the second inning, the Cardinals scored five runs. Errol Robinson hit a solo home run, his second in Double-A. Victor Scott came across on an error and Pedro Pagés tripled to plate a run. Mike Antico blasted a two-run home run to make the score 5-0.

Mike Antico

Jose Martinez threw two scoreless innings of relief. Logan Gragg recorded a scoreless ninth inning.

Springfield made the score 8-0 in the fifth. Pagés had an RBI single. Antico grounded out to bring one across and Jacob Buchberger plated one via single. Pagés scored another run in the sixth with a single and Aaron Antonini doubled in the ninth to make the score 10-2.

Pedro Pagés

Pagés went 4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Noah Mendlinger, Scott, Antonini and Robinson all had two hits. Antico drove in three runs. The lineup recorded 16 hits and three walks.

Scott and Mendlinger both stole a base. TCN’s no. 11 prospect is six away from 100 stolen bases this season with three regular season games left.

The Cardinals have won nine of their last 10 games. With three games remaining, they are two games ahead of second place Wichita in the Texas League North.

Friday’s game: at San Antonio, RHP Connor Lunn (7-6, 4.68) vs. RHP Adam Mazur (1-3, 4.64) 7:05 CT

Peoria 4 at Cedar Rapids 9 (Division Series Game 2)

As all four pitchers were scored upon, the Peoria Chiefs fell to the Cedar Rapids Kernels in game two of the divisional series at Rise 2 Greatness Field. The set is tied at one apiece.

Ian Bedell was charged with five runs in three-plus innings on six hits and two walks. TCN’s no. 19 prospect fanned four. Nathanael Heredia took the fourth inning and gave up one run.

In the third inning, Ramon Mendoza plated Peoria’s first run with a single. The Kernels responded with a six-run fourth inning. Brody Moore brought one run across in the sixth with a single.

Ramon Mendoza

Matt Hickey struck out three in 2 1/3 innings but yielded two runs. Edgar Manzo pitched 1 2/3 frames and surrendered a run.

The Chiefs attempted a comeback in the ninth inning. Francisco Hernandez and Jimmy Crooks both plated a run with singles.

Chris Rotondo recorded the only multi-hit game with two. Peoria had nine hits and two walks but did not have an extra-base hit.

On the bases, Rotondo stole a bag. In the field, Jeremy Rivas and Bedell both committed an error. Crooks had a passed ball.

Cedar Rapids and Peoria play in their final playoff game on Friday night to decide who moves onto the Midwest League Championship.

Friday’s game: at Cedar Rapids, RHP Zane Mills (7-6, 5.63) vs. RHP C.J. Culpepper (6-5, 3.56) 6:35 CT

Palm Beach 6, Jupiter 7 (11 innings, Division Series Game 2)

On Thursday evening, the Palm Beach Cardinals were defeated by the Jupiter Hammerheads in a heartbreaking extra-inning contest to end their season.

Starter Hancel Rincon yielded four runs, three earned, in 5 1/3 innings on five hits and two walks. The 21-year-old struck out eight. Angel Cuenca tossed 1 1/3 scoreless frames and Augusto Calderon gave up an unearned run in his 1 1/3 innings.

The Beach Birds made the score 3-1 in the second inning. Chase Adkison walked with the bases loaded and Lizandro Espinoza scored two with a single. Joshua Baez blasted a solo home run in the fourth inning. Jupiter tied the game in the sixth but Jose Cordoba gave the Cardinals the lead back after he doubled to bring one run across.

Lizandro Espinoza

The Hammerheads tied the game in the eighth inning after a fielding error. Henry Gomez threw a scoreless ninth with one strikeout. After a scoreless 10th, Hunter Hayes surrendered two runs, one earned, on only one hit, an RBI triple, in the 11th. The second run scored on a ground out.

In the home 11th, needing two to tie, the Cardinals scored just one, via Chase Davis’ sacrifice fly. With two outs and the bases empty, Sammy Hernandez grounded out to end the Beach Birds’ season.

Michael Curialle and Cordoba had two hits. Baez went 1-for-4 with a home run and three runs scored. Espinoza plated two. The lineup was 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

On the base paths, Curialle stole a bag. Rincon and Curialle both committed an error and Adkison had a passed ball.

With the loss on Thursday, Palm Beach’s season is over. The Class-A affiliate finished with an overall record of 64-63.

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – September 11, 2023

photo: Juan Yepez (Memphis Redbirds)

The St. Louis Cardinals system went 1-2 on Sunday as Peoria and Palm Beach prepare for the playoffs. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, red-hot Juan Yepez, singled, walked, hit a grand slam and plated six in Memphis’ loss. Other standouts include Brandon Komar, Victor Scott and Alex Iadisernia.

Results from games played on Sunday, September 10th.

Memphis 7 at Nashville 10

The Memphis Redbirds (26-37) fell to the Nashville Sounds (MIL, 34-28) on Sunday afternoon at First Horizon Park.

Michael McGreevy surrendered eight runs in five innings to take his sixth loss of the year. TCN’s no. 3 prospect yielded seven hits, four walks and five punchouts.

In the third inning, Nick Dunn plated one run with a single. Continuing his hot streak, Juan Yepez singled and two runs came across. The Sounds increased their lead to 8-3 in the fifth.

Out of the bullpen, Ryan Loutos tossed 1 2/3 frames and gave up two unearned runs. James Naile recorded 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Yepez blasted a grand slam in the eighth inning, his eighth Triple-A homer of the season.

Juan Yepez

The lineup recorded eight hits and four walks in the series finale. Yepez was 2-for-3 with a grand slam, a walk and six RBI. Yepez has a 12-game hitting streak and has 14 RBI in his last three games.

Matt Koperniak also had two hits. Thomas Saggese collected his first Triple-A hit, a double.

Memphis went 1-5 versus the Sounds this week. They are eliminated from playoff contention in the International League West.

Tuesday’s game: at Norfolk, TBA vs. TBA 5:35 CT (The Redbirds are off Monday)

Springfield 4, Tulsa 3 (10 innings)

The Springfield Cardinals (35-28) continued their eight-game winning streak after they walked off the Tulsa Drillers (LAD, 22-41) on Sunday evening.

Starter Brandon Komar tossed eight innings and yielded two runs, one earned, on seven hits and no walks. The 24-year-old struck out a season-high nine batters.

Brandon Komar

The Drillers and Cardinals traded single runs in the third inning. Arquímedes Gamboa had an RBI single. In the seventh, Gamboa tied the game again with another RBI single. Victor Scott scored both runs. With a 2-2 score in the ninth, the contest went into extra innings.

Arquimedes Gamboa

Out of the bullpen, Matt Svanson earned his second Double-A win despite being touched for an unearned run in two innings. TCN’s no. 41 prospect struck out four.

After Tulsa scored a run in the 10th, Chandler Redmond re-tied the game with a sacrifice fly with Scott crossing the plate again. Aaron Antonini brought Gamboa home with a single to end Springfield’s last regular season home game on a winning note.

Victor Scott

Scott was 3-for-5 with a double and three runs scored. Antonini also had three hits. Gamboa recorded two hits, a walk, two RBI and a run scored.

On the bases, Scott took three bags and Gamboa stole one. Scott was also picked off. TCN’s no. 11 prospect has 93 stolen bases this season, the second most in professional baseball.

After their eight-game win streak, Springfield now sits in first place by one game over Wichita with six games to go in the regular season.

Tuesday’s game: at San Antonio, TBA vs. TBA 7:05 CT (The Cardinals are off Monday)

Peoria 5, Beloit 6

The Peoria Chiefs (36-30) were edged by the Beloit Sky Carp (MIA, 29-37) at Dozer Park in their last regular season game. The playoff bound Chiefs have lost four straight since clinching.

In a bullpen game, Edgar Manzo pitched three innings and gave up four runs on seven hits and one walk. The right-hander fanned two.

Alex Iadisernia

Alex Iadisernia made the score 1-0 in the first with a solo home run, his ninth at High-A. After Beloit put up four runs in the second inning, Jeremy Rivas blasted a two-run shot in the home half. Chris Rotondo tied the game in the third with an RBI double.

Jeremy Rivas

Dionys Rodriguez threw three scoreless frames with two strikeouts. Gustavo Rodriguez surrendered two runs on four hits and three strikeouts in two innings. The right-hander took his fourth loss. Matt Hickey tossed a scoreless ninth.

Dionys Rodriguez

The Chiefs took a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning after Luis Rodriguez grounded out and Thomas Francisco came across. Beloit took a one-run lead in the eighth inning.

Rotondo, Rivas and Darlin Moquete all recorded two hits. Iadisernia was 1-for-2 with a homer, two walks and two runs scored. The lineup went 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base.

On the base paths, Kade Kretzschmar and Rotondo both stole a bag. In the field, Brody Moore committed a fielding error.

The Chiefs went 1-5 this week versus Beloit but clinched a playoff spot. Peoria’s first playoff game in the best of three first round will be held at Dozer Park on Tuesday night against the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

Tuesday’s game: vs. Cedar Rapids, RHP Max Rajcic? vs. TBA 6:35 CT (Midwest League Playoffs Game 1)

Palm Beach vs. Clearwater (canceled)

The Palm Beach Cardinals (27-35) and Clearwater Threshers (PHI, 35-29) contest was canceled due to wet grounds. Both teams have made the Florida State League playoffs.

On Tuesday night, the Beach Birds play their first playoff game versus the Jupiter Hammerheads (MIA) with the best of three series to be held at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

Tuesday’s game: at Jupiter, LHP Pete Hansen? vs. TBA 5:30 CT (Florida State League Playoffs Game 1)

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – September 10, 2023

photo: Jacob Buchberger (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-2 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Jacob Buchberger, homered, tripled, scored twice and drove in one in Springfield’s seventh straight win. Other standouts include Juan Yepez, Victor Scott, Chris Rotondo and Chase Adkison.

Results from games played on Saturday, September 9th.

Memphis 7 at Nashville 8

The Memphis Redbirds (26-36) were walked off by the Nashville Sounds (MIL, 33-28) on Saturday at First Horizon Park.

Starter Connor Thomas yielded two runs in 3 2/3 frames on six hits, two walks and two strikeouts. In relief, Grant Black surrendered two runs in an inning. Logan Sawyer gave up three runs in one inning.

The Redbirds made the score 2-1 in the second as Moisés Gómez blasted a solo home run, his 29th of the season. Juan Yepez tied the game in the third with a forceout.

In the fourth, Memphis put up four runs. Juniel Querecuto came across on a fielder’s choice. Yepez drove in three runs with a double and Matt Koperniak plated one via single.

Juan Yepez

Dalton Roach tossed a scoreless 1/3 of an inning. In his continuing rehab assignment, Wilking Rodríguez pitched a scoreless frame. Chris Roycroft took his fifth Triple-A loss after he was charged with a run in 1 1/3 innings. The right-hander fanned three.

Gómez went 2-for-5 with a solo home run. Yepez drove in four runs and came across once. Koperniak walked twice, singled and plated one run. The lineup was 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

The Redbirds are one game from being eliminated in the International League West.

Sunday’s game: at Nashville, RHP Michael McGreevy (9-5, 4.30) vs. RHP Julio Teheran (1-0, 4.91) 2:05 CT

Springfield 8, Tulsa 3

The red-hot Springfield Cardinals (34-28) extended their winning streak to seven as they topped the Tulsa Drillers (LAD, 22-40) at Hammons Field.

Connor Lunn earned his seventh win of the year after he gave up two runs in 5 2/3 frames. The 25-year-old struck out seven.

Connor Lunn

The Cardinals tied the game at 1-1 in the third inning on Victor Scott’s RBI double.

In the fourth, the Cardinals put up five runs. Errol Robinson singled to plate two and Aaron Antonini blasted a two-run home run, his fourth at Double-A. Back-to-bac, Jacob Buchberger hit his 16th homer of the year, a solo shot. Arquímedes Gamboa singled in the seventh to score one and make the score 8-2.

Jacob Buchberger

In relief, Nick Trogrlic-Iverson was charged with a run in 2 1/3 innings with three strikeouts. Jack Ralston tossed a scoreless ninth inning.

The lineup recorded 14 hits in the contest. Scott was 3-for-5 with a double and one RBI. Chandler Redmond, Gamboa and Buchberger had two. Robinson and Antonini drove in two runs apiece. Buchberger had one home run and a triple. Every player in the lineup had a hit.

Victor Scott

Scott stole his 90th base of the season. Redmond, Mike Antico and Pedro Pagés took one each.

Springfield continued their winning streak and now are ahead of Wichita in the Texas League North by half a game with seven remaining.

Sunday’s game: vs. Tulsa, RHP Brandon Komar (4-6, 4.74) vs. RHP Kendall Williams (2-3, 4.45) 4:35 CT

Peoria 6, Beloit 8

The Peoria Chiefs (36-29) fell to the Beloit Sky Carp (MIA, 28-37) at Dozer Park on Saturday night.

In his High-A debut, Benjamin Arias threw five innings and gave up six runs on nine hits, two walks and four strikeouts. The 21-year-old fanned four and took the loss. Nathanael Heredia pitched two scoreless frames.

After the Sky Carp went up 6-0 in the fourth, the Chiefs scored four runs in the fifth inning. Tyler Reichenborn hit a solo home run, his sixth of the season. Chris Rotondo drove in two with a single and Thomas Francisco doubled to score one. In the sixth, Jimmy Crooks drove in a run with a single.

Chris Rotondo

Edwin Nunez gave up two runs in the eighth inning. Andrew Marrero fanned two in a scoreless ninth.

Beloit added two insurance runs in the eighth inning. In the bottom half, Alex Iadisernia blasted a solo homer, his eighth in High-A. With the tying run at the plate and no outs in the ninth, the Chiefs were not able to tie the game.

Ramon Mendoza, Osvaldo Tovalin, Rotondo and Iadisernia recorded two hits. Rotondo drove in two and came across once. The lineup went 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners.

On the bases, Rotondo took two bags and Iadisernia stole one. In the field, Reichenborn and Tovalin both committed an error. Crooks had a passed ball.

In the Midwest League West, the Chiefs already clinched a playoff spot, but since have lost three straight.

Sunday’s game: vs. Beloit, RHP Ian Bedell (4-2, 2.35) vs. RHP Alex Williams (2-8, 4.79) 1:05 CT

Palm Beach 9, Clearwater 8

The Palm Beach Cardinals (27-35) walked off the Clearwater Threshers (PHI, 35-29) on Saturday night at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

Starter Brycen Mautz yielded three runs, one earned, in four innings on four hits and three walks. TCN’s no. 12 prospect struck out four. Jose Davila pitched two innings and surrendered three runs.

Won-Bin Cho blasted a solo home run in the third inning, his seventh of the season. After the Threshers made the score 6-1 in the sixth, the Beach Birds responded with three runs in the home half. William Sullivan walked with the bases loaded. Chase Adkison drove in two with a single.

Chase Adkison

Out of the bullpen, Augusto Calderon was touched for a run in two frames with two punchouts. Henry Gomez earned his first Low-A win despite giving up an unearned run in the ninth inning.

In the seventh inning, Michael Curialle grounded out to plate one run. Cho brought in a run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh and Tre Richardson tied the contest with a single. Adkison tied the game again in the ninth via sacrifice fly. Lizandro Espinoza won the game for the Cardinals with an RBI single.

Joshua Baez went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and one walk. Zach Levenson and Espinoza recorded two hits. Adkison drove in three runs and Sullivan walked three times.

On the base paths, Richardson stole his seventh bag of the year. In the field, Palm Beach committed five errors. Curialle had two. Richardson, Gomez and Graysen Tarlow committed one. Jose Cordoba recorded an outfield assist from left field. Tarlow had a passed ball.

The Cardinals clinched a spot in the Florida State League playoffs in the first half of the season but have been eliminated in the second half race.

Sunday’s game: vs. Clearwater, TBA vs. TBA 10:00 CT

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