photo: Imeldo Diaz (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system went 5-3 on Tuesday. Shortstop Imeldo Diaz’ eighth-inning two-run homer flipped a potential loss into a Johnson City game and series win over the first-place club.

Results from games played Tuesday, August 22^nd.

New Orleans 8 at Memphis 3

Kevin Herget could not finish the fifth, resulting in the Redbirds’ 8-3 loss to the BabyCakes (52-75) (MIA).  Memphis (84-46) split the four-game home set.

Herget (L, 4-2) yielded six runs on seven hits, including a solo home run, and three walks through 4 1/3.  The righty plunked one batter.

Josh Zeid let both inherited runners score plus an unearned tally of his own on six hits in 2 2/3.  Zeid fanned five. Miguel Socolovich and Mark Montgomery each went an inning, Socolovich permitting a run on two hits and a base-on-balls.

Two of the Redbirds’ three tallies were generated by home runs sans base runners.  Breyvic Valera gave his team a brief 1-1 tie after one and Rangel Ravelo’s long ball capped Memphis’ scoring.

Ravelo was one of two Redbirds with two hits, going 2-for-3 with a walk and strikeout.  Alberto Rosario singled and doubled in four at bats, scoring the team’s other run.

Wednesday’s game:  Off

Springfield 7 at Northwest Arkansas 3

The S-Cards scored five times in the first two frames, coasting to a 7-3 victory over the Naturals in the series opener.  Springfield (38-19) kept one game up on second-place Tulsa (LAD) with the win, despite the Drillers having won seven straight.

Like their Memphis counterparts, Springfield collected nine hits but with very different results.  Darren Seferina, Adolis Garcia and Anthony Garcia had two hits apiece. Third baseman Seferina added a single to a two-run blast with a walk and two runs scored.

Adolis Garcia singled twice in five at bats, crossed home two times and drove in one.  Anthony Garcia went 2-for-3, knocking in two. Seferina and Adolis Garcia each swiped a base.  Seferina committed one of four Springfield miscues.

Ryan Helsley (W, 3-0) tossed a strong mound effort, fanning seven in 5 1/3.  The only damage against the Oklahoma native was a solo bomb, one of three hits and two walks yielded.

Corey Littrell left Helsley’s final two runners aboard but was touched for a run on three hits the next frame.  Landon Beck faced the minimum in the eighth but Tyler Bray was charged with an unearned score in his inning of work.

Wednesday’s game:  at Northwest Arkansas (22-35) (KC), 7:05 pm CT, Sandy Alcantara (7-5, 4.38)

Palm Beach 5 at Jupiter 2

A big fourth inning gave the Beach Birds a 5-2 victory over the Hammerheads in the first of three games between the two teams.  Third-place Palm Beach (29-26), winners of the South Division’s first half, has now won four in a row but trails the league-leading Fort Myers (MIN) by seven with 12 games remaining.

The PB-Cards batted around in the five-run fourth. Thomas Spitz opened the frame with a single and closed it with a swinging K.  In between, an RBI single by Chris Chinea drove in Spitz, back-to-back walks that brought Casey Grayson (plunked) across, a two-run single by Shane Billings scoring Chinea and Blake Drake (walk) and a missed catch error by Jupiter’s pitcher, allowing Andy Young (walk) to touch home.

Chinea swung the hottest bat, going 4-for-5, collecting four of his team’s 10 singles.  The only other Beach Bird with more than one hit was Billings, who singled twice in four at bats and plated two.

Mike O’Reilly tossed six strong frames, holding the opposition to two runs on nine hits to improve his record to three wins against no losses.  The 22-year-old struck out seven.

A quartet of relievers shared pitching duties the rest of the way.  Ross Vance retired two and gave up one hit before giving way to Ian McKinney, who recorded three straight outs.  Dailyn Martinez got his only batter, turning the ball over to Connor Jones, who picked up his first save in only his second relief effort this season.

Wednesday’s game:  at Jupiter (30-28) (MIA), 6:30 pm ET, Sam Tewes (1-1, 3.46)

Peoria 4 at Wisconsin 8

Six Wisconsin tallies in the first doomed the Chiefs to an 8-4 loss in the road series opener.  While second-place Peoria (30-28) drops to eight back of Quad Cities (HOU), they are a game up on both Cedar Rapids (MIN) and Kane County (ARI) in the Wild Card standings.

Austin Warner took the loss, his third in five decisions, permitting seven runs, six earned, on five hits and three free passes over four.  Ronnie Williams served up a home run during his three-inning stint but Austin Sexton tossed a clean eighth.

Peoria accumulated nine hits with three players having two each:  Brian O’Keefe, Ryan McCarvel and Nick Plummer.  O’Keefe singled twice in four at bats, scoring twice, while one of McCarvel’s two hits was a three-run home run, his second long ball in as many games.

Wednesday’s game:  at Wisconsin (26-32) (MIL), 7:05 pm CT, Anthony Shew (2-0, 3.69)

State College 5 vs. West Virginia 4

The Spikes rallied for a dramatic walk-off victory in the series opener against the Black Bears, the co-division leaders.  It is only the third win in their last eight games for second-place State College (31-29), which is three games out of first.

Down 4-2 with three outs to give, the home team put their first three players aboard, sandwiching a single between two walks.  A 4-6 force brought State College within one which may have helped bring about the fielding error allowing the next Spike to reach, knotting the game at four all.  Zach Kirtley singled home pinch-runner Edwin Figuera, in his only hit in five at bats, for the win.

Three Spikes each had two of the team’s 10 hits:  J.D. Crowe, Brandon Benson and Wood Myers.  All three singled twice in four at bats, Crowe scoring once and Benson twice.  Figuera pinch ran for Crowe in the ninth.

Only one of three runs charged to starter Jonathon Mulford over 5 2/3 innings was earned, due to a Yariel Gonzalez fielding error at third. After Levi MaVorhis yielded a run in 2 1/3, Spencer Trayner picked up the win thanks a scoreless ninth and his teammates’ walkoff.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. West Virginia (34-26) (PIT), 7:05 pm ET, Daniel Castano (7-2, 2.28)

Johnson City 4 at Elizabethton 3

Two eighth-inning tallies lifted the Appy Birds past the Twins in the decisive third game of the series.  Nine games remain in the regular season with second-place Johnson City (32-26) 2 ½ games behind Elizabethton (35-24) but two games ahead of Greeneville in the Wild Card standings.

Both eighth-inning scores came off Imeldo Diaz’ bat, as the shortstop launched his fourth long ball of 2017 with Luis Bandes (error) aboard.  Diaz went 2-for-4, as did Irving Lopez, who added a base-on-balls, run scored and stolen base.

Reliever Thomas St. Clair picked up the win, his second in three decisions, striking out three in 1 2/3.  Brett Seeburger fanned three in 1 1/3, stranding one inherited runner, for his second save.

Evan Guillory went the first five, permitting just a single tally on five hits and a walk.  Jake Dahlberg (BS, 1) gave two runs on four hits in the sixth.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Greeneville (30-28) (HOU), 7:00 pm ET, Alvaro Seijas (4-1, 4.80)

GCL Mets 7 at GCL Cardinals 5

The Gulf Birds lost their fourth straight game, this time 7-5 to the bottom-dwelling Mets (16-31).  The Cardinals (23-22) are tied for third with the Astros, four behind the Nationals with 11 games to go in the regular season.

Derian Gonzalez, making his second rehab start, gave up an unearned tally via a lead-off double, fielding error and sac fly.  The righty, out since July 7^th, allowed two hits in two frames with four strikeouts.

Regular starter Junior Gonzalez took over in the third, permitting three runs, two earned, on seven hits and two walks over five.  In his first Gulf Coast League appearance, Oneiver Diaz (L, 0-1) could not hold the 4-4 tie he inherited, yielding three tallies on two hits and two bases-on-balls.

The home team mustered nine hits, including three by Andres Luna.  The designated hitter went 3-for-4 with a double, run scored, RBI and a stolen base.  Second baseman Moises Castillo had two hits in four at bats, including a solo long ball that was one of his two driven in.

Defensively, the Gulf Birds committed three miscues that, as previously mentioned, led to two unearned scores:  left fielder Terry Fuller (fielding), third baseman Elehuris Montero (throwing) and center fielder Luis Flores (throwing).

Wednesday’s game:  at first-place GCL Nationals (28-19), 12:00 pm ET, Angel Rondon (2-2, 2.87)

DSL Cardinals 6 at DSL Twins 2

Four late scores lifted the Dominican Birds over the first-place Twins, 6-2.  The seventh-place Cardinals (28-37) may have only four days left in their season but they will be busy with six games, including two double headers, on tap.

The Twins (46-20) struck first with two runs against Francis Ventura in the contest’s initial frame on three free passes and a two-run single.  Ventura tossed four more scoreless innings, yielding only two more hits during that span.

Roy Garcia (W, 2-4) struck out three over the next two frames and picked up the win when his squad put up a three-spot in the eighth.  17-year-old lefty Nelson Prado issued a base-on-balls to his first batter but retired the next six in a row for his first professional save.

Down 2-0 through four, the visitors tied it up the next inning before pushing across four runs, two earned, over the last two frames.  Four Cards each had two of the team’s 12 hits:  Freddy De Jesus, Victor Garcia, Diomedes Del Rio and Joyser Garcia.  All but Garcia touched home once and Del Rio knocked in one.

Wednesday’s games:  at/vs. third-place DSL Angels (32-33).  Game one – 10:30 am ET, TBA

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photo: Adolis Garcia (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

The St. Louis Cardinals system went 3-2 on Sunday. Our Player of the Day is Springfield outfielder Adolis Garcia, who went 4-for-4, including three doubles, three runs scored and two RBI.

Results from games played Sunday, August 20^th.

New Orleans 6 at Memphis 5

The Redbirds (83-44) dropped a 6-5 decision to the BabyCakes, evening the series at one game apiece with two on tap.

Dakota Hudson had blanked New Orleans on four hits over 3 1/3 when the game went into an almost two hour rain delay.  Arturo Reyes (L, 5-4) took the mound when play resumed, giving up four runs, three on a long ball. That turned a 3-0 lead into a deficit from which Memphis would not recover.  Mike Mayers and Ryan Sherriff each went two frames, with Mayers allowing a two-run home run.

The home team managed seven hits, with Wilfredo Tovar the only Redbird with more than one.  Tovar singled and doubled in four at bats, driving in one.  Aledmys Diaz and Harrison Bader each went 1-for-3 with a run scored and stolen base, Bader knocking in one.

Monday’s game:  vs. New Orleans (50-74) (MIA), 11:52 am CT, Jack Flaherty (5-2, 2.82)

Springfield 8 vs. Corpus Christi 2

A five-run third easily lifted the S-Cards over the Hooks, 8-2, in the decisive third game of the series.  Springfield (37-19) holds a 1 ½ game advantage over second-place Tulsa in the North Division, pending the outcome of the Drillers’ Sunday evening contest.

Springfield came to the plate in the home half of the third trailing 2-1, but four singles and two doubles later, they finished the frame up 6-2.  Single runs in the seventh and eighth capped their scoring.

Player of the Day Adolis Garcia accounted for five tallies with a 4-for-4 performance that included three doubles, three runs scored and two RBI.  Jacob Wilson acquired three more of the team’s 14 hits, including a solo shot that was one of his two runs scored and two knocked in.

The only inning Corpus Christi was able to damage starter Austin Gomber (W, 9-7) was the second when the southpaw gave up a single followed by a home run.  Gomber permitted five hits and two bases-on-balls through 6 2/3, striking out seven.

Jacob Evans recorded four outs, two via the K, working around a hit and walk.  Rowan Wick tossed a clean ninth, his eighth straight outing without giving up a run.  That span encompasses 11 innings.

Monday’s game:  Off

Palm Beach vs. Bradenton – cancelled

The finale between Palm Beach (28-26) and Bradenton (28-27) was cancelled due to inclement weather.  The Beach Birds won both games of the abbreviated series.

Monday’s game:  Off

Peoria 2 vs. Clinton 0

The Chiefs made two runs hold up, blanking the LumberKings, 2-0.  Peoria (30-26) leads the series, two games to one, with one to go.

Peoria matched Clinton’s seven hits but capitalized on the only free pass issued by LumberKings’ hurlers to take a 1-0 lead after one.  Dylan Carlson worked a two-out walk, racing home on Danny Hudzina’s double to center.

The second score occurred in the fifth the Chiefs jamming the sacks full on singles by Kramer Robertson, Mick Fennell and Nick Plummer.  Carlson came to the plate with two gone and lined a single into right, bringing Robertson across.

Evan Kruczynski (W, 3-3) survived three Peoria miscues and his own two wild pitches, holding the opposition scoreless on six hits and a walk over six.  Ronnie Williams survived issuing three free passes in the seventh and Yeison Medina struck out four over the last two innings for his seventh save.

Monday’s game:  vs. Clinton (24-32) (SEA), 12:00 pm CT, Frederis Parra (3-5, 4.06)

State College 3 at Auburn 5

Three late tallies transformed a slim Spikes lead into a 5-3 loss at Auburn.  State College (30-28) has dropped the first two of their three-game series versus the Doubledays.

Jason Zgardowski (BS, 1) (L, 0-2) could not navigate the eighth cleanly, as the 23-year-old surrendered three runs on three hits and two walks.  Alex Fagalde recorded the eighth’s last out when the single to right he allowed resulted in an out at home.

Andrew Summerville tossed a strong effort for State College, with both tallies permitted by the lefty in 6 1/3 being generated by one long ball.  Summerville fanned five with four hits and a base-on-balls yielded.

The offense was fueled by center fielder Scott Hurst, who was a perfect 4-for-4 with a walk, his second straight four-hit outing. But a sign of the offense’s misfiring can be found in the fact that the number two hitter neither scored nor drove in a run.

State College generated 11 hits in all but only one of the three scores was earned, thanks to four Auburn errors.  Wood Myers had the most effective bat despite going 1-for-4.  The designated hitter doubled in one run and scored another.

Monday’s game:  at Auburn (23-33) (WSH), 7:05 pm ET, Johan Oviedo (1-1, 5.32)

Johnson City 8 at Elizabethton 2

Second-place Johnson City (31-25) rallied for an 8-2 victory over first-place Elizabethton, the first of three games between the two squads.

Irving Lopez’ grand slam ignited the surge, changing a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 lead.  It was the second baseman’s only hit in five at bats.  Shortstop Imeldo Diaz took part in three runs, singling and doubling in four at bats, touching home twice and knocking in one.

Edwar Ramirez (W, 3-6) yielded five hits and two bases-on-balls over six, resulting in two runs.  He struck out four.  Fabian Blanco fanned three in 1 2/3 before Jacob Patterson matched that strikeout total in 1 1/3.

Monday’s game:  at Elizabethton (34-23) (MIN), 7:00 pm ET, Jacob Schlesener (2-1, 3.23)

GCL Cardinals at GCL Astros – suspended and postponed

Sunday’s schedule included a twin bill between the GCL Cardinals (23-21) and GCL Astros (23-21) but Game 1 was suspended with no score and two out in the visitor’s half of the second and Game 2 was postponed entirely.

Since both teams are tied with the GCL Marlins for second, 3 ½ games behind the GCL Nationals, both games have been rescheduled to take place at the Cardinals’ field. The first contest is now slated to be completed as part of an August 25^th double header while game two is now part of an August 30^th twin bill.

Monday’s game:  Off

DSL Cardinals – off

The Dominican Summer League is off Sundays.

Monday’s game:  DSL Cardinals (27-36) vs. DSL Twins (45-19), 10:30 am ET, TBA

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photo: Jose Martinez (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

In a 3-4 Thursday across the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system, Palm Beach shortstop Jose Martinez led a 19-run offensive explosion with two singles, a double, a home run and four RBI.

Results from games played Thursday, August 17^th.

Nashville 11 at Memphis 8      

Wilfredo Tovar’s late grand slam was not enough as the American Southern champion Redbirds (82-43) dropped an 11-8 home decision to Nashville.  Memphis trails in the series, one game to two, with one contest remaining.

The offense banged out 15 hits, led by three players with three apiece:  Tovar, Stephen Piscotty and Rangel Ravelo.  Tovar and Piscotty both went 3-for-5. Piscotty doubled and scored twice while Tovar swiped his 16^th bag of 2017 in addition to his home run.  Ravelo went 3-for 4 with a walk, triple, run scored and RBI.  Breyvic Valera and Patrick Wisdom each went 2-for-5. Valera joined Tyler O’Neill with a solo bomb while Wisdom doubled once with a run scored.

The only flaw in Kevin Herget’s start was it didn’t last long enough – though it was a strong effort.  The fill-in starter for Luke Weaver struck out five through four innings, yielding a run on two hits and a walk.

Arturo Reyes was pasted for five tallies on eight hits and two bases-on-balls, one intentional, in 1 2/3.  Miguel Socolovich limited the damage by leaving the sacks jammed in the sixth but gave up three scores the next inning.  Nor was Mark Montgomery immune from the scoring infection, as the righty allowed two runs on three hits and a walk over the final two frames.

Friday’s game:  vs. Nashville (59-65) (OAK), 7:05 pm CT, Matt Pearce (3-1, 4.80)

San Antonio 4 at Springfield 2

Single Hooks tallies in the eighth and ninth sent the S-Cards to a 4-2 defeat by first-place (South) San Antonio (30-22).  The loss prevented a three-game sweep by the home team and ended their five-game winning streak.  Springfield (35-18) holds a two-game lead over Tulsa (LAD) with both Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas virtually out of the running for the second-half title.

Reliever Pedro Echemendia (L, 1-2) worked two scoreless frames before surrendering a long ball to his first batter in the eighth.  Jacob Evans recorded the eighth’s final two outs but loaded the bases on two singles and a walk without retiring a batter the next inning.  A wild pitch by Tyler Bray allowed the insurance run to score.

Sandy Alcantara tossed a solid effort, yielding a two-run long ball that was one of only two hits permitted through five.  The righty fanned seven and issued one free pass.

The offense was held to just five hits, with two from Andrew Knizner.  Knizner singled and doubled in three at bats, touching home once.  That raised his batting average to .406 over his last 10 games.

Friday’s game:  vs. Corpus Christi (22-30) (HOU), 7:10 pm CT, Chris Ellis (5-6, 3.86)

Palm Beach 19 at Dunedin 4

The Beach Birds’ offense simply unloaded on the Blue Jays, translating 24 hits into a 19-4 win and salvaging a split of their four-game set with Dunedin (30-24).  Fifth-place Palm Beach (26-26) remains 8 ½ behind Fort Myers (MIN).

The 24 hits included three doubles and home runs by Jose Martinez, Chris Chinea and Jose Godoy.  Eight of the 10 PB-Cards who came to the plate on Thursday had multiple hits.  While all eight gave noteworthy efforts, the numbers Martinez produced stood out just a bit.  The shortstop went 4-for-6 with a double, sac fly and a two-run home run that comprised one of his three runs scored and two of his four RBI.  Martinez accounted for six runs.

Thomas Spitz also went 4-for-6 with a double, as the right fielder scored three and knocked in one.  Chinea, Godoy and Leobaldo Pina each had three hits and scored twice.

Sam Tewes (W, 1-1) was the fortuitous recipient of his team’s offensive largess.  The right-hander served up a two-run long ball before settling down to hold his opponents to just four more hits and a walk resulting in two more tallies over eight total innings.  Brady Bowen pitched the ninth.

Friday’s game:  vs. third-place Bradenton (28-25) (PIT), 6:30 pm ET, Jake Woodford (6-6, 3.30)

Peoria 5 at Quad Cities 4

A manufactured ninth-inning tally gave the Chiefs a 5-4 victory over the River Bandits, preventing a four-game sweep by first-place Quad Cities (34-19).  Peoria (28-25) is tied for second (and the wild card spot) with Kane County (ARI), six games out.

The tie-breaking score came without a hit.  Mick Fennell was plunked, moving to third via an errant pick-off throw.  The pitcher then hit Kramer Robertson, who promptly stole second.  The steal set up an intentional free pass to Ryan McCarvel, jamming the sacks full.  A patient Danny Hudzina worked a base-on-balls, bringing Fennell across.

Peoria struck first with single tallies in three straight frames.  Stefan Trosclair went 2-for-5 with a double and solo home run, touching home twice.  Dylan Carlson singled twice in two at bats with two walks and two runs scored.  He was driven in by Brian O’Keefe, who doubled twice in two at bats with two RBI.

Austin Warner made those three runs hold up during his six innings on the mound, blanking Quad Cities on two hits and two walks.  Warner struck out five with eight ground- and five fly-ball outs.

The Chiefs’ bullpen was not as effective.  Bryan Dobzanski let the River Bandits get on the board with a run in the seventh.  Yeison Medina (BS, 3) (W, 5-0) stranded two inherited runners but gave up the lead with a three-run eighth.  Austin Sexton retired the side in order for his first professional save.

Friday’s game:  vs. seventh-place Clinton (23-30) (SEA), 7:00 pm CT, Anthony Shew (1-0, 4.26)

State College 0 at West Virginia 3

The third-place Spikes failed to gain ground on the first-place Black Bears for the second game in a row, this time falling 3-0.  State College (29-26), four games out of the lead, will try to salvage the series’ finale on Friday.

Jonathon Mulford (L, 2-5) did not finish the fifth, giving up two runs on eight hits in 4 2/3.  Will Latcham was tagged with an unearned tally over 2 1/3 before Jason Zgardowski faced the minimum in the eighth.

About the most exciting thing in the Spikes’ box score is that shortstop Wood Myers was tossed by the home plate umpire in the eighth after lining out to short.  Myers was hitless in two at bats with a walk.  State College managed six hits, two by Caleb Lopes, who singled twice in four at bats.

Friday’s game:  at first-place West Virginia (33-22) (PIT), 7:05 pm ET, Daniel Castano (7-2, 2.25)

Johnson City 3 at Bluefield 2

Luis Bandes’ ninth-inning double gave the Appy Birds a series opening 3-2 victory over the Blue Jays.  Second-place Johnson City (29-24) is tied with Greeneville (HOU), both team 2 ½ behind Elizabethton (MIN).

Bandes’ double, his second hit in four at bats, drove in Brady Whalen, who opened with a single.  Julio Rodriguez singled right after Whalen but was nailed at the plate.  Earlier Rodriguez worked a free pass, scoring his team’s first run on a double play. The Appy Birds had eight hits in all.  Defensively, the visitors committed three miscues, two leading to an unearned tally in the fifth.

Both of the runs against Alvaro Seijas through six crossed the plate in the fifth.  The righty allowed four of his five hits that frame.  He hit two batters.

The bullpen kept Bluefield off the board the rest of the way.  Jake Walsh (W, 5-0) fanned four over two.  Thomas St. Clair walked the bases full but Jacob Patterson induced his only batter to hit into a game-ending double play for his ninth save.

Friday’s game:  at Bluefield (36-18) (TOR), 7:05 pm ET, Zach Prendergast (2-0, 3.21)

GCL Cardinals 5 at GCL Mets 10

Thursday was a L-O-N-G day for Gulf Birds’ hurlers as the visitors fell 10-5 to the fifth-place GCL Mets (15-28).  The loss kept the second-place GCL Cardinals (23-19) from gaining ground on the Nationals, which also lost.

All four Gulf Cards’ hurlers were scored upon, beginning with Jorge Rondon. The starter fell an out shy of finishing the third, yielding a run on two hits.  Chris Hunt (L, 2-1) was touched for three tallies on seven hits over 3 1/3.

But Hunt’s results pale in comparison to Enrique Perez, who surrendered five runs, four earned, on two hits and three walks in the seventh. Gabriel Gentner allowed a home run with the bases empty in the eighth.

Taylor Bryant and Moises Castillo both went 2-for-4, with Bryant driving in two and stealing a base.  Rehabbers Edmundo Sosa and Jordan Schafer each singled once in three at bats with a walk and two runs scored.

Friday’s game:  vs. first-place GCL Nationals (25-18), 12:00 pm ET, Brian Pirela (3-3, 5.08)

DSL Cardinals vs. DSL Mets1 – ‘postponed’

Thursday’s contest between the DSL Cardinals (27-35) and DSL Mets1 (38-23) was rained out.  While the game is officially listed as ‘postponed’, the two teams are not scheduled to meet again during the nine remaining regularly scheduled contests.

Friday’s game:  Off

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(photo: Alex Mejia/Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

A division-winning celebration for Memphis, with Alex Mejia leading the way at the plate, highlighted the St. Louis Cardinals system’s 4-2 Sunday.

Results from games played Sunday, August 13^th.

Memphis 12 at Nashville 7      

The Redbirds scored in seven of nine innings, flying past the Sounds, 12-7, to clinch the American Southern Division of the Pacific Coast League.  Memphis (80-41) leads the four-game set, two games to one, with one on tap.

Alex Mejia paced the 17-hit attack, going 4-for-6 with two runs scored and three RBI out of the two hole.  Patrick Wisdom and Rangel Ravelo were right behind him with three hits apiece: Wisdom doubling three times in four at bats with a walk, touched home three times and knocked in two while Ravelo went 3-for-5 with a double and solo long ball that was one of his two runs scored and two knocked in.

Redbirds pitching was not particularly impressive, as three of the four hurlers gave up at least one run.  Matt Pearce (W, 3-1) yielded five tallies, four earned, on seven hits, including a solo shot through five.  He struck out six.

Arturo Reyes was charged with a run on four hits in the sixth before giving way to Mike Mayers.  Mayers allowed two hits and a base-on-balls in 1 2/3 but was not scored upon thanks to Josh Lucas.  Lucas (S, 13) stranded two inherited runners but permitted a run on three hits over 1 1/3.

Monday’s game:  at Nashville (57-63) (OAK), 7:05 pm CT, John Gant (4-5, 4.24)

Springfield 7 at Corpus Christi 5

The S-Cards rallied for a 7-5 victory over Corpus Christi (22-27) (HOU), completing a three-game sweep of the Hooks.  The sweep has positioned first-place Springfield (33-17) three games up on Tulsa (LAD), which have dropped their its two contests.

With the Cards down 3-0 through four, Jesse Jenner tied the score with one swing, launching his fourth home run of 2017.  It came with Jacob Wilson (single) and Tommy Edman (error) aboard and was Jenner’s only hit in four at bats.

Corpus Christi went with a new pitcher in the sixth with even worse results (for them).  Singles by Anthony Garcia and Oscar Mercado were sandwiched around a hit batsman, two walks and a missed catch error, generating four scores, two earned.

Garcia and Mercado were the only S-Cards with a multi-hit performance, Garcia going 3-for-5 with a run scored and Mercado singling twice in four at bats with two RBI.  He was plunked once.

Chris Ellis (W, 5-6) allowed all five of his opponents’ runs during his seven frames on the bump.  One of his four hits permitted was a two-run bomb to go with three free passes issued and nine strikeouts.  Ellis hit one batter.  Landon Beck retired the side in order twice, fanning four, for his fifth save.

Monday’s game:  Off

Palm Beach at Daytona – cancelled

The series’ finale between Palm Beach (24-24) and Daytona (11-38) was cancelled due to wet grounds.  The fifth-place Beach Birds, which took the abbreviated series, two games to one, trail Fort Myers (MIN) by seven in the South Division.

Monday’s game:  at Dunedin (28-22) (TOR), 6:30 pm ET, Ramon Santos (3-2, 4.08)

Peoria 2 vs. Burlington 1 (11 innings)

Evan Mendoza’s first full-season double gave the Chiefs a 2-1 walk-off win over Burlington (19-30) (LAA), salvaging the fourth and final game of the series.  Peoria (27-22), tied for second with Kane County (ARI), now heads into a huge four-game set with first-place Quad Cities, a team they trail by four.

Kramer Robertson opened the 11^th by working a base-on-balls.  The shortstop was fleet of foot enough to score from first after Mendoza’s double into center.

The Chiefs’ first tally was also the product of a walk, this time by Nick Plummer.  Plummer worked a free pass with one gone in the third, promptly stole second which put him in position to score on Mick Fennell’s single to right.  Fennell went 2-for-5.

Peoria’s quarter of hurlers matched the Bees’ six hits allowed.  Anthony Shew gave up four of them over 5 1/3, resulting in one run.  Colton Thomson left Shew’s last two runners on, recording five outs.  Leland Tilley and Yeison Medina each went two frames, Medina working around two hits for his fourth win against no losses.

Monday’s game:  at Quad Cities (31-18) (HOU), 6:35 pm CT, Ian Oxnevad (3-9, 4.21)

Vermont 9 at State College 4

A five-run third doomed the Spikes to a 9-4 loss to the Lake Monsters (28-25) (OAK), preventing a three-game sweep of the Stedler Division leaders.  State College (29-24) is in third place in the Pinckney Division, two behind West Virginia (PIT).

Paul Balestrieri (L, 3-2) could not finish the third, surrendering six runs, four earned, on four hits and three walks in 2 1/3.  His final run scored with Alex Fagalde on the mound, who stranded one of two inherited runners.  Fagalde permitted two hits and two walks over 2 1/3, striking out three.

Jason Zgardowski left Fagalde’s last two runners aboard but gave up a run on three hits in 1 1/3.  Noel Gonzalez and Levi MaVorhis were both touched for a tally during their inning of work but Steven Farinaro tossed a clean ninth.

State College generated nine hits with seven of nine starters acquiring at least one.  Scott Hurst and Wood Myers had two hits apiece, Hurst doubling once in four at bats with a walk and RBI while Myers singled twice in five at bats, knocking in one.

Monday’s game:  Off for the New York-Penn League All-Star break, with the game taking place on Tuesday, July 15^th at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in Troy, NY, home of the Tri-City ValleyCats.

Elizabethton 12 at Johnson City 1

Second-place Johnson City’s six game winning streak (27-23) was stomped by first-place Elizabethton, 12-1, evening the series at one game each with two on tap.

Franyel Casadilla (L, 1-4) was charged with six runs on five hits and four walks in five plus.  Brett Seeburger allowed all three inherited runners score, giving up two hits in two innings.  Will Changarotty (two innings) and Jake Walsh (one inning) permitted three runs each but only one of the six scores was earned due to two miscues.

Johnson City mustered eight hits but their only run scored after Irving Lopez opened the first with a walk, advanced to third on Wadye Ynfante’s double and crossed on Julio Rodriguez’ 5-3 groundout.  Ynfante went 3-for-4 with the aforementioned double.

Monday’s game:  vs. Elizabethton (30-21) (MIN), 7:00 pm ET, Evan Guillory (2-1, 2.87)

GCL Cardinals 10 at GCL Nationals 4

A balanced offensive effort resulted in the Gulf Cards’ 10-4 win over the Nationals (23-17), co-leaders of the East Division.  The second-place Cardinals (20-18) trail both the Nationals and Astros by two games.

All nine starters accumulated at least one of the team’s 12 hits, eight of nine either scoring or driving in a tally.  Jonatan Machado, Elehuris Montero and Carlos Soto each had two hits, Machado scoring one with two RBI while Montero crossed home once, driving in one and Soto touched home twice, knocking in one.  Doubles by Taylor Bryant and Dariel Gomez were the only hits to go for extra bases.

Brian Pirela (W, 3-3) tossed a quality effort, yielding three runs on nine hits and two walks through six.  Gabriel Gentner was charged with an unearned tally during his two-inning stint while Keven Hamann faced the minimum in the ninth.

Monday’s game:  vs. third-place GCL Marlins (19-21), 12:00 pm ET, Noel De Jesus (1-1, 3.09)

DSL Cardinals – off

The Dominican Summer League does not play on Sundays.

Monday’s games:  DSL Cardinals (25-34) at/vs. DSL Yankees (24-34).  Game one – 10:30 am ET, TBA

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation: Springfield Speedster Mercado Developing “Sneaky Power”

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The 4-3 Thursday across the St. Louis Cardinals system included extra-inning wins for Memphis and Palm Beach. Player of the Day Dakota Hudson delivered a quality start for the Redbirds.

Results from games played Thursday, August 10^th.

Memphis 3 vs. Omaha 2 (13)      

Breyvic Valera’s RBI single in the 13^th gave the Redbirds a 3-2 walk-off victory over the Storm Chasers (54-63) (KC).  First-place Memphis (78-40) took four of the five games in the series, reducing their magic number to clinch the American Southern to four.

Valera’s second hit in six at bats followed back-to-back singles by Wilfredo Tovar and Alberto Rosario, and drove in Tovar for the game winner, with former Cardinal Seth Maness taking the loss.  Rosario’s three-hit performance spearheaded the squad’s 11-hit attack with Valera the only other Redbird with more than one hit.  In his 2017 Redbirds debut, Stephen Piscotty opened the second with a home run to left center, knotting the game at one all.  A double by Tyler O’Neill was the only other hit to go for extra bases.

Dakota Hudson permitted a second-inning score plus one more in his seventh and final inning of work.  The right-hander gave up six hits and a walk over 6 2/3, his final run scoring under Arturo Reyes’ watch.  One of the two hits allowed by Reyes (BS, 2) in two frames was an RBI double to his first batter faced.

Ryan Sherriff left Reyes’ other base runner on, recording the ninth’s final out on a swinging K.  Miguel Socolovich held down the fort on three hits over three innings before Josh Zeid (W, 8-2) worked around a one-out single in the 13^th.

Friday’s game:  at second-place Nashville (56-21) (OAK), 7:05 pm ET, Jack Flaherty (4-1, 2.83)

Springfield 5 at San Antonio 8

A five-run eighth doomed the S-Cards to an 8-5 defeat at the hands of San Antonio (27-19) (SD).  The loss snapped a six-game winning streak and prevented a three-game sweep of the first-place (South) Missions.  Springfield (30-17) remains atop the North Division, a game in front of Tulsa (LAD).

The slide towards defeat began in the seventh after Andrew Morales (L, 1-1) inherited a two-on-and-two-gone situation from Jacob Evans.  Morales allowed an RBI single before recording the final out, narrowing Springfield’s lead to 4-3.

The visitors answered with a tally of their own in the eighth but the combination of Morales and Landon Beck could not hold the 5-3 advantage.  Morales surrendered three more hits while recording one out, departing with a run across and runners at the corners.  Beck (BS, 1) proceeded with the following sequence:  RBI single-wild pitch-intentional walk and bases-clearing double.

Zac Gallen went the first five, giving up two runs on six hits and two bases-on-balls.  Evans tossed a clean sixth before running into trouble the next inning.

Adolis Garcia answered his re-assignment from Memphis by going 2-for-3 with a walk, solo bomb, two runs scored and three RBI in his return to the Springfield line-up.  Five S-Cards had one hit each.

Friday’s game:  at Corpus Christi (22-24) (HOU), 7:05 pm CT, Ryan Helsley (1-0, 2.53)

Palm Beach 2 at Daytona 1 (10)

The PB-Cards opened their four-game road series at Daytona with a 2-1 victory in 10 innings.  Palm Beach (23-23) remains in fifth, five in back of Fort Myers (MIN).

The winning run scored sans benefit of a hit.  Jose Martinez worked a base-on-balls to begin the 10^th, advancing to second via Jose Godoy’s sac bunt.  After an intentional free pass to Casey Grayson, Martinez scored on a wild pitch and throwing error by the Tortugas’ catcher.

The Beach Birds’ other tally, also unearned, occurred in the fourth.  Grayson kicked off the inning with a single, was wild pitched to second and later scored on a throwing error by Daytona’s third baseman.  Grayson’s single was one of only four hits for the visitors.

In a game of ‘go figure,’ Palm Beach’s pitching staff gave up 11 hits in all but held the opposition to just one run.  Mike O’Reilly used six strikeouts to mitigate the eight hits he allowed in 5 2/3.  Dailyn Martinez retired all four batters faced, leaving O’Reilly’s last runner aboard.

The run against Brady Bowen (BS, 1) (W, 1-1) in the first of his two-inning stint sent the game into extras.  Eric Carter used three strikeouts to get out of a bases-loaded with only one gone mess, earning his third save.

Friday’s game:  at Daytona (10-37) (CIN), 7:05 pm ET, Sam Tewes (0-1, 2.08)

Burlington 4 at Peoria 1

The Chiefs lost to the Bees, 4-1, in the series opener.  Second-place Peoria (26-20) falls to five games behind Quad Cities (HOU), winners of nine straight.

The home team never led, leaving starter Evan Kruczynski with his third loss in five decisions.  Kruczynski struck out five through three but gave up a run on four hits and a base-on-balls.  He also hit a batter.

Bryan Dobzanski tossed three scoreless frames, fanning four but Colton Thomson surrendered two long balls accounting for three scores during his two innings on the mound.  Yeison Medina struck out two in the ninth.

Peoria generated seven hits, as Ryan McCarvel and J.R. Davis accumulated two each.  Both singled and doubled in three at bats, Davis driving in McCarvel for the team’s sole tally.

Friday’s game:  vs. eighth-place Burlington (17-29) (LAA), 7:00 pm CT, Frederis Parra (3-3, 2.74)

Hudson Valley 4 at State College 3

The Spikes tied it late only to drop a 4-3 decision to Hudson Valley (25-25) (TB) in the decisive third game of the series.  Third-place State College (27-23) trails West Virginia (PIT) by three games.

Reliever Jason Zgardowski was saddled with his first loss in as many decisions, charged with an unearned tally.  He gave up one hit.

Johan Oviedo’s 4 2/3-inning start was a mixed bag with only one of his three tallies yielded earned.  But the righty allowed nine hits, walked one and plunked another.  Levi MaVorhis struck out three in 3 1/3, giving up four hits and stranding two inherited runners.  Shortstop Edwin Figuera committed two throwing errors.

State College managed just four hits and two free passes.  Yariel Gonzalez went 2-for-4 with a double and run scored.  Figuera singled once in three at bats, touching home one time.  Joshua Lopez’ only hit in four at bats was a two-run double, giving his team a 2-0 lead after three.

Friday’s game:  vs. first-place (Stedler) Vermont (27-23) (OAK), 7:05 pm ET, Jonathon Mulford (2-4, 5.05)

Johnson City 4 at Bristol 2

The JC-Cards extended their winning streak to five with a 4-2 victory over the Pirates.  Johnson City (26-22) clinched the three-game series with one game yet to come and is now tied for second with Greeneville (HOU), three games behind Elizabethton (MIN).

Three Appy Birds had two hits apiece:  Irving Lopez, Imeldo Diaz and Wadye Ynfante.  Lopez and Diaz singled and doubled in four and three at bats, respectively with a run scored.  Lopez drove in one and Ynfante swiped his team-leading 11^th bag.

The difference in the game turned on three miscues by Bristol, resulting in two unearned tallies, enough cushion for Alvaro Seijas and a trio of JC-Cards’ relievers.  Seijas turned in a rather disappointing four-inning effort, giving up two runs on seven hits and three walks.  It took the right-hander 89 pitches to get through four frames.

Juan Alvarez (W, 2-2) and Jake Dahlberg each went two frames, with Dahlberg fanning four.  Jacob Patterson worked around a one-out single for his eighth save.

Friday’s game:  at fifth-place Bristol (10-38) (PIT), 7:00 pm ET, Jacob Schlesener (1-1, 2.67)

GCL Cardinals at GCL Astros – postponed

A double dip between the third-place Cardinals (18-18) and second-place Astros (20-16) was postponed due to rain.  The contests have been rescheduled as part of twin bills on August 15^th and 20^th.  The Gulf Cards trail division-leading Nationals by five games.

Friday’s game:  Off

DSL Cardinals 5 at DSL Nationals 2

A balanced offensive effort led the sixth-place Dominican Birds past the eighth-place Nationals, 5-2.  However, the Cardinals (24-33) have officially been eliminated from post-season play.

Seven of nine Cards starters garnered at least one of the team’s 12 hits, with six of the seven either scoring or driving in a run.  Center fielder Carlos Soler led the way, going 3-for-5 with a double, run scored and two stolen bases.  Freddy De Jesus, Luis Montero and Erik Pena each had two hits, with De Jesus slamming a home run with Ivan Herrera (walk) aboard.

Diego Cordero was strong through five, holding the Nationals (23-35) to a run on four hits.  The southpaw fanned five and did not issue a free pass.  Wilfredo Pereira yielded an unearned tally through three, giving up two hits.  Jesus Cruz picked up his first save.

Friday’s game: at third-place DSL Rockies (28-28), 10:30 am ET, Hector Soto (3-2, 2.08)

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The 7-1 Tuesday across the St. Louis Cardinals system included two wins for the Memphis steamroller. Ramon Santos and Evan Guillory each tossed seven innings of two-hit scoreless baseball, leading Palm Beach and Johnson City to victories.

Results from games played Tuesday, August 8^th.

Memphis 3 vs. Omaha 1 (7) – Game 1      

Memphis 4 vs. Omaha 2 (7) – Game 2   

The Redbirds took two from the Storm Chasers on Tuesday, 3-1 and 4-2, for a two-games-to-one series lead with two to go.  Memphis (76-40) lowered the magic number to clinch the American Southern Division to seven.

In both seven-inning contests, Omaha struck first, but the home team answered each time.  The Redbirds led off the opener’s fifth with three straight singles, tying the game at one all and driving the Storm Chasers’ starter from the game.  Former St. Louis Cardinal Seth Maness was greeted by another RBI single and a line out knocking in the final score.

Wilfredo Tovar singled and doubled in three at bats, touching home for his squad’s second tally.  He was driven in by Tyler O’Neill, who went 1-for-1 with two walks and an RBI.  Rangel Ravelo singled in Alberto Rosario while Diaz’ line out brought Ravelo across.  Memphis collected seven hits in all.

Kevin Herget (W, 4-1) gave a solid six-inning effort, fanning five with a run yielded on four hits and two walks.  Josh Lucas faced the minimum in the seventh for his 12^th save.

It was déjà vu all over again in the nightcap.  The visitors scored twice against Matt Pearce in the third, one unearned, but Memphis halved that deficit in the fifth before a three-run sixth put them over the top.

The Redbirds capitalized on six walks for the runs, all four tallies produced by a double driving in baserunners who worked free passes.  Nick Martini doubled in Breyvic Valera to get the scoring started and Gabriel Lino’s bases-loaded double brought home O’Neill, Diaz and Valera the next frame.  Martini added a single to his double in four at bats, the only Redbird with more than one of the team’s five hits.

On the mound, Pearce (W, 2-1) scattered seven hits and a base-on-balls over six two-run innings, striking out four.  Ryan Sherriff earned his sixth save with a one-two-three seventh.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Omaha (54-61) (KC), 6:35 pm CT, John Gant (4-5, 4.33)

Springfield 3 at San Antonio 2

Bruce Caldwell’s pinch-hit two-run bomb flipped a loss to a win as the S-Cards slipped past the Missions, 3-2, in the first of three games.  Springfield (29-16) has won five straight and remains tied with Tulsa (LAD) atop the North Division.

The eighth-inning blast made a winner out of starter Chris Ellis (W, 4-6) who limited the South Division leaders to two runs over seven innings on five hits, including a solo shot.  Landon Beck matched Ellis’ four K’s but did it in two innings for his fourth save.

Oscar Mercado led Springfield’s eight-hit offense, singling and doubling in four at bats with an RBI. Jacob Wilson and Tommy Edman went 1-for-3 with a run scored, Edman doubling once and Wilson’s single coming before Caldwell’s long ball.

Wednesday’s game:  at first-place (South Division) San Antonio (26-18) (SD), 7:05 pm CT, Austin Gomber (6-7, 4.00)

Palm Beach 6 vs. Fort Myers 0

The pitching was strong and the bats were hot in the Beach Birds’ 6-0 shutout of Fort Myers.  Palm Beach (22-22) clinched the series win with one game on tap.

A trio of PB-Card pitchers limited the league leaders to just four hits and did not issue a free pass. Ramon Santos (W, 3-2) tossed a gem, facing just one over the minimum in seven innings.  The righty struck out seven, yielding two hits but one of those base runners was erased after Santos picked him off first.  Dailyn Martinez and Ian McKinney each permitted a hit in their one inning of relief, with Martinez fanning two.

The home team generated 11 hits, with all nine starters garnering at least one.  Casey Turgeon and Luke Dykstra had two hits apiece, in four and three at bats, respectively.  Chris Chinea’s only hit in three at bats was a two-run home run, his fifth long ball of 2017.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. first-place Fort Myers (27-18) (MIN), 6:30 pm ET, Connor Jones (7-5, 4.06)

Peoria 12 at Clinton 4

Peoria (26-19) erupted for 20 hits in their 12-4 pasting of Clinton (18-27) (SEA).  The victory gave the second-place Chiefs a split of the four-game set and kept them four behind Quad Cities, who won their eighth straight.

All nine starters got into the act, with six producing a multi-hit effort.  Brian O’Keefe went yard twice with the bases clean, going 2-for-4 with three runs scored and three driven in.

Juan Yepez and Vince Jackson had four hits apiece, Yepez doubling  in six at bats with five RBI while Jackson tripled once in five at bats, crossed home twice and knocked in one.

Anthony Shew was the fortunate recipient of his squad’s offensive largess, and the righty picked up his first full-season win as a result.  Shew was touched for three runs on five hits and a walk through six.  Two of the three tallies were generated by a home run.  He fanned five.

Austin Sexton and Ronnie Williams each tossed a scoreless frame. Leland Tilley permitted an unearned score on two hits and shortstop Kramer Robertson’s throwing error.

Wednesday’s game:  Off

State College 10 vs. Hudson Valley 5

A seven-run first launched the Spikes (27-21) to a 10-5 victory over the Renegades in the series opener. Perhaps State College was celebrating their franchise-best six New York-Penn League All-Stars announced Tuesday afternoon – full details here.

State College produced 14 hits in total, paced by Bryce Denton and Tyler Lancaster with three each.  The two, who bat fifth and sixth in the lineup, went 3-for-5 with a run scored and RBI, Denton doubling once.  Zach Kirtley and Evan Mendoza had two hits, Kirtley singling and doubling in four at bats with a walk, two runs scored and one knocked in.  Mendoza touched home once with two RBI.

Paul Balestrieri (W, 3-1) tossed the first 5 2/3, giving up four runs on five hits and two walks.  His final two runners crossed with Alex Fagalde on the mound, as Fagalde allowed a run on four hits in 1 2/3.  Robbie Gordon stranded one inherited runner, and permitted a hit and free pass over 1 2/3.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Hudson Valley (23-25) (TB), 7:05 pm ET, Daniel Castano (7-2, 2.54)

Johnson City 8 vs. Kingsport 4

Johnson City (24-22) flew past the Mets, 8-4, for a three-game sweep of Kingsport (18-27).

The Appy Birds utilized 11 hits to score in four of eight innings.  The balanced attack included eight of nine starters with at least one hit, and three having two each:  Irving Lopez, Carlos Rodriguez and Carlos Talavera.  All three went 2-for-4, as Lopez and Rodriguez doubled with Lopez also working a free pass and scoring one time.  Rodriguez knocked in one.  Chase Pinder launched a solo bomb, one of his two driven in.

Evan Guillory (W, 2-1) was impressive over seven scoreless, striking out eight while yielding just two hits and a base-on-balls.  Jake Walsh faced the minimum in the eighth, fanning two but Fabian Blanco was touched for four unearned scores on three hits, a walk and two miscues – one by him.  Thomas St. Clair recorded the final out, stranding two inherited, for his fourth save.

Wednesday’s game:  at Bristol (10-36) (PIT), 7:00 pm ET, Edwar Ramirez (2-5, 6.64)

GCL Nationals 5 at GCL Cardinals 3

The Cardinals (17-18) rallied for a tie after eight only to yield two to the Nationals (23-12) in the ninth for the defeat.

Reliever Patrick Dayton was charged with his second loss against one win, yielding two tallies on two hits, a passed ball, missed catch error and walk.  One run scored via a fielder’s choice and another on a sac bunt in which the batter reached first.

Memphis’ Sean Gilmartin tossed a one-two-three first in his second rehab start.  Regular starter Winston Nicacio went the next six, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits, a base-on-balls and a hit batsman.

Six Gulf Birds had one hit each, with Elehuris Montero and Carlos Soto both 1-for-3 with a run scored.  Montero doubled once and Soto worked a free pass plus an RBI.  The team committed three errors.

Wednesday’s game:  at GCL Marlins (17-19), 12:00 pm ET, Junior Gonzalez (1-1, 5.35)

DSL Cardinals vs. DSL Angels – postponed

Tuesday’s twin bill between the DSL Cardinals (23-32) and DSL Angels (25-27) was rained out.  The games have been rescheduled as part of two doubleheaders: one on August 23^rd and the other on August 24^th.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. DSL Nationals (22-34), 10:30 am ET, Enmanuel Solano (3-1, 3.11)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation: Peoria Chiefs Notebook: 2017 Week 18

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Offense led the way to a 6-2 Thursday for the St. Louis Cardinals system. Our Player of the Day, first baseman Luis Bandes of Johnson City, went deep twice. In the GCL, third baseman Elehuris Montero launched a grand slam and plated five.

Results from games played Thursday, August 3^rd.

Memphis 10 at Tacoma 4      

The Redbirds’ 17-hit attack led to a 10-4 victory over Tacoma in the road series opener.  Memphis (72-38) leads Nashville (OAK) by a whopping 21 games in the American Southern Division and has a magic number to clinch of 12.

All nine starters had at least one hit with seven touching home and/or driving in tallies.  Aledmys Diaz, Breyvic Valera and Wilfredo Tovar each had three hits, as Diaz and Valera both went yard.  Diaz’ solo shot capped the scoring in the ninth and was one of his three RBI and two runs scored.  Valera launched a two-run bomb, doubled once and crossed home twice while Tovar doubled twice in five at bats with a run scored and two driven in.

Reliever Josh Zeid shut down the Rainiers on three hits and a walk over 2 2/3, receiving credit for his seventh win in nine decisions.  He fanned four.

Kevin Herget went the first 4 1/3, yielding three runs on three hits and two walks.  His final run scored under Zeid’s watch.  Arturo Reyes and Miguel Socolovich both tossed an inning, with Socolovich allowing a run on three hits.

Friday’s game:  at Tacoma (55-56) (SEA), 7:05 pm PDT, John Gant (3-5, 4.19)

Springfield 5 at Northwest Arkansas 3

The S-Cards opened a four-game series at Northwest Arkansas with a 5-3 win, snapping a three-game losing skid.  Springfield (25-16) trails Tulsa (LAD) by two, the Drillers having won eight straight.

The visitors’ balanced offensive effort featured eight of nine starters garnering at least one of the team’s 10 hits.  Eliezer Alvarez and Magneuris Sierra had two hits apiece in four at bats, Alvarez doubling twice with a run scored and two knocked in.  Oscar Mercado’s only hit in three at bats was his 11^th long ball of 2017, and the center fielder added a stolen base.

Facing the Naturals for the second consecutive start, Chris Ellis (W, 3-6) shone in his seven innings on the bump.  The righty shut down the opposition on five hits and a walk, fanning five with six ground- and three fly-ball outs.

Pedro Echemendia tossed a clean eighth before running into trouble. Overall, Echemendia allowed three runs on three hits and a free pass while recording four outs.  Andrew Morales gave up a hit and walk that let Echemendia’s last runner touch home before notching his first save.

Friday’s game:  at Northwest Arkansas (16-25) (KC), 7:10 pm CT, Austin Gomber (5-7, 4.27)

Clearwater 3 at Palm Beach 1

The Beach Birds could not hold a slim early lead, falling to the Threshers, 3-1, in the first of their four-game set.  Palm Beach (19-20) has gone 4-6 over the last 10 games, slipping into fifth place, five games behind Jupiter (MIA).

The home team managed just six hits, three in the second inning, which generated their only score.  Leobaldo Pina smashed a ground-rule double but could not advance to third on Shane Billings’ infield single to short.  Luke Dykstra’s two-out single drove in Pina.

Jordan Hicks made that 1-0 lead stand up during his five-inning stint, yielding four hits and a walk.  But Ross Vance (BS, 4) (L, 2-4) allowed three runs on six hits in 1 2/3 with four K’s.  Hector Mendoza stranded one inherited runner, striking out four over 2 1/3.

Friday’s game:  vs. Clearwater (22-17) (PHI), 6:30 pm ET, Connor Jones (7-4, 3.93)

Peoria 6 at Beloit 7 (10)

The Chiefs built a 6-0 lead only to suffer a 7-6 walk-off defeat to the Snappers in 10.  Third-place Peoria (22-18) has lost the first two of three at Beloit and sit three games in back of Quad Cities (HOU).

Peoria lit up the Snappers’ starter for six tallies over the first five innings but could do nothing against their bullpen.  Kramer Robertson swung a hot bat, going 4-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and stolen base.  Matt Fiedler singled and doubled in five at bats, crossing home once.  The seven other starters had one hit each.

Anthony Shew held down Beloit through five but could not finish the sixth.  The righty allowed four runs on six hits, including a two-run long ball, and two walks through 5 2/3.  Shew struck out seven.

Colton Thomson recorded the final out in the sixth but was touched for two runs the next frame.  Both scored under Yeison Medina’s (BS, 2) watch to send the game into extras.  Dewin Perez (L, 2-4) could not get through the 10^th, his only inning of work, giving up the difference maker on three walks and a sac fly.

Friday’s game:  at second-place Beloit (24-15) (OAK), 7:00 pm CT, Ian Oxnevad (3-9, 4.24)

State College 7 at West Virginia 2

The Spikes used a big inning to scamper to a 7-2 victory over the Black Bears for a two-games-to-one series lead with one to go.  State College (24-19) is tied for third with Williamsport (PHI) in the tight Pinckney Division, two games behind Mahoning Valley (CLE).

The visitors struck first with a tally in the first but West Virginia answered with single scores in the third and fifth off Paul Balestrieri (W, 2-1).  The Spikes made the right-hander a winner when they broke the game open with a six-run sixth, all of the scoring occurring with two gone.

State College banged out 10 hits with all nine starters getting into the action.  Center fielder Scott Hurst was the only Spike with more than one hit, singling and doubling in four at bats, touching home once.  The only other hit to go for extra bases was a double by right fielder Brandon Benson, who drove in two.

Balestrieri finished an out shy of six full frames, permitting eight hits, a walk and plunking one.  He fanned five.  Levi MaVorhis finished on just one hit and a base-on-balls for his second save.

Friday’s game:  at second-place West Virginia (25-18) (PIT), 7:05 pm ET, Daniel Castano (7-1, 2.24)

Johnson City 8 vs. Princeton 3

First baseman Luis Bandes blasted two home runs as the Appy Birds led from start to finish in their 8-3 victory over the Rays in the series’ opener.  Johnson City (20-21) is in third place, six behind Elizabethton (MIN).

Bandes’ bombs accounted for three scores and two of the team’s 13 hits.  Center fielder Chase Pinder led the way, going 3-for-5 with a double and run scored.

Wadye Ynfante joined Julio Rodriguez and Bandes with two hits each in four at bats.  Ynfante doubled once with three RBI, a stolen base and a miscue.  Eight of nine starters acquired at least one hit.

Edwar Ramirez (W, 2-5) held Princeton to a run on five hits and two free passes through five.  Jake Dahlberg was bitten by two errors in the sixth, giving up two unearned runs on two hits.  Jake Walsh struck out three over two scoreless and Thomas St. Clair walked one in the ninth.

Friday’s game:  vs. Princeton (15-26) (TB), 7:00 pm ET, Alvaro Seijas (3-1, 5.88)

GCL Cardinals 14 at GCL Nationals 12

The third-place Gulf Birds came out on top of a slugfest, downing the first-place Nationals, 14-12.  The Cardinals (15-16) trail the division leaders by 5 ½ games.

The contest featured four lead changes, 26 hits and 10 walks in all.  Three Cardinals had three hits apiece:  Elehuris Montero, Jonatan Machado and Taylor Bryant.  Machado and Bryant both went 3-for-6 with two RBI, Machado doubling once with two runs scored and Bryant scoring once.

But it was Montero who did the most damage, as all of his hits went for extra bases, resulting in five driven in and two runs scored.  Four of the five RBI were generated by a grand slam, his fourth home run of 2017, giving his squad their second lead of the day.  Defensively, the third baseman was charged with a throwing error, his fourth miscue of the season.

Not to be left out of the offensive equation is first baseman, Casey Grayson who continued his rehab by reaching base four times and scoring three times.  Grayson doubled twice in three at bats while working two of the team’s seven walks.  Two players had one hit each.

It is not a good pitching day when your staff surrenders 12 runs and all four hurlers are scored upon.  Junior Gonzalez did not finish the fourth, allowing four runs on five hits, a walk and two plunked batters.

Righty reliever C.J. Saylor stranded two inherited runners but was charged with five tallies on three hits, a base-on-balls and two hit batsmen.  Chris Hunt (W, 2-0) allowed all three of Saylor’s runners cross before yielding two tallies on three hits and a free pass over 2 2/3.  Kodi Whitley struck out three over the final two, permitting an unearned score and picking up his second save.

Friday’s game:  vs. third-place GCL Marlins (15-16), 12:00 pm ET, Angel Rondon (0-2, 3.71)

DSL Cardinals 6 at DSL Phillies Red 0 (7 2/3)

The DSL Cardinals blanked the DSL Phillies Red (24-29), 6-0, in a game that was called with two gone in the home half of the eighth due to rain.  The Cardinals (23-29) have climbed into sixth place in the South Division but are 14 behind the Twins and within seven of being eliminated from post-season contention.

A trio of Dominican Birds’ pitchers combined on a one hitter, beginning with spot starter Hector Soto.  Soto, whose last start was on July 3^rd, sent down all nine Phillies Red batters faced, striking out two.  Jose Geronimo (W, 1-2) issued one free pass during his three frames on the bump, fanning four.

Larimel Soriano gave up the only hit allowed, walking two in 1 2/3. Wilman Madera had replaced Soriano with runners at first and second and two out when the game was called.

The visitors pounced for three in the first before adding two more fourth-inning scores and a solo shot by Raffy Ozuna in the seventh.  Center fielder Carlos Soler spearheaded the nine-hit effort, going 3-for-5 with a triple, run scored and two knocked in.  Six players had one hit each.

Friday’s game:  vs. DSL Twins (37-15), 10:30 am ET, TBA

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On a 3-4 Tuesday for the St. Louis Cardinals system, our Player of the Day, outfielder Mick Fennell, plated four in Peoria’s win.

Results from games played Tuesday, August 1^st.

Memphis 5 at Reno 10

The Redbirds (71-38) were scored upon in four consecutive frames, resulting in a 10-5 loss to the Aces (64-46) (ARI) and a split of the four-game series.

Three of four Memphis pitchers allowed tallies starting with Matt Pearce.  The righty   yielded six runs on eight hits and two walks over four plus, including a two-run home run.

Mike Mayers and Miguel Socolovich continued that trend, permitting two tallies each in two and one inning, respectively.  Arturo Reyes tossed a one-two-three eighth, fanning two.

The visitors jumped out in front first on a three-run bomb by Breyvic Valera, who led the club with three hits in five at bats.  Alex Mejia and Patrick Wisdom both went 2-for-4, with Mejia working a base-on-balls with a run scored and Wisdom doubling once while knocking in one.  Wisdom swiped his second bag of 2017 but Valera was picked off first.

Wednesday’s game:  Off

Springfield 4 at Tulsa 5

Springfield (24-15) again came out on the losing end of the showdown between the North Division’s top two clubs, falling to Tulsa 5-4 and into second place, a game behind the Drillers.  The S-Cards have lost the first two of the three games between the two clubs.

The S-Cards led 3-2 through six but were bitten by their defense the next frame.  A fielding error by third baseman Jacob Wilson allowed the first runner to reach but it looked like reliever Jacob Evans (BS, 3) (L, 1-2) would escape after he notched two swinging K’s.  Instead, a double and three-run long ball ensued, followed by another double before he caught his final batter looking.

Ryan Helsley struck out six over the first four in his Double-A debut, scattering five hits and four free passes that somehow generated only one tally.  Tyler Bray was charged with a run on two hits in 1 2/3 before handing the ball off to Evans.  Andrew Morales worked around a hit and walk for a clean eighth.

Springfield managed six hits, including a solo shot by Oscar Mercado.  It was the center fielder’s only hit in four at bats.  Anthony Garcia, Jacob Wilson and Danny Diekroeger all went 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Wednesday’s game:  at Tulsa (25-14) (LAD), 7:05 pm CT, Sandy Alcantara (6-5, 4.74)

Palm Beach 7 at Bradenton 4

A six-run sixth lifted the Beach Birds (19-19) over the Marauders, 7-4, giving Palm Beach a three-games-to-one road series victory.

The inning featured doubles by Leobaldo Pina, Shane Billings, Luke Dykstra and Jose Martinez with the first two knocking in two each while Dykstra and Martinez drove in one apiece.  Blake Drake and Chris Chinea each worked a free pass and Thomas Spitz singled.

Pina paced the 10-hit attack with a 3-for-5 effort.  Defensively, the first baseman took part in three double plays.  The only other PB-Card with more than one hit was Billings, who singled and doubled in four at bats, touched home twice and joined Pina with two RBI.

Jake Woodford lasted just 3 2/3 frames, allowing three runs on six hits and four walks.  Ian McKinney was credited with his second win in four decisions despite giving up a run during his 1 1/3-inning stint.

Neither Brady Bowen nor Dailyn Martinez were scored upon during their time on the mound.  Bowen fanned three Marauders (23-15) (PIT) in 2 2/3 while Martinez picked up his third save.

Wednesday’s game:  Off

Peoria 9 vs. Wisconsin 3

The Chiefs (22-16) rallied for a 9-3 victory over the Timber Rattlers (17-21) (MIL) and a 2-2 series split.

All three scores yielded by Frederis Parra (W, 3-3) occurred in the first four of his six-inning outing.  Parra allowed a first-inning tally plus a two-run bomb in the fourth, permitting eight hits and two walks in all.

Ronnie Williams tossed two excellent frames, fanning four of his six batters faced.  Max Almonte struck out two in the ninth.

Peoria generated 10 hits with Mick Fennell leading the way. Fennell singled twice in four at bats with four RBI and a stolen base. Juan Yepez went 3-for-5 with a double, scored twice and drove in one.

Wednesday’s game:  at Beloit (22-15) (OAK), 7:00 pm CT, Austin Warner (1-1, 3.38)

Auburn 5 at State College 3

Single scores in the final two frames left the Spikes on the losing end of a 5-3 decision versus the Doubledays (16-25) (WSH).  The loss prevented a three-game sweep by State College (22-18).

Robbie Gordon (L, 0-5) allowed the tie breaker in the eighth, his second inning of work.  Noel Gonzalez left Gordon’s final runner aboard but gave up an insurance run the next inning.  Both pitchers allowed a hit and Gordon plunked a batter.

Starter Jonathon Mulford yielded three runs on seven hits and four free passes over 5 2/3.  Gordon stranded an inherited runner to limit the damage to Mulford.

The home team’s 11-hit effort featured four players with two hits apiece:  Edwin Figuera, Scott Hurst, Evan Mendoza and Matt Davis.  Figuera, Hurst and Mendoza – the Spikes one through three batters, did all of the damage.  Figuera tripled once, touching home once while Hurst’s two-run bomb accounted for two of his three RBI.

Wednesday’s games:  at West Virginia (24-16) (PIT).  Game one – 5:00 pm ET, Andrew Summerville (1-0) (2.33)/TBA

Johnson City 5 at Pulaski 6

Johnson City (19-21) suffered a 6-5 loss at Pulaski (26-12) (NYY) in the decisive third game of the series.

Jacob Patterson began the ninth looking for his eighth save but suffered his first blown save and first loss instead.  Patterson served up a lead-off homer followed by a hit batsman, sac bunt, walk, passed ball and wild pitch that scored the final tally.

Starter Jacob Schlesener did not complete the first, permitting three runs on three hits, two walks, two wild pitches and a balk.  Will Changarotty was touched for an unearned tally during his 2 1/3 innings on the bump.

Paul Salazar and Brett Seeburger calmed things down, tossing two scoreless frames each.  Fabian Blanco kept Pulaski off the board in the eighth.

Center fielder Carlos Talavera and shortstop Imeldo Diaz each went yard for the second time this season.  Talavera’s two-run bomb was one of his three hits in five at bats and one of his two runs scored.  Diaz’ long ball was his only hit in three at bats although he did add a second RBI.  First baseman Luis Bandes singled twice in four at bats with a run scored, the only Appy Bird other than Talavera with more than one of the team’s nine hits.

Wednesday’s game: Off

GCL Cardinals – off

Wednesday’s game:  GCL Cardinals (13-16) vs. GCL Mets, 12:00 am ET, TBA

DSL Cardinals 2 vs. DSL Mets1 0

A quartet of DSL Cardinals’ hurlers combined on a three hitter, resulting in a 2-0 victory over the DSL Mets1 (32-18).

Starter Enmanuel Solano permitted all three hits, striking out four through five.  Roy Garcia (W, 1-1) struck out three over 1 1/3, issuing one free pass.

But that runner was stranded by Oneiver Diaz, who left two for Dionis Zamora to handle on via a hit batsman and fielding error.  Zamora retired all five faced, three on strikeouts, for his sixth save.

Both runs by the Dominican Birds (21-28) scored in the sixth when Yowelfy Rosario singled to open the inning.  Diomedes Del Rio’s sac bunt attempt generated a throwing error that allowed him to reach.  Two outs later, William Jimenez’ fourth triple of 2017 brought both runners across.

Wednesday’s games:   vs. DSL Phillies Red (23-27).  Game one – 10:30 am ET, Wilfredo Pereira (1-6, 3.57)/Allinson Benitez (0-1, 6.16)

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Daniel Castano’s dominant mound effort led State College to one of the system’s three wins on Sunday.  Austin Gomber pitched a gem for Springfield while Player of the Day Irving Lopez’ two-bomb night helped Johnson City to victory.

Results from games played Sunday, July 30^th.

Memphis 4 at Reno 6

The Redbirds were clipped by the Aces, 6-4, evening the series at one game apiece with two on tap.  Memphis (70-37) remains 19 games ahead of Nashville (OAK) despite the loss with a magic number to clinch of 17.

Dakota Hudson kept his team in the game in his Triple-A debut, tossing seven frames with six hits and three walks permitted.  The 22-year-old was touched for two two-run innings and uncorked two wild pitches, one of which let a runner score.

The seventh finished with the visitors down 4-2, but Tyler O’Neill launched a two-run home run in the top of the eighth to take Hudson off the hook for a loss.  The long ball was the center fielder’s second hit in four at bats to go with a double, two runs scored and three driven in.  Breyvic Valera singled twice in four at bats, crossing home once, as he was the only other Redbird with more than one of the team’s six hits.

But that 4-4 tie lasted only until Ryan Sherriff (L, 5-1) gave up two hits, a base-on-balls, sac fly and wild pitch resulting in two scores in the home eighth.

Monday’s game:  at Reno (63-45) (ARI), 7:05 pm PDT, Jack Flaherty (2-1, 3.09)

Springfield 6 at Northwest Arkansas 3

Austin Gomber tossed seven excellent frames as the S-Cards flew past the Naturals, 6-3.  First-place Springfield (24-13) claimed the series, three games to one, and lead Tulsa (LAD) by one game in the North Division of the Texas League.

Gomber (W, 5-7) allowed just four base runners over the minimum during his seven innings on the mound.  The righty surrendered a solo bomb in the fourth, one of three hits and one free pass yielded.  Gomber fanned five with nine ground- and three fly-ball outs.  He threw 68 of his 92 pitches for strikes.

The eighth was not so kind to Tyler Bray, who gave up two runs on three hits.  Rowan Wick worked around two free passes for his fourth save.

Springfield outhit Northwest Arkansas (14-23), 12 to six, with eight of nine starters garnering at least one hit.  First baseman John Nogowski led the way, going 3-for-5 and touching home once.  Tommy Edman doubled twice in five at bats, scored one and knocked in another.

One of Darren Seferina’s two hits in five at bats was his third home run of 2017, coming with the bases clean.  Oscar Mercado’s only hit in five at bats was a two-run long ball, capping the scoring in the ninth.

Monday’s game:  at second-place Tulsa (23-14) (LAD), 7:05 pm CT, Zac Gallen (4-2, 2.74)

Palm Beach at Bradenton – postponed

The second of four games between Palm Beach (17-18) and Bradenton was rained out and has been rescheduled as part of a double header on Monday, July 31^st.  The fifth-place Beach Birds took the series opener and trail the Marauders by five games.

Monday’s games:  at first-place Bradenton (22-13) (PIT).  Game one – 4:00 pm ET, Mike O’Reilly (1-0, 4.20)/Ramon Santos (1-2, 5.81)

Wisconsin 3 at Peoria 1

The Chiefs were stopped at home by the Timber Rattlers, 3-1, on Sunday, their third consecutive loss and second in a row to fifth-place Wisconsin.  Third-place Peoria (20-16) trails Quad Cities (HOU) by two games in the West Division.

The Chiefs mustered just six hits in all, two by Nick Plummer.  Peoria’s lead-off hitter singled and doubled in four at bats, knocking in one and notched an outfield assist at third.  Dylan Carlson went 1-for-4, scoring the Chiefs’ only run.  Rehabber Stephen Piscotty doubled once in four at bats.

The sole blemish against Evan Kruczynski in 5 1/3 was a two-run long ball, one of seven hits yielded.  Colton Thomson hurled 1 2/3 scoreless innings, his third straight scoreless outing since his promotion from State College, but Bryan Dobzanski was touched for a run on three hits over two.

Monday’s game:  vs. Wisconsin (17-19) (MIL), 12:00 pm CT, Sam Tewes (league debut)

State College 2 vs. Auburn 1

Daniel Castano was outstanding over 7 2/3 as the Spikes edged the Doubledays, 2-1, in the series’ opener.  State College (21-17) is in fourth place in the tight Pinckney Division, 2 ½ games in back of Mahoning Valley (CLE).

Castano (W, 7-1) retired eight of his first nine before a throwing error, wild pitch and single brought about a play at the plate for the third’s final out.  The southpaw went on to set down 10 of his next 11 before yielding a double, his second and final hit permitted to go with two free passes.  The Florida native departed with two gone in the eighth and a runner on second via a hit batsman and sac bunt.

Reliever Noel Gonzalez did not record an out, issuing two free passes to jam the sacks full for Spencer Traynor.  Traynor (S, 2) put out that fire but gave up a tally on a walk and two singles the next inning.

Monday’s game:  vs. Auburn (15-24) (WSH), 7:05 pm ET, Johan Oveido (league debut)

Johnson City 9 at Pulaski 3

Irving Lopez’ two home run night led the Appy Birds over the Yankees, 9-3, the first of three at Calfee Park.  Third-place Johnson City (19-19) kept pace with division leader Elizabethton (MIN) with the win, a team they trail by five games.

Lopez’ bombs were part of his three-hit performance, with the second baseman accounting for six of his squad’s tallies.  The Player of the Day went 3-for 4 with a walk, two long balls, three runs scored and five driven in.

Catcher Julio Rodriguez’s three hits in five at bats also included a home run, a three-run blast that broke a one all tie in the fifth.

One of the three hits given up by Franyel Casadilla (W, 1-3) over 5 1/3 was a solo shot, putting Pulaski up 1-0 after one.  The righty allowed a walk and three runs in all, two of them scoring on Will Changarotty’s watch.

Changarotty permitted a hit and two walks while recording just one out but Jake Walsh left all three of Changarotty’s runners on.  Walsh fanned three in 2 1/3, yielding a hit.  Jacob Patterson tossed a scoreless ninth.

https://twitter.com/jwgravley/status/891835478651129856

GCL Cardinals 7 at GCL Marlins 8

The Gulf Birds scored big early but the GCL Marlins (14-15) scored bigger late, resulting in an 8-7 defeat by the Cardinals (13-16).  The loss broke a third-place tie between the two squads, leaving the Cardinals 6 ½ behind the Nationals.

The visitors capitalized on a lack of control by the Marlins’ starter, who did not record an out, transforming a hit, five walks and an error into six tallies.  But the Fish bullpen held the Cardinals’ offense to just one more tally the rest of the way while their offense laid in wait for the Gulf Birds’ relievers.

The Cardinals accumulated nine hits, all singles, with four players having two hits each:  Jonatan Machado, Dariel Gomez, Donivan Williams and Brian Sanchez.  Williams generated the most results, touching home twice with two RBI while Machado stole two bases.

Starter Noel De Jesus held the opposition to a first-inning run plus a two-run home run in his fifth and final inning of work.  De Jesus allowed seven hits and two walks.

De Jesus exited with a 7-3 lead, which held until the bottom of the seventh.  Wilberto Rivera permitted three scores in his second inning of work before Gabriel Gentner (BS, 2) (L, 2-2) let both inherited runners score plus two of his own before recording an out.

Monday’s game:  at GCL Astros (16-12), 12:00 pm ET, Winston Nicacio (2-1, 3.52)

DSL Cardinals – off

The Dominican Summer League does not play on Sundays.

Monday’s game: DSL Cardinals (19-28) at DSL Mets1 (32-16), 10:30 am ET, Allinson Benitez (0-1, 6.16) or Jose Moreno (0-3, 3.55)

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On a 4-3 Thursday across the St. Louis Cardinals system, strong bullpen work powered Springfield and Peoria (doubleheader sweep) to a trio of wins. Player of the Day Frederis Parra tossed a seven-inning complete game for the Chiefs.

Results from games played Thursday, July 27^th.

Memphis vs. Salt Lake – suspended  

Thursday’s contest between Memphis (68-35) and Salt Lake was suspended due to rain with the Redbirds up 3-1 and one gone in the home half of the second.  Play is scheduled to resume on Friday at 5:35 pm with the regularly scheduled game to follow.

Matt Pearce yielded a run on three hits through two.  Nick Martini tripled and scored in the first, driven in on a single by Rangel Ravelo.  Wilfredo Tovar doubled in Patrick Wisdom and Breyvic Valera, who both worked second-inning free passes.  Alberto Rosario followed Tovar with yet another walk when the game was halted.

Friday’s games:  vs. Salt Lake (54-50) (LAA).  Game 1 – 5:35 pm CT, TBA/Kevin Herget (3-1, 4.08)

Springfield 6 at Northwest Arkansas 2

Two three-inning frames lifted the S-Cards over the Naturals, 6-2, in the series opener.  First-place Springfield (22-12) has a two-game advantage over Tulsa (LAD) in the North Division.

Jacob Wilson led the visitors’ 12-hit attack, going 3-for-4 with two RBI.  Three S-Cards had two hits apiece:  Randy Arozarena, Anthony Garcia and Tommy Edman.  Arozarena launched a two-run bomb, one of his two runs scored in three at bats.  Garcia also touched home twice, joining Arozarena by going 2-for-3 with a base-on-balls.  He swiped a bag as well. Edman singled and doubled in four at bats, knocking in two.

With Dakota Hudson a late scratch from his start, four Springfield relievers combined to hold their hosts to just two tallies.  Trey Nielsen yielded a long ball, one of three hits and two walks allowed over three.  Tyler Bray, Corey Littrell and Landon Beck each tossed two innings, Beck giving up a tally on three hits and a walk but picking up his second save.

Friday’s game:  at Northwest Arkansas (13-21) (KC), 7:05 pm CT, Sandy Alcantara (6-5, 4.85)

Palm Beach 4 at Tampa 10

Palm Beach (16-17) lost its third straight at Tampa, this time by a score of 10-4.  The fifth-place Beach Birds have fallen six games off the pace set by Bradenton (PIT).

The visitors clung to a 3-2 lead through six, but a seven-run seventh flipped that into an insurmountable hole.  Reliever Ross Vance (BS, 3) (L, 2-3) was charged with all seven tallies on five hits and two walks, retiring two.  Estarlin Arias recorded the final two outs but let two of three inherited runners score.

Jake Woodford tossed the first 5 2/3, permitting two runs on nine hits and three bases-on-balls. Infielder Leobaldo Pina allowed a run on two hits and a walk in the ninth.

Pina led the hitting, going 3-for-4 with a run scored.  Thomas Spitz and Andy Young each went 2-for-4, Spitz touching home once and Young doubling one time.  Spitz went 1-for-2 in stolen base attempts.

Friday’s game:  at Tampa (22-11) (NYY), 7:00 pm ET, Ryan Helsley (8-2, 2.69)

Peoria 3 vs. Cedar Rapids 1 (7) – Game 1

Peoria 4 vs. Cedar Rapids 0 (7) – Game 2

The Chiefs swept a pair from the Kernels, 3-1 and 4-0, clinching the home series with one to play.  Second-place Peoria (20-13) has climbed to within a game of Quad Cities (HOU) and holds a four-game winning streak.

Cedar Rapids struck first in the opener with a tally against Frederis Parra (W, 2-3) but that was all they would get as Parra tossed a complete-game five-hit effort.  The righty issued one free pass and hit a batter.

The home team answered right back with two in the bottom of the first.  The big hit was Brian O’Keefe’s two-run single scoring Stefan Trosclair (single) and Vince Jackson (double).  It was the first of Jackson’s two doubles, as the designated hitter was the only Chief with more than one of the team’s six hits.

Danny Hudzina capped the scoring in the fourth with his seventh home run of 2017. Stephen Piscotty began his rehab by going hitless in three at bats. The right fielder was not scheduled to play in the finale.

A trio of Peoria pitchers held the opposition to just three hits in the nightcap while garnering nine strikeouts.  In his first start since May 3, Ronnie Williams fanned four over four, issuing just one free pass.  Colton Thomson (W, 1-0) struck out two in 1 1/3, giving up a hit before Yeison Medina fanned three in 1 2/3, working around two hits and a walk.

Peoria managed just five hits but worked six free passes, three resulting in runs.  Their first tally was generated by a hit batsman, two walks and Jackson’s sac fly scoring Nick Plummer.

The Kernels’ starter walked the bases full to begin the fifth, leading to his departure.  Kramer Robertson, Trosclair and Jackson all eventually scored on a bases-clearing double by Juan Yepez.

Friday’s game:  vs. Cedar Rapids (14-19) (MIN), 7:00 pm CT, Austin Warner (1-0, 0.00)

State College 11 at Batavia 1

The Spikes pounded the Muckdogs, 11-1, in the first of three games between the two squads at Batavia.  State College (20-15) moved into third place with the win, three games in back of West Virginia (PIT).

The visitors’ steady offense effort featured 17 hits, six walks and scoring in six of nine innings.  Third baseman Evan Mendoza led the way, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and three driven in out of the three hole.

Four Spikes accumulated three hits each:  Zach Kirtley, Yariel Gonzalez, Bryce Denton and Edwin Figuera.  Kirtley did what a lead-off batter is supposed to do – get on base.  The second baseman went 3-for-6 with a double, three runs scored and an RBI.

But the bottom of the order really came through, as Gonzalez, Denton and Figuera combined for eight scores.  Gonzalez and Denton both went 3-for-6, the former doubling twice and Denton finishing a home run shy of the cycle.  Figuera singled three times in five at bats, crossed home once, knocked in one and stole his fourth bag of the season.

That was more than ample offense for Spikes’ hurlers.  Jonathon Mulford (W, 2-3) gave up a run on five hits and three walks through 5 1/3 with five strikeouts.  That run scored with Spencer Traynor on the mound, as he stranded one of Mulford’s two runners and fanned four in 2 2/3.  Robbie Gordon tossed a one-two-three ninth.

Friday’s game:  at sixth-place Batavia (11-24) (MIA), 7:05 pm ET, Andrew Summerville (1-0, 2.35)

Johnson City 1 at Danville 4

The JC-Cards opened their three-game series at Danville with a 4-1 defeat.  Johnson City (16-19) is in third place, 4 ½ behind Elizabethton (MIN).

Edwar Ramirez took the loss, his fifth in six decisions, yielding three runs on five hits and two free passes in 5 1/3.  He struck out five.  Jake Dahlberg gave up a tally on two hits and a base-on-balls over 2 2/3 but left both inherited runners aboard.

The visitors generated just five hits, three in the ninth to prevent the shutout.  Delvin Perez singled once in four at bats in his return to the Appalachian League.

Friday’s game: at Danville (18-17) (ATL), 7:00 pm ET, Alvaro Seijas (2-1, 6.51)

GCL Cardinals – off

The GCL Cardinals (12-13) will try to halt a five-game losing skid when they play a Friday home-and-away twin bill with the GCL Mets.

Friday’s games: vs/at GCL Mets (7-18).  Game 1 – 11:00 am ET, TBA/TBA

DSL Rockies 4 at DSL Cardinals 2

Like their big-league parents would experience that evening, one big inning was all it took for the Dominican Birds to drop a 4-2 decision to the DSL Rockies (23-23).  The seventh-place Cardinals (17-28) are 16 ½ games in back of the Twins in the South Division.

Diego Cordero (L, 1-4) blanked his opponents before giving up four scores, three earned, in his fifth and final inning of work.  The southpaw permitted four hits and two free passes, striking out five.

Allinson Benitez, Anthony Trompiz and Hector Soto held the Rockies hitless over the final four innings.  Benitez fanned three in his two-inning stint while Trompiz and Soto each went a frame.

All of the Dominican Cards’ offense was generated by third baseman Francisco Hernandez, who launched solo shots in the fifth and eighth.  Three of his teammates singled once.

Friday’s game:  vs. sixth-place DSL Yankees (19-27), 10:30 am ET, Francis Ventura (1-2, 4.09)

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On a 4-4 Tuesday across the St. Louis Cardinals system, two outfielders went deep twice and plated three. Blake Drake did it in Palm Beach’s 12-inning loss and Wadye Ynfante helped Johnson City to a win.

Results from games played Tuesday, July 25^th.

Memphis 3 vs. Salt Lake 2

Tyler O’Neill’s first Redbirds home run helped Memphis slip past Salt Lake, 3-2, in the first of four games between the American Southern and Pacific Southern Division leaders.  The Redbirds (67-35), who have won six straight and 20 of 24, lead Nashville (OAK) by 19 games.

O’Neill’s bomb came with Nick Martini (single) aboard and knotted the game at two all after the Bees had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the seventh.  The designated hitter entered the game as a pinch runner after Aledmys Diaz was struck on the hand and exited the contest in the second.

Adolis Garcia followed O’Neill’s blast with his first Triple-A three-base hit, and scored the game winner ahead of an inning-ending double play.  It was Garcia’s only hit in three at bats and one of only five Memphis hits on the game.  Martini singled twice in three at bats.

With starter Luke Weaver a late scratch due to St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright being placed on the disabled list, reliever Miguel Socolovich was handed the starter’s reins and came through admirably.  Socolovich struck out five over the first four innings, issuing just one free pass.

Mark Montgomery tossed two scoreless frames, working around two hits and a walk.  But Ryan Sherriff (W, 5-0) was dinged for two runs on two hits and two bases-on-balls in the seventh.  Josh Lucas blanked Salt Lake for the final six outs, earning his 10^th save.

Sherriff’s errant pickoff attempt snapped a string of 119 2/3 error-free innings by the Memphis defense.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Salt Lake (54-49) (LAA), 7:05 pm CT, Jack Flaherty (2-1, 3.24)

Tulsa 4 at Springfield 3

Springfield’s bullpen could not hold a late lead as the S-Cards fell to the Drillers, 4-3.  First-place Springfield (20-12) has lost the first two of three versus second-place Tulsa, whom they lead by a game in the North Division.

Jacob Evans (BS, 1) (L, 0-1) carried a 3-2 lead into the eighth but yielded a two-run long ball in his third appearance since being called up from Palm Beach.  Evans tossed two frames, giving up three hits.

Austin Gomber fanned seven over the first 5 1/3, permitting two runs on five hits and two walks.  Corey Littrell followed Evans to the mound, retiring both batters faced.  Landon Beck tossed a clean ninth.

The home team generated nine hits, all singles, but went just 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10.  Andrew Knizner and Gomber were the only S-Cards with more than one hit, Knizner singling twice in four at bats with an RBI and Gomber going 2-for-2.  Defensively, Gomber picked off a runner at first.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Tulsa (19-13) (LAD), 6:30 pm CT, Zac Gallen (3-2, 2.70)

Palm Beach 6 at Tampa 7 (12)

In the road series opener, Palm Beach rallied for a ninth-inning lead only to fall to Tampa in 12, 7-6.  The Beach Birds (16-15) are tied for fourth with Charlotte (TB), four games in back of Bradenton (PIT).

Blake Drake’s second home run of the game flipped a 5-4 deficit into a 6-5 lead.  It followed his fifth-inning solo shot and came with Jose Martinez (single) on base, Drake, the co-Player of the Day, went 3-for-4 with a walk and two long balls, three runs scored and three RBI. He was also hit by a pitch.

But Palm Beach could not hold the lead despite using three relievers in the ninth. Dailyn Martinez allowed a lead-off triple, Brady Bowen struck out his only batter but Estarlin Arias gave up the RBI single, sending the game into extras.  Hector Mendoza was tagged with his second loss against no wins, giving up a run that was only unearned because of his own throwing error.

Starter Mike O’Reilly fell prey to the home run, with all five tallies charged to him over seven being generated by three long balls.  The righty gave up nine hits in all and did not issue a free pass.

Wednesday’s game:  at Tampa (20-11) (NYY), 7:00 pm ET, Junior Fernandez (5-3, 3.73)

Peoria – off

Second-place Peoria (18-13) opens a seven-game home stand against West Division rivals Cedar Rapids (MIN) and Wisconsin (MIL).  The Chiefs trail Quad Cities by two games.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. fifth-place Cedar Rapids (14-17), 7:00 pm CT, Frederis Parra (1-3, 2.91)

State College 3 vs. Mahoning Valley 2

Sam Tewes pitched into the eighth as the Spikes edged the Scrappers, 3-2, in the decisive third game of the series.  Fourth-place State College (19-15) is three games behind West Virginia (PIT) in the tight Pinckney Division.

Tewes (W, 3-3) limited second-place Mahoning Valley (21-14) (CLE) to a run on four hits and a walk through seven but exited after giving up another tally on two more hits the next frame.  He struck out five.

Will Latcham notched two of his four K’s to leave Tewes’ last runner aboard but only recorded his second save thanks to overly aggressive base running in the ninth.  Latcham allowed three singles and a walk but was not scored upon because the lead-off batter was nailed trying to stretch a single into a double.

The home team collected just five hits, one walk and a sac fly, but grouped them together to put up a straight number in three separate innings.  The difference in the game ended up riding on shortstop Wood Myers’ first Spikes triple, which opened the seventh.  A sac fly by first baseman Yariel Gonzalez brought Myers across.

Wednesday’s game:  Off

Johnson City 5 vs. Burlington 2

Center fielder Wadye Ynfante went deep twice in the Appy Birds’ 5-2 victory over Burlington.  Third-place Johnson City (16-17) has won four in a row, including the first two of three versus the Royals, and trail first-place Elizabethton (MIN) by four games in the West Division.

Ynfante, our co-Player of the Day, accounted for three of his team’s five scores, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three knocked in.  Third baseman Stanley Espinal launched a solo shot, his only hit in three at bats, while shortstop Imeldo Diaz singled and doubled in four at bats, crossing home once.

Right-hander Evan Guillory (W, 1-0) struck out six through five scoreless, allowing just two hits in his first start after 10 appearances out of the bullpen.  Franyel Casadilla surrendered a two-run home run, one of four hits and a base-on-balls yielded over 2 1/3.  Fabian Blanco fanned three in 1 2/3 for his third save.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Burlington (13-19), 7:00 pm ET, Jacob Schlesener (1-1, 2.78)

GCL Cardinals 6 at GCL Marlins 7 (11) – Game 1

GCL Marlins 10 at GCL Cardinals 9 (10) – Game 2

The GCL Cardinals suffered a pair of extra-inning defeats at the hands of the GCL Marlins, losing 7-6 in 11 in the opener and 10-9 in 10 in Game 2.  The Gulf Cardinals (12-11) are in third, three behind the GCL Nationals.

The opener completed the July 20^th contest suspended due to lightning with the score knotted at six all through 10.  The Gulf Birds were unable to cash in on beginning the 11^th with a runner on second but the Gulf Marlins did in the bottom of the frame.  A sac bunt advanced the runner to third, putting him in position to score on a wild pitch by Gabriel Gentner (L, 2-1).

Junior Gonzalez started the contest on Thursday, yielding four runs on five hits and three walks.  Enrique Perez was tagged for a score in 1 1/3, Chris Hunt retired all five batters faced but Patrick Dayton (BS, 3) could not work around his own hit batsman and missed catch error that sent the game into extras.

Andres Luna was the only Gulf Bird with more than one of the team’s eight hits, singling twice in five at bats while touching home twice. The outfielder swiped his first bag.

In the finale, the home team twice rallied late to tie the score, only to go down in 10.  Jonatan Machado led the team’s 12-hit attack, going 3-for-5 with a solo shot, scoring twice and knocking in two.  Rehabbing Eliezer Alvarez, Elehuris Montero and Terry Fuller each had two hits, the first two doubling once while Montero and Fuller drove in three and two, respectively.

All three tallies charged to Winston Nicacio through five were unearned, part of a three-run second.  Nicacio struck out six and gave up seven hits.

C.J. Saylor (BS, 1) was on the receiving end of four more unearned runs, generated by his own throwing error that was one of three miscues.  Saylor jammed the sacks full with one run already across but Chris Hunt served up the salami that scored the final three.  Hunt went on to give up one of only two earned runs yielded by GCL Cardinals’ hurlers on the game. Kevin Hamann (L, 0-1) was touched for an unearned tally, sending the game into extras and an earned run for the loss.

Wednesday’s games: DH vs. GCL Astros (12-9).  Game 1 – 12:00 pm ET, TBA

DSL Cardinals 3 at DSL Nationals 10

Starter Enmanuel Solano could not finish the fourth as the Dominican Birds were flattened by the Nationals, 10-3.  The Cardinals (17-26) are 14 ½ games behind the Twins in the South Division.

Solano (L, 3-1) suffered his worst outing since being moved into the rotation on June 27^th.  The 18-year-old was touched for five runs, two earned, on four hits, two walks and two plunked batters in 3 1/3.

Nelson Prada allowed Solano’s last two runners to score, giving up two tallies of his own while recording just one out.  Wilman Madera also retired just one batter, giving up a run on three hits.

Roy Garcia hurled two scoreless but Leonardo Taveras permitted two runs, one earned, over 1 2/3.  Jose Geromino allowed one of his three inherited runners to score but secured the final out.

The visitors managed just six hits, two by Franklin Soto.  The shortstop singled and doubled in four at bats, crossing home once.  Right fielder William Jimenez accounted for all three tallies, going 1-for-4 with a double, run scored and two RBI.

Wednesday’s game:  at DSL Rockies (21-23), 10:30 am ET, Wilfredo Pereira (1-5, 3.26)

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Sandy Alcantara spun seven scoreless innings in Springfield’s road series-clinching win and Jordan Hicks tossed six run-free innings for Palm Beach. Memphis moved to 30 games over .500 on a 6-1 Sunday across the St. Louis Cardinals system.

Results from games played Sunday, July 23^rd.

Memphis 7 vs. Las Vegas 5      

A four-run first propelled Memphis past Las Vegas, 7-5.  The Redbirds (65-35) have won the first three of the four-game set and 19 of their last 23. The club reached the 30 games over .500 mark for the first time in a dominating season.

The first-inning scoring was comprised of two-run bombs by Alex Mejia and Patrick Wisdom.  Mejia led the 11-hit effort, going 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored and three RBI while Wisdom’s solo long ball was his only hit in four at bats.

Rangel Ravelo made the score 5-1 through three with his fourth home run of 2017.  Aledmys Diaz singled twice in four at bats, the only other Redbird with a multi-hit performance.

Batting fifth, Tyler O’Neill made his Cardinals system debut with a hit and run scored, but the left fielder also fanned twice in four at-bats.

Traded Marco Gonzales’ rotation turn was comprised of three relievers plus an erstwhile starter fresh off the disabled list.  Kevin Herget scattered six hits, one walk and one run over the initial 3 1/3.

Josh Zeid (W, 6-2) surrendered a three-run home run, one of his three hits and two base-on-balls over 2 2/3.  Arturo Reyes allowed a solo shot, his only hit in his two-inning stint.  It was his first appearance since returning from Palm Beach.  Mark Montgomery tossed a one-two-three ninth for his fifth save.

Monday’s game:  vs. Las Vegas (37-64) (NYM), 7:05 pm CT, John Gant (1-5, 3.45)

Springfield 3 at Arkansas 1

Springfield (20-10) claimed the Sunday finale over Arkansas, 3-1, for a three-games-to-one series victory.

Player of the Day Sandy Alcantara (W, 6-5) pitched a gem, limiting the Travelers (13-17) to three hits and two walks over seven.  Tyler Bray walked the bases full in the eighth, leaving Rowan Wick in a one-out jam.  Wick left two of three runners aboard, permitting a sac fly and two free passes in 1 2/3.

The S-Cards maximized their offense, transforming six singles and a free pass into three tallies.  Oscar Mercado went 2-for-4 with a run scored.  It was his aggressive base-running going first to third on Darren Seferina’s single up the middle that forced an errant throw, allowing him to put Springfield on the board.  Mercado, Seferina and Tommy Edman each stole a base.

The other key hit was a two-run single by Magneuris Sierra in the eighth, scoring Andrew Knizner (single) and Jacob Wilson (walk).  It was Sierra’s only hit in four at bats.

Monday’s game:  vs. Tulsa (17-13) (LAD), 6:30 pm CT, Chris Ellis (2-4, 4.19)

Charlotte 3 at Palm Beach 0

The Beach Birds’ offense was held to just four hits in their 3-0 home loss to Charlotte.  Palm Beach (15-14) has dropped the first two of the three series games.

Andy Young had half of his squad’s offense, singling twice in three at bats.  Singles by Blake Drake and Shane Billings made up the rest.

Defensively, center fielder Drake was credited with an assist at home.  The PB-Cards committed two miscues but neither figured in the scoring.

Jordan Hicks tossed his best effort in his three Palm Beach starts, fanning six over five frames of one-hit ball.  He was charged with an error on a pickoff attempt.

Brennan Leitao (L, 3-2) retired four batters but allowed a solo shot, one of his two hits permitted.  Hector Mendoza stranded Leitao’s last runner but gave up two runs on three hits and two walks in 1 1/3.

Ramon Santos limited Mendoza’s damage by retiring his only batter, leaving two aboard.  Estarlin Arias worked around a hit and free pass for a scoreless ninth.

Monday’s game:  vs. Charlotte (15-14) (TB), 6:30 pm ET, Connor Jones (6-4, 4.16)

Peoria 10 at Bowling Green 5

Peoria (17-13) came out on top of a see-saw battle, stopping the Hot Rods, 10-5, to even the road series at one game apiece with one to play.

The Chiefs jumped out to a 4-0 lead through four, thanks to three home runs, two by Stefan Trosclair and a solo bomb by Danny Hudzina.  Trosclair, Hudzina and Dylan Carlson each had two of Peoria’s 12 hits, with all nine starters garnering at least one.

But Bowling Green tied it up in the fifth, and went up 5-4 after six.  All five scores were against Ian Oxnevad, four on two long balls.  Oxnevad allowed nine hits and two walks through six.

Peoria was not finished at the plate, however, tying the game at five all on an unearned run in the seventh before a five-run explosion put the game out of reach after eight.

Bryan Dobzanski picked up his second win in seven decisions, tossing three frames and allowing two hits with two strikeouts.

Monday’s game:  at Bowling Green (18-12) (TB), 12:05 pm CT, Evan Kruczynski (1-1, 5.48)

State College 5 vs. Mahoning Valley 1

State College (18-14) downed Mahoning Valley, 5-1, in the home series opener.

The Spikes accumulated 10 hits, paced by Evan Mendoza and Dennis Ortega.  Both Spikes went 2-for-4 with a run scored, Mendoza tripling once while knocking in two while Ortega drove in one.

Paul Balestrieri (W, 1-0) yielded just one unearned run on seven hits and two bases-on-balls over 5 2/3.  The right-hander struck out five.  Levi MaVorhis shut down the Scrappers on a hit over the final 3 1/3, leaving one inherited on, for his first save.

Monday’s game: vs. Mahoning Valley (20-13) (CLE), 7:05 pm ET, Daniel Castano (6-0, 2.03)

Johnson City 8 vs. Danville 5

Chase Pinder’s three-hit game led Johnson City (14-17) over Danville, 8-5, in the rubber game of the series.

Pinder accounted for four runs, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and one driven in.  Wadye Ynfante and Jonathan Rivera singled and doubled in three and four at bats, respectively.  Ynfante crossed home twice with a stolen base and Rivera scored once.

Alvaro Seijas (W, 2-1) struck out eight over 6 2/3, giving up four runs on eight hits, including a home run.  Will Changarotty allowed a run on five hits in 1 2/3, stranding two of three inherited runners.  That run crossed with Jacob Patterson on the mound, as Patterson retired both batters faced but let one of Changarotty’s runners score.

Monday’s game:  vs. Burlington (13-17) (KC), 7:00 pm ET, Johan Oviedo (1-1, 5.96)

GCL Cardinals 5 at GCL Mets 3

The Gulf Birds (11-8) flew past the GCL Mets (6-13), 5-3, completing a July 18^th contest suspended in the first inning due to rain.

Delvin Perez was on first with a walk when play resumed, one of three times the lead-off batter reached base.  Jonatan Machado greeted the new pitcher with a home run, making the score 2-0.  It was the outfielder’s first long ball of his professional career, and only hit in five at bats.

Perez and Elehuris Montero each had two of the team’s nine hits, both singles.  It was Perez’ fourth multi-hit effort in his last five games and eighth time in his last nine games in which the shortstop has had a hit.  Defensively, he committed his second error, one of two miscues by the Birds.  Montero touched home once with a run driven in, one of seven Cardinals with either a run scored or RBI.

Brian Pirela hurled a solid effort, yielding three runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks through six.  One of the three tallies was via a solo home run.  Kodi Whitley struck out three in two one-two-three innings before Jim Voyles faced the minimum in the ninth for his first professional save.

Monday’s game:  at GCL Nationals (14-9), 12:00 pm ET, TBA

DSL Cardinals – off

The Dominican Summer League is idle on Sundays.

Monday’s game:  DSL Cardinals (16-25) vs. DSL Nationals (16-26), 10:30 am ET, TBA

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Harrison Bader was a Swiss army knife for Memphis in its road win with two walks, a stolen base, a home run, two RBI and four runs scored. Mike O’Reilly pitched well in his Palm Beach debut, but the system overall went just 2-5 on Thursday.

Results from games played Thursday, July 20^th.

Memphis 10 at Oklahoma City 8

The Redbirds withstood a late charge to top the Dodgers, 10-8, for a split of the four-game road set.  Memphis (62-35) leads Nashville (OAK) by 16 ½ in the American Southern Division.

The bats got to work early, pushing across a four-spot in the first plus one more the next frame and built a 9-2 lead through six.  Wilfredo Tovar led the 14-hit attack, going 4-for-5 with a double, walk, run scored and RBI.  Nick Martini, Alex Mejia and Patrick Wisdom had two hits apiece, Wisdom hitting a two-run bomb that was his 21^st home run of 2017 to go with a double in four at bats.  Mejia also doubled once in five at bats, knocking in three while Martini crossed home twice.

Harrison Bader added a solo shot for his 19^th blast, his only hit in four at bats.  Bader was very involved in the scoring throughout, walking twice, touching home four times, driving in two and swiping his ninth base.

Luke Weaver (W, 9-1) tossed a solid effort for Memphis despite going just five innings.  The righty held Oklahoma City (52-45) to a run on four hits and a walk.

The big damage done by the Dodgers was against Josh Zeid, who was touched for six runs on six hits and a walk in 1 1/3.  Two of the scores were via one long ball and the last runner crossed under Mark Montgomery’s watch.

Montgomery yielded the final tally on four hits and a base-on-balls over 1 1/3.  Ryan Sherriff recorded the eighth’s final out, stranding two inherited, but got the hook after putting his next two batters on via a hit batsman and free pass.  Josh Lucas worked around that jam for his eighth save.

Friday’s game:  vs. Las Vegas (37-61) (NYM), 7:05 pm CT, Jack Flaherty (1-1, 3.82)

Springfield 3 at Arkansas 6

The S-Cards were clipped by the Travelers, 6-3, in the road series opener, halting their seven-game winning streak.  First-place Springfield (17-10) leads Tulsa (LAD) by a game in the North Division.

Austin Gomber (L, 4-7) simply did not have it, yielding five runs on nine hits – including a three-run home run, in just three innings. The big lefty issued one base-on-balls and did not record a strikeout.

Pedro Echemendia hurled the next three, allowing a run on two hits.  Andrew Morales and Rowan Wick each tossed a scoreless frame.

Seven of Springfield’s nine starters garnered at least one of the team’s nine hits, all singles.  Second baseman Darren Seferina was the only Cardinal with more than one hit, going 3-for-5 with a run scored.

Friday’s game:  vs. third-place Arkansas (13-14) (SEA), 7:10 pm CT, Zac Gallen (2-2, 2.35)

Palm Beach 4 vs. Daytona 2

A rain delay at the onset did not bother the Cardinals, as their Thursday victory clinched the four-game set, three games to one.  Danny Diekroeger’s two-run bomb gave Mike O’Reilly a winning Florida State League debut as the Beach Birds downed the Tortugas, 4-2. Palm Beach (14-12) sits in third, four games in back of Fort Myers (MIN).

The blast came with Shane Billings (force) aboard in the bottom of the fifth, widening the lead from 2-1 to 4-1.  It was the third baseman’s only hit in four at bats.

Billings was one of six PB-Cards with a hit apiece, singling once in four at bats with two runs scored.  Leobaldo Pina’s double was the only hit to go for extra bases.

O’Reilly (W, 1-0) was impressive in his maiden A-Advanced effort, limiting Daytona (3-23) to just three hits over eight.  Both of the tallies given up by the righty were solo home runs.  O’Reilly struck out six with seven ground- and seven fly-ball outs.  He threw 73 of his 100 pitches for strikes.

Ian McKinney recorded two outs but issued two free passes.  Estarlin Arias caught his only batter looking for his sixth save.

Friday’s game:  vs. fifth-place Charlotte (13-13) (TB), 6:30 pm ET, Junior Fernandez (5-3, 3.98)

Peoria 5 at Dayton 6 (13 innings)

An unearned run in the 13^th doomed the Chiefs to a 6-5 walk-off loss at Dayton.  Second-place Peoria (15-12) has lost the first two of the three-game series, leaving them trailing Quad Cities (HOU) by three in the West Division.

Max Almonte (L, 2-1) could not work around back-to-back fielding errors by right fielder Dylan Carlson and left fielder Mick Fennell.  The miscues came with two gone in the 13^th, the latter allowing the tie-breaking tally to score.

Almonte was the sixth Peoria hurler, beginning with Frederis Parra.  Parra permitted two runs on seven hits in 5 1/3, striking out four.

Then the bullpen took over and they were not particularly effective.  Keaton Siomkin gave up a run on a hit while retiring one.  Bryan Dobzanski (BS, 1) and Yeison Medina (BS, 1) each retired five batters while allowing two hits and multiple walks, the former permitting two tallies.  Siomkin, Dobzanski and Medina all let their only inherited runner score.  Dewin Perez settled the scoring down for three innings before Almonte took over.

Peoria banged out 11 hits, paced by catcher Brian O’Keefe, who went 4-for-6 with a double and two runs scored.  The only other hit to go for extra bases was Nick Plummer’s three-run home run, one of his two hits in five at bats.  Carlson went 2-for-5 as well.

Friday’s game:  at Dayton (10-17) (CIN), 6:00 pm CT, Austin Warner (league debut)

State College 2 at West Virginia 8

The Spikes (17-13) came out on the losing end of the battle between the Pinckney Division co-leaders, falling to the Black Bears, 8-2, in the first of three contests.

Starter Jonathon Mulford (L, 1-3) and State College’s defense put the team into an early hole from which they could not recover.  The right-hander surrendered a five-run first plus a solo shot in the third, only two of the six runs over 4 2/3 earned.  Mulford permitted nine hits and three walks.

Will Latcham struck out three in 2 1/3 but allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits, including a solo bomb.  Leland Tilley tossed a clean eighth.

Designated hitter Joshua Lopez led his squad’s eight-hit effort, going 3-for-4 with a double.  Left fielder Brandon Benson singled and doubled in four at bats with a solo home run that was one of his two RBI.

Friday’s game:  at West Virginia (18-12) (PIT), 7:05 pm ET, Andrew Summerville (1-0, 1.86)

Johnson City 1 at Burlington 8

The JC-Cards were bombed at Burlington, 8-1, preventing them from making a three-game series sweep.  Johnson City (12-16) is tied for third with Kingsport (NYM), six behind Elizabethton (MIN).

Five of the six tallies charged to Franyel Casadilla (L, 0-3) in five were produced by three long balls – a grand slam plus two solo shots.  Casadilla allowed the Royals (10-17) eight hits and three walks in all.  He also hit a batter.

Evan Guillory (2 IP) and Paul Salazar (0.2 IP) were each touched for a run.  Jacob Patterson retired his only batter, leaving two inherited aboard.

The Appy Birds had just five hits generated by five players. Alexis Wilson, Walker Robbins and Wadye Infante all doubled once. Julio Rodriguez drove in Irving Lopez (single) for his team’s only run.

Friday’s game:  vs. Danville (14-14) (ATL), 7:00 pm ET, Jacob Schlesener (1-1, 3.38)

GCL Cardinals 6 at GCL Marlins 6 (suspended, 10 innings)

Thursday’s contest between the second-place GCL Cardinals (11-8) and the fourth-place GCL Marlins (8-11) was suspended due to lightning with the score knotted at six all through 10.

Andres Luna had two hits, a stolen base and two runs scored. Starting pitcher Junior Gonzalez was charged with four runs over the first five innings, but still left with a 6-4 lead.

The game is scheduled to be completed as part of a twin bill on Tuesday, July 25^th.

The Gulf Birds trail the GCL Nationals by 1 ½ in the East Division.

Friday’s game:  at third-place GCL Astros (11-9), 12:00 pm ET, TBA

DSL Cardinals 4 at DSL Twins 5 (10 innings)

The Dominican Birds’ bullpen was unable to hold a 10^th-inning lead, resulting in a 5-4 walk-off loss to the division-leading Twins (29-11).  The Cardinals (15-25) are in eighth and last place, 14 games behind.

Hector Soto (BS, 2) (L, 3-2) retired just one batter, surrendering two runs, one earned, on an RBI triple, two intentional free passes and a wild pitch.  The first run was due to the runner beginning the extra frame on second base.

Diego Cordero went the first six, giving up three tallies on 10 hits.  Dionis Zamora fanned four over the next three, walking two.

Only one of the Dominican Birds’ 10 hits went for extra bases, a double by center fielder Carlos Soler, who went 2-for-3 with a run scored.  Shortstop Franklin Soto and catcher Ivan Herrera had three hits apiece, Soto crossing home twice in four at bats and Herrera knocking in two in five at bats.

Friday’s game:  at fourth-place DSL Angels (19-21), 10:30 am ET, Francis Ventura (1-2, 3.77)

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Results from games played Tuesday, July 18^th.

Memphis 1 at Oklahoma City 4

The Redbirds dropped a 4-1 decision at Oklahoma City, snapping a seven-game winning streak and evening the series at one game each with two on tap.  Memphis (61-34) is 17 ½ games ahead of Nashville (OAK) in the American Southern Division.

Marco Gonzales (L, 6-4) was not at his best, yielding a three-run third plus another score the next frame, allowing six hits, two walks and a hit batsman through six.  Trey Nielsen and Miguel Socolovich each tossed an inning.

The visitors matched their hosts’ seven hits but, unlike the Dodgers, the Redbirds’ hits were not grouped together.  Nick Martini singled twice in three at bats with an RBI, the only player with more than one hit. The right fielder drove in Gonzales who singled to open the third.

Wednesday’s game:  at Oklahoma City (51-44) (LAD), 7:05 pm CT, John Gant (1-4, 3.13)

Springfield 8 vs. Northwest Arkansas 3

The S-Cards (16-9) transformed 11 hits into eight tallies in their 8-3 victory over the Naturals, clinching the four-game set with one to play.  Springfield’s sixth consecutive win has left them atop the North Division, a game in front of Tulsa (LAD).

Three Springfield players went yard: Anthony Garcia, Jacob Wilson and Bruce Caldwell.  Those home runs generated six of their eight scores.  Garcia padded a 2-0 lead in the third with a three-run bomb, his 15^th of 2017 and only hit in four at bats.  Wilson’s solo shot was part of a three-run eighth, the third baseman adding a sac fly to his 1-for-3 effort.

Caldwell was one of three S-Cards with a multi-hit performance, joining Andrew Knizner and Randy Arozarena.  Caldwell went 2-for-3 with a two-run blast and walk, touching home twice while Knizner led the hitting by singling three times in four at bats.  Arozarena singled and doubled in four at bats, scoring twice.

Sandy Alcantara (W, 5-5) put together a solid effort, holding Northwest Arkansas to a run on seven hits and three free passes in 5 2/3.  Jacob Evans retired all four batters faced, stranding two inherited.  Dailyn Martinez was touched for two runs on six hits, both tallies produced by a long ball.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. third-place Northwest Arkansas (11-14) (KC), 6:30 pm CT, Chris Ellis (2-4, 3.82)

Palm Beach vs. Daytona – suspended

The first of three contests for Palm Beach (12-11) versus Daytona was suspended due to rain with two gone in the bottom of the second and the Beach Birds up 1-0 with a runner on second.  The game will be completed on Wednesday, July 19^th, as part of a twin bill.

The Cards are tied for fourth with Jupiter (MIA), 4 ½ in back of Fort Myers (MIN).

Wednesday’s games:  vs. Daytona (2-21) (CIN), 6:30 pm ET, Connor Jones (6-4, 4.03)

Peoria – off

The second-place Chiefs (15-10) look for their third consecutive series’ win as they begin six-game road trip through Eastern Division rivals Dayton (CIN) and Bowling Green (TB).  Peoria is two games behind Quad Cities (HOU) in the Western Division.

Wednesday’s game:  at Dayton (8-17), 7:00 pm ET, Evan Kruczynski (1-1, 4.50)

State College 9 at Williamsport 3 (7) – Game 1

State College 3 at Williamsport 1 (8) – Game 2

Center fielder Scott Hurst’s bat lifted the Spikes to a double-header sweep at Williamsport, 9-3 and 3-1, clinching the three-game series with one contest remaining.  The sweep moved State College (16-11) into a three-way tie for first with Mahoning Valley (CLE) and West Virginia (PIT).

Hurst, our co-Player of the Day, garnered five hits, accounting for six tallies over the two games.  The center fielder was one of two Spikes to go 3-for-4 in the opener, along with Bryce Denton, who finished a home run shy of the cycle with three runs scored and one driven in.  He followed that up by singling and doubling in three at bats with a base-on-balls, touching home twice.

The opener’s balanced offensive attack featured 16 hits spread among eight starters.  Denton crossed home once but it was Ricardo Bautista’s third long ball of the season that got the scoring started.  It came with two aboard in the first and was one of his two hits and two runs scored in four at bats.  Tyler Lancaster, Matt Davis and Edwin Figuera each had two hits, the latter two scoring once.

Daniel Castano fanned nine in 5 1/3, surrendering three runs in eight hits to improve his record to a perfect 6-0.  Noel Gonzalez worked around two hits over 1 2/3, leaving Castano’s last runner aboard.

Game 2 was a low-scoring affair, each team manufacturing just five hits.  Hurst had two, singling and doubling in three at bats with a walk.  The Cal State Fullerton product scored both his squad’s first and last runs.  The second of right fielder Brandon Benson’s two singles in three at bats knocked in Hurst for an insurance run in the eighth.

Reliever Spencer Traynor picked up his third win in four decisions despite being charged with his second blown save.  The right-hander entered the game with one gone in the seventh and his team clinging to a 1-0 lead.  But one of his two free passes plus two singles sent the game into extras.  Traynor tossed a one-two-three eighth.

Levi MaVorhis went the initial 3 2/3, permitting two hits and a base-on-balls, striking out four.  Leland Tilley retired four straight, leaving on one inherited runner.  Colton Thomson used three K’s to maneuver around a hit and walk in 1 1/3.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Williamsport (14-12) (PHI), 7:05 pm ET, Sam Tewes (2-2, 4.30)

Johnson City 6 at Burlington 3

A four-run third resulted in the JC-Cards’ 6-3 win over Burlington in the road series opener.  Johnson City (11-15) is tied for third with Kingsport (NYM), five behind Elizabethton (MIN) and Greeneville (HOU).

The Appy Birds banged out 11 hits, led by Chase Pinder and J.D. Murders, who had three apiece.  Pinder doubled once in five at bats with a run scored and two RBI while Murders touched home once in four at bats with his first stolen base.  Catcher Julio Rodriguez doubled twice in four at bats, scored one and knocked in two, the only other player with more than one hit.

Reliever Jake Walsh was perfect over 3 1/3 frames and was credited with the victory, his third in as many decisions.  Thomas St. Clair tossed the final two innings for his second save.

Both pitched in relief of Alvaro Seijas, who was unable to finish the fourth.  Seijas yielded all three (earned) tallies over 3 2/3 in that inning, giving up six hits and two walks in all and hitting a batter.

Wednesday’s game:  at Burlington (9-16) (KC), 11:00 am ET, Johan Oviedo (1-1, 3.57)

GCL Cardinals at GCL Mets

The contest between the GCL Cardinals (10-8) and GCL Mets (5-12) was suspended due to rain in the top of the first after Delvin Perez had worked a free pass.  The game is scheduled to be completed on Sunday, July 23.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. GCL Nationals (12-5), 12:00 pm ET, Winston Nicacio (1-2, 7.24)

DSL Cardinals 12 at DSL Phillies Red 2

Their bats were hot and starter even hotter as the DSL Cardinals (15-22) rolled to a 12-2 victory over the DSL Phillies Red (15-22). The win moves the Dominican Birds into a three-way tie for fifth, along with the Phillies Red and Yankees.  All three trail the division-leading DSL Twins by 11.

For the second straight start, 18-year-old Enmanuel Solano tossed a one hitter. The only batter to reach against him through six innings was his second batter faced whom he hit with a pitch.  The righty, our co-Player of the Day, retired the next 17 straight before running into trouble when he allowed a walk-RBI triple sequence to his first two faced.  A sac fly scored the second tally, ending Solano’s day.  He fanned two with 11 ground- to three fly-ball outs.

Two relievers took care of the last eight outs:  Roy Garcia and Anthony Trompiz.  Garcia recorded five outs, issuing two free passes and Trompiz worked around shortstop Raffy Ozuna’s fielding error in the ninth.

The en fuego offense generated 12 runs, all earned, on 18 hits and eight base-on-balls. Second baseman Franklin Soto led the charge, singling four times in six at bats, crossing once and driving in three.

Three players had three hits apiece:  left fielder Alexander Samuel, third baseman Pablo Gomez and catcher Ivan Herrera.  Samuel accounted for five runs, scoring three with two RBI, with his triple the only one of the 18 hits to go for extra bases.

Wednesday’s games:  doubleheader vs. first-place DSL Twins (26-11).  Game one – 10:30 am ET, TBA

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(photo: Marco Gonzales/Memphis Redbirds)

Player of the Day Marco Gonzales retired 13 straight for Memphis, in one of the system’s five wins in nine tries on Thursday.  Peoria’s Stefan Trosclair had four hits and Wadye Ynfante went deep twice for Johnson City.

Results from games played Thursday, July 13^th.

Memphis 6 vs. Round Rock 2       

The Redbirds flew past the Express, 8-2, at AutoZone Park on Thursday, the first of four games between the two squads.  Memphis (57-33) holds the best record in the Pacific Coast League, leading Nashville (OAK) by 14 ½.

Facing Round Rock for the second consecutive start, Player of the Day Marco Gonzales (W, 6-3) fanned eight over six strong frames.  The lefty was touched for two first-inning tallies on a walk and two hits but retired the next 13 in a row before allowing a single to open the sixth.

Zach Duke hurled a one-two-three seventh, K’ing one, the third scoreless inning since his rehab assignment moved to Triple-A.  Mark Montgomery struck out two over the last two frames.

The home team’s 12-hit attack was spearheaded by Breyvic Valera, who singled three times in four at bats, touching home twice and going 1-for-2 in stolen base attempts.  Three Redbirds gathered two hits apiece:  Aledmys Diaz, Rangel Ravelo and Patrick Wisdom.  Diaz went 2-for-4 with a run scored and one driven in but was one of three Memphis players to be caught stealing, joined by Ravelo and Nick Martini.  Ravelo doubled twice in three at bats with a base-on-balls and RBI.

But it was Wisdom who brought the big fire power that accounted for half of his team’s scores.  The third baseman launched his 18^th home run of the season, a three-run shot that flipped a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead that was never relinquished.

Friday’s game:  vs. Round Rock (41-50) (TEX), 7:05 pm CT, John Gant (1-4, 3.33)

Springfield 4 at Arkansas 1

Sandy Alcantara tossed six solid innings as the S-Cards stopped the Travelers, 2-1, evening the road series at one game each with two on tap.  Springfield (11-9) moves into sole possession of second with the victory, two behind Tulsa (LAD).

The only blemish on Alcantara’s night (W, 4-5) was a solo blast that was one of only two hits permitted.  The righty did issue four free passes and threw a wild pitch.

Andrew Morales spun two one-two-three innings, matching Alcantara’s three strikeouts.  Making his first appearance for Springfield since being activated from Memphis’ disabled list, Rowan Wick worked around a one-out walk for his first save.

Springfield’s offense consisted of eight hits, led by two players with two hits apiece:  Randy Arozarena and John Nogowski.  Both players went 2-for-4, Arozarena tripling once with a run scored and Nogowski doubling one time with one knocked in.

Friday’s game:  at Arkansas (9-10) (SEA), 7:10 pm CT, TBA

Jupiter 8 at Palm Beach 1 (Game 1)

Jupiter 4 at Palm Beach 1 (7 innings) (Game 2)

The Beach Birds dropped a twin bill to the Hammerheads, 8-1 and 4-1, extending their losing streak to six.  Palm Beach (10-10) has fallen into fourth place, 5 ½ behind Fort Myers (MIN).

The first contest completed Wednesday’s game that was suspended due to rain in the home half of the second with the PB-Cards trailing 2-0.  Jake Woodford took the loss, his fifth in 10 decisions, yielding two runs on two hits, a free pass and a plunked batter in his only inning of work.

Reliever Ross Vance took over when play resumed Thursday, and went four frames, permitting a three-run home run, one of two hits and a base-on-balls given up.  He struck out five, hit two batters and picked off one.  Brady Bowen and Ramon Santos tossed two innings each, Bowen fanning two and Santos allowing three runs on six hits.

Blake Drake and Andy Young both went 2-for-4 with a double, with Drake scoring the lone run.

It was more of the same in the seven-inning finale, as Palm Beach generated just four hits, one of them Drake’s fourth long ball of 2017.

Jordan Hicks (L, 0-1) struck out seven through five in his A-Advanced debut, allowing three runs on five hits and a free pass.  Ian McKinney yielded two hits and a walk the next frame, one of whom scored but the other two were stranded by Hector Mendoza.  Mendoza retired all four batters faced, two via strike outs.

Friday’s game:  vs. Jupiter (11-9) (MIA), 12:00 pm ET, Connor Jones (6-4, 4.20)

Peoria 4 vs. Lake County 1

Stefan Trosclair had a perfect night at the plate as the Chiefs downed the Captains, 4-1, clinching the three-game series with one to go.  Second-place Peoria (13-8) maintained pace with first-place Quad Cities (HOU) with the win, a team they trail by three.

Trosclair finished a triple shy of the cycle, going 3-for-3 with a walk, double and solo bomb.  His double drove in Kramer Robertson after the latter singled to open to the first, Robertson’s only hit in four at bats.  Trosclair alsoswiped his 12^th stolen base.

J.R. Davis blasted one out of Dozer Park as well. The bases empty shot broke a 1-1 tie the next inning.  Davis added a single to his home run, driving in two.

That was more than enough offense for Evan Kruczynski, who held the opposition to a run on five hits and a walk through six, picking up his first professional win against one loss.  The southpaw struck out six.

Bryan Dobzanski fanned three in 1 2/3, allowing two hits.  His final runner was stranded by steady Eric Carter, who retired all four faced, two on strikeouts, for his eighth save.

Friday’s game:  vs. Lake County (9-11) (CLE), 7:00 pm CT, Frederis Parra (1-2, 3.06)

State College 7 at Tri-City 6

Tyler Lancaster’s grand slam built an early lead as the Spikes held on to edge the ValleyCats, 7-6, in the decisive third game of the series.  State College (13-10) remains tied for second with Mahoning Valley (CLE), a game in back of West Virginia (PIT).

Lancaster’s first long ball came with a run already across in the third.  The first baseman also doubled in three at bats with a walk and the aforementioned run scored.  Shortstop Imeldo Diaz singled twice in four at bats, driving in two, the only other State College player with more than one of the team’s 10 hits.

The bomb by Lancaster gave the Spikes a 7-2 lead midway through three – and the team needed every single run.  Daniel Castano (W, 5-0) fanned six over 5 2/3, permitting three runs, two earned, on seven hits and a base-on-balls.  His own fielding miscue was responsible for the unearned tally.

But the bullpen made the game interesting, with two of the Spikes’ three relievers being scored upon.  Steven Farinaro retired his first batter, stranding one inherited, but was touched for a run on a triple and ground out in the seventh.  Farinaro’s night ended after he began the eighth by hitting the lead-off batter.

Leland Tilley maneuvered around a walk for a scoreless frame but Spencer Trayner picked up his first save the hard way.  Trayner surrendered a two-run home run, bringing the visitors within one, but managed to secure the final out.

Friday’s game:  at Brooklyn (6-16) (NYM), 6:40 pm ET, Jonathon Mulford (0-2, 5.40)

Bristol 16 at Johnson City 7

The Appy Birds were keelhauled by the Pirates, 16-7, leaving them trailing in the series, two games to none, with one to play.  Johnson City (8-13) has lost three straight, falling into fourth in the West Division, six in back of Elizabethton (MIN).

It got ugly pretty quickly with Alvaro Seijas (L, 1-1) allowing 11 runs, six earned, on nine hits and two free passes over three plus.  Seijas, who did not retire any of the seven Pirates that came to the plate in the fourth, fanned four.

The game did not get much better when the bullpen entered the game, as the next three relievers all were scored upon.  Jake Dahlberg pitched the fourth through sixth, yielding a run on three hits.  Paul Salazar gave up three tallies on two hits and two walks in his inning on the bump.  Juan Alvarez tossed a clean eighth but left the sacks jammed with none out the next inning on two walks sandwiched around a double.  The only one of those three runners to score off Evan Guillory was on a double play ball.

The JC-Cards’ bats generated enough offense for a win in most cases, accumulating 11 hits and five free passes.  Wadye Ynfante and Luis Bandes each had three hits in four and five at bats, respectively.  In fact, Infante had a multi-hit home run night, sending two over the wall that accounted for three of his four RBI.  Chase Pinder and Wood Myers had two hits apiece.

Friday’s game:  vs. fifth-place Bristol (7-14) (PIT), 7:00 pm ET, Johan Oviedo (1-1, 2.70)

GCL Cardinals 9 vs. GCL Mets 8

The Gulf Birds came out on top of a wild one, walking off with a 9-8 win over the Mets (5-9).  The second-place Cardinals (7-7) kept pace with the Nationals, who won their fifth straight, although they trail the division leaders by 3 ½.

After squandering leads of 5-1, 8-4 and 8-5 – the last lead with three outs to go – the home team scored the margin of victory sans benefit of a hit.  Second baseman Moises Castillo, a defensive substitution in the top of the frame, opened with a base-on-balls.  Two sac bunts and Delvin Perez’ sac fly brought Castillo across.  (Yes, that is three outs but second baseman/center fielder Luis Flores reached base on his sac bunt with neither a hit nor error attributed.)

Flores was one of three Gulf Birds with two hits, joining right fielder Sanel Rosendo and third baseman Donivan Williams.  All three went 2-for-4, Flores tripling once with an RBI and Rosendo doubling once while driving in three. Williams scored once and committed his first error.

Center fielder Jonatan Machado singled once in three at bats with a walk, hit-by-pitch and crossed home three times while Perez went 1-for-4 with a walk, double, sac fly, stolen base, strikeout and run scored.

It took six Gulf Birds pitchers plus rehabbing Arturo Reyes to navigate nine innings.  Five of the seven were not scored upon but wowzers, did the other two get lit up!

One was starter Winston Nicacio, who was pitching for only the second time in 12 days.  Nicacio fell prey to the long ball, as three of the four runs charged to him came via on two home runs.  Both bombs came in the three-run fourth, the latter finishing his day.  The 20-year-old allowed eight hits and a walk in 3 1/3.

C.J. Saylor began a string of four Gulf Cards’ hurlers not scored upon.  Saylor retired both batters faced before handing the ball off to Reyes, who worked the fourth.  Cory Malcom gave up a hit and walk in 1/3 of an inning but both runners were left on by Enrique Perez, who retired five.

But reliever Noel DeJesus did not fare as well.  DeJesus gave up an unearned run in the eighth plus three earned runs the next frame that allowed the Gulf Mets to knot the game at eight all.  Gabriel Gentner (BS, 1) (W, 2-0) let DeJesus’ last runner touch home before he recorded the final out.

Friday’s game:  at GCL Nationals (10-3), 12:00 pm ET, Junior Gonzalez (1-0, 3.95)

DSL Cardinals 1 at DSL Mets1 7

The Dominican Birds trailed from the start in their 7-1 loss to the second-place Mets1. The sixth-place Cardinals (14-20) trail the Twins by 11 games.

Diego Cordero (L, 1-3) took a tough loss as he received little benefit from either his defense or offense.  The southpaw went five frames, allowing two unearned tallies on two first-inning miscues plus an earned score in the third on five hits and a walk in total.

Right-hander Jose Geronimo tossed the next 1 2/3, permitting three runs on three hits and a free pass.  Anthony Trompiz allowed a run on two hits and a hit batsman over 1 1/3.

Second baseman and lead-off batter Pablo Gomez had two of his team’s five hits, singling twice in four at bats.  The Cards’ only run came after shortstop Franklin Soto reached base on a fielding error, advanced to third via back-to-back walks and scored when third baseman Francisco Hernandez grounded into a 4-6 force.

Friday’s game:  vs. DSL Mets1 (24-11), 10:30 am ET, Francis Ventura (1-2, 2.92)

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Results from games played Tuesday, July 11^th.

Memphis – off     

The Redbirds are in the midst of the Pacific Coast League All-Star break.  The Triple-A All-Star Game will take place on Wednesday, July 12^th, at 8:00 pm CT at Cheney Field, home of the Tacoma Rainiers (SEA).  Three Memphis players, catcher Carson Kelly, lefty reliever Ryan Sherriff and right-handed starter Luke Weaver, were named to the team, with Weaver having since been promoted to St. Louis, then returned.

Wednesday’s game:  off

Springfield – off

Fresh off a 6-4 home stand versus two South Division rivals, second-place Springfield (10-8) heads out on a brief four-game road trip to fourth-place Arkansas (SEA).

Wednesday’s game:  at Arkansas (8-10), 7:10 pm CT, Dakota Hudson (7-3, 2.63)

Palm Beach – off

Third-place Palm Beach (10-8) will try to halt a four-game losing skid as they begin a three-game series with fourth-place Jupiter (MIA) at Roger Dean Stadium.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Jupiter (9-9), 6:30 pm ET, Jake Woodford (5-4. 2.96)

Peoria – off

Second-place Peoria (11-8) opens a six-game home stand versus Eastern Division foes, Lake County (CLE) and Fort Wayne (SD).

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Lake County (9-9), 7:00 pm CT, Ian Oxnevad (3-8, 4.11)

State College 0 at Tri-City 7

The Spikes (11-10) were blanked by Tri-City, 7-0, in the road series opener Tuesday evening.

All five runs charged to Anthony Shew (L, 2-2) over 6 2/3 came in the third, two of them products of a home run.  The righty gave up seven hits and a walk with six strikeouts.  Noel Gonzalez allowed two runs on a hit and three walks in 1 1/3.

The visitors were limited to five hits in all, three by catcher Joshua Lopez, who doubled once in four at bats.  He was also charged with his fourth passed ball of 2017.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Tri-City (8-12) (HOU), 7:00 pm ET, Sam Tewes (1-2, 4.84)

Johnson City – off

Johnson City (8-11) hosts Bristol (PIT) for three before beginning a six-game road trip.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Bristol (5-14), 7:00 pm ET, Edwar Ramirez (1-2, 6.32)

GCL Cardinals 3 at GCL Astros 4

The Gulf Birds (6-7) could not recover from an early deficit, falling to the GCL Astros, 4-3.

Starter Brian Pirela (L, 0-2) was bitten by the long ball, surrendering a two-run blast in the first plus solo shots in the third and fourth.  The righty went five innings in all, permitting seven hits and two free passes.

A quartet of relievers shared the final four frames.  Chris Hunt and Enrique Perez each tossed a one-two-three inning but Jim Voyles got into trouble by walking two after retiring his first two faced.  Patrick Dayton cleaned up the mess by inducing a 6-4 force out.

The GCL Cardinals generated six hits, with Jonatan Machado the only player having more than one.  In his 2017 debut, the center fielder singled twice in four at bats, scoring once.  Catcher Robbie Coman’s only hit in three at bats was his first professional home run.  Shortstop Delvin Perez had a rough day in his first game back in the GCL after being sent down from Johnson City, going hitless in five at bats with three strikeouts.

Wednesday’s game: off

DSL Cardinals 2 vs. DSL Yankees 1

Enmanuel Solano spun seven frames of shutout ball as the DSL Cardinals (13-19) slipped past the DSL Yankees, 2-1.

Solano (W, 2-0) had a perfect game through six and faced just two over the minimum overall.  The seventh was a bit rocky, however, after the 18-year-old Dominican right-hander issued a free pass to his first batter and line drive single to left to his second.  But Solano escaped via a force out at third, pop out and ground out.

Roy Garcia gave up a single and walk and was charged with an unearned tally when a steal of third resulted in a throwing error by catcher Ivan Herrera, allowing the lead runner to come home.  Dionis Zamora survived a two-out single and wild pitch for his fifth save.

The home team capitalized on three Yankees’ miscues to score unearned runs in the third and seventh.  First baseman Cristhian Longa generated almost all of his team’s offense, going 4-for-4, but did not figure in the scoring.

Wednesday’s game:  at DSL Yankees (14-18), 10:30 am ET, Wilfredo Pereira (0-4, 3.00)

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(photo: Brett Seeburger/Johnson City Cardinals)

Results from games played Sunday, July 9^th.

Memphis 2 at Nashville 1 (10)

A 10^th-inning home run by Breyvic Valera gave the Redbirds a 2-1 victory over the Sounds in the rubber game of the three-game series.  Memphis leads second-place Nashville (42-48) (OAK) by 14 1/2 in the American Southern Division.

Valera’s long ball was his only hit in four at bats and one of just six for the team.  Rangel Ravelo and Adolis Garcia had two hits apiece, with Ravelo driving in Harrison Bader after the center fielder singled with two gone in the sixth.  Garcia swiped two bags.

A quintet of Redbirds hurlers held Nashville to six hits as well.  Josh Zeid gave up three hits and a walk through five.  Zeid was in line for the win until Trey Nielsen (BS, 1) yielded a tally on two hits and a base-on-balls in the sixth’s home half.

The second Memphis appearance for Zach Duke on his rehab trail consisted of working around a hit for a scoreless seventh.  Miguel Socolovich faced the minimum in the eighth while Josh Lucas (W, 6-0) retired all six batters faced, three on strikeouts.

Monday’s game:  Off for the Pacific Coast League All-Star break

MLB All-Star Futures Game – USA 7, World 6

The only Cardinal in this year’s Futures Game was Jack Flaherty of Memphis. The right-hander pitched the sixth inning with a 7-1 lead. Despite throwing 14 of 17 pitches for strikes, Flaherty gave up two runs on two hits, a leadoff single, followed by a double. The runs came home on a sac fly and a ground out.

Springfield 12 vs. Frisco 8

The S-Cards twice rallied from deficits to fly past the RoughRiders, 12-8. Springfield (10-7), which has clinched the three-game series with one to go, moves into sole possession of second place with the win, a game behind Tulsa (LAD).

With Springfield down 3-0 midway through three, Randy Arozarena’s two-run bomb in the bottom of the frame capped a four-run drive, putting Springfield up 4-3.  But in the sixth, Austin Gomber (W, 4-6) served up his second two-run long ball, which only inspired his squad to score six more times when they came to bat that inning.  That scoring was finished off by Kolten Wong’s three-run blast.  The home team padded their lead with two more scores in the seventh.

Wong, making his third rehab start for Springfield, was one of three S-Cards accumulating three hits, joining Andrew Knizner and John Nogowski.  The second baseman added a double and single to his bomb in five at bats, scored twice and drove in four.  Knizner also went 3-for-5, doubling once and touching home twice while Nogowski went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI out of the eight hole.  Arozarena and Jacob Wilson added two hits apiece.

The home runs permitted by Gomber were two of only five hits the lefty gave up over seven innings.  He issued one free pass and fanned five.

Kevin Siegrist was touched for two runs on three hits and a base-on-balls in the seventh, the second outing since his rehab assignment began.  Andrew Morales allowed a hit and walk in his inning on the bump.

Monday’s game:  vs. Frisco (8-9) (TEX), 6:30 pm CT, Matt Pearce (9-5, 3.03)

Palm Beach 2 at Fort Myers 4

Two late tallies doomed the third-place Beach Birds to a 4-2 loss at the hands of the Miracle.  Palm Beach (10-7) will try to salvage the finale of the four-game set on Monday.

Half of the home team’s runs were generated by two solo shots by Fort Myers’ number nine batter.  The second blast came off Hector Mendoza (L, 0-1), breaking a 2-2 eighth-inning tie.  A run charged to Ross Vance later that frame sealed the loss.

Junior Fernandez went the initial 4 1/3, yielding a run on a hit and three walks.  That run scored under Brennan Leitao’s watch, after Fernandez was forced to depart with an arm injury.  It was his first outing after coming off the disabled list. Leitao was charged with a run of his own on three hits over 1 1/3.  Estarlin Arias recorded the eighth-inning’s final out.

The visitors were held to just five hits, the big one a two-run home run by Danny Diekroeger that scored Chris Chinea (single).  Any Young was the only PB-Card with a multi-hit effort, singling twice in three at bats with a stolen base.

Monday’s game:  vs. first-place Fort Myers (11-4) (MIN), 7:05 pm ET, Ryan Helsley (7-2, 3.01)

Peoria 1 at Cedar Rapids 2

The Chiefs came out on the wrong end of a low-scoring affair, losing to the Kernels, 2-1.  Peoria (10-8), which drops into a tie for second with Cedar Rapids with the loss, will try to salvage the fourth and final game of the series on Monday.

The difference was an unearned tally with Juan Perez (L, 2-2) pitching in the seventh.  The righty had limited his opponents to a solo long ball, one of four hits allowed over six.  But Perez was his own worst enemy the next inning.  He fanned his lead-off batter swinging only to have the runner end up on second because of a wild pitch and his subsequent throwing error.  His day ended after an attempted sac bunt resulted in runners at the corners due to another throwing error by Perez.

Keaton Siomkin limited the damage, yielding a sac fly and single before notching two swinging K’s.  Two of the three outs recorded by Yeison Medina were strikeouts.

The visitors’ only run occurred in the second after Stefan Trosclair and Danny Hudzina singled back-to-back with one gone.  Trosclair scored on a sac fly by Juan Yepez.  Peoria managed just one more hit the rest of the game.

Monday’s game:  at Cedar Rapids (9-8) (MIN), 12:05 pm CT, Mike O’Reilly (7-2, 1.76)

State College 12 at Auburn 13 (12)

The Spikes mounted a big ninth-inning rally only to fall to Auburn in 12 innings, 13-12, in the decisive third game of the series.  State College (11-9) slides into a two-way tie for second with Williamsport (PHI) with the defeat, two in back of West Virginia (PIT).

The six-run ninth was generated by four of the team’s 14 hits plus three of their 10 free passes.  Five Spikes produced a multi-hit game, paced by center fielder Scott Hurst, who singled three times in six at bats with a run scored.  Zach Kirtley, Joshua Lopez, Ricardo Bautista and Imeldo Diaz each had two hits, with Kirtley doubling twice and Bautista once and adding a two-run home run.

Only four of 13 runs by the sixth-place Doubledays (7-13) (WSH) were earned, thanks to two State College miscues.  Four of the seven runs allowed by starter Paul Balestrieri in just 2 2/3 were unearned, the righty permitting five hits and two bases-on-balls.

Noel Gonzalez was charged with an earned run, the final score in Auburn’s six-run third.  Andrew Summerville struck out six over the next three, temporarily calming Auburn’s offense.

But four more unearned scores were in the offing, one with Colton Thomson (1 plus IP) and three with Leland Tilley (0.2 IP) at the controls.  Steven Farinaro’s pitching provided respite for the next 2 1/3 before he gave way to Spencer Traynor.  Traynor (L, 2-1) tossed a clean 11^th but permitted the winning tally the next inning.  Erstwhile starter Levi MaVorhis kept the Spikes within one by stranding two inherited runners, but the offense could not answer in the home 12th.

Monday’s game:  Off

Johnson City 2 at Elizabethton 1

The Appy Birds capitalized on Twins’ miscues to edge Elizabethton, 2-1, snapping a six-game losing streak.  Third-place Johnson City (8-10) trails in the series, two games to one, with one on tap.

Each team committed more errors (three apiece) than they scored runs, with all of the game’s tallies unearned.  Two JC-Cards’ flubs put Elizabethton up 1-0 after seven but Johnson City replied with two of their own via a passed ball and two throwing errors by the Twins’ hurler in the eighth.

Reliever Jake Dahlberg (W, 1-0) was assigned the win despite being on the mound when his defense was misfiring in the seventh.  Jacob Patterson struck out three over the next two for his third save.

Dahlberg and Patterson pitched in relief of Brett Seeburger, who fanned six over the first six, blanking his opponents on four hits and one free pass.  That performance in his second professional start earns the southpaw our Player of the Day nod.

Monday’s game:  vs. second-place Elizabethton (12-6), 7:00 pm ET, Jacob Schlesener (0-1, 1.54)

GCL Nationals 4 at GCL Cardinals 3

Four early scores against starter Angel Rondon resulted in a 4-3 loss by the third-place Gulf Cardinals to the first-place Nationals (8-3).

All four tallies, three earned, scored in the first two of Rondon’s four-inning outing.  The 19-year-old allowed eight hits, absorbing his second loss against no wins.

Memphis reliever Rowan Wick continued his rehab assignment with a one-two-three fifth, his fourth scoreless outing in four appearances.  Enrique Perez and Kodi Whitley’s scoreless frames were sandwiched around Alex Fagalde’s two-inning effort.  Fagalde fanned three.

The home team managed eight hits spread among seven players.  Designated hitter Donivan Williams went 2-for-4 with a triple and run scored but was picked off first once.  Center fielder Terry Fuller got his team on the board with a second-inning solo blast, his only hit in four at bats with three strikeouts.

Monday’s game:  at second-place GCL Marlins (6-5), 12:00 pm ET, Kevin Hamann (0-0, 10.80)

DSL Cardinals – off

The Dominican Summer League does not play on Sundays.

Monday’s game:  DSL Cardinals (12-18) vs. DSL Rockies (15-15), 10:30 am ET, Jose Moreno (0-1, 3.72)

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Results from games played Thursday, July 6^th.

Memphis 7 at Round Rock 4     

The Redbirds used a five-run fourth to build a commanding lead for a three-game road sweep of the third-place Express (39-48) (TEX), 7-4.  Memphis (54-32) has won four straight and sits a whopping 13 1/2 up on second-place Nashville (OAK).

All seven tallies were generated via home runs from Harrison Bader, Patrick Wisdom and Aledmys Diaz.  Bader, who went yard for the third consecutive game, and Wisdom both hit it out with one on and Diaz did it with two aboard.  It was their only hit in four, three and five at bats, respectively.

Nick Martini did what a lead-off hitter is supposed to do – get on base.  The left fielder went 4-for-5 with two runs scored.  Adolis Garcia had two more of Memphis’ 10 hits, singling twice in four at bats.

A quartet of Memphis hurlers took the mound, starting with Mike Mayers, who likely was not fully stretched out after his recent 10 days in St. Louis’ bullpen. The reigning Minor League Pitcher of the Month went three frames, giving up a run on six hits and a walk.

Tyler Bray (W, 1-0) was charged with three runs, two earned, on four hits in two.  Trey Nielsen grounded the Express’ offense on a hit over the next three and Mark Montgomery struck out the side for his third save.

Friday’s game:  at Nashville (41-46), 7:05 pm CT, Zac Gallen (1-1, 3.27)

Springfield 2 vs. Midland 1

Andrew Knizner’s big bomb gave the S-Cards a 2-1 walk-off win over the RockHounds, clinching the three-game series with one to play.  Springfield (8-6) is tied for second with Northwest Arkansas (KC), both teams trailing Tulsa (LAD) by a game.

WALK OFF WINNER FOR YOUR SPRINGFIELD CARDINALS!!! pic.twitter.com/uVMhBvywlh

— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) July 7, 2017

Knizner’s home run, his second since joining Springfield from Peoria, was his only hit in three at bats and one of only six hits overall by the S-Cards.  Magneuris Sierra singled and doubled in four at bats with an RBI, his first multi-hit game since June 24^th.  His double drove in Randy Arozarena, who had reached on a fielding error by Midland’s first baseman.  Arozarena ended up at third on the play.  Designated hitter Gabriel Lino singled twice in four at bats.

Randy Arozarena with one of the craziest plays we've seen in years! #SCTop10 @espn @MLB @MiLB pic.twitter.com/qtb3rVeIm1

— SpringfieldCardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) July 7, 2017

But this game belonged to the S-Cards’ pitching staff, who scattered a collective nine hits and four free passes.  Dakota Hudson used eight strikeouts over the first seven innings to negate seven hits, three walks and a hit batsman.  Hudson allowed Midland’s only tally.

Blake McKnight permitted a two-out double in his inning on the bump.  Andrew Morales worked a scoreless ninth despite a hit and walk yielded, putting him in line for his first win of the season.

Friday’s game:  vs. Midland (3-11) (OAK), 7:10 pm CT, Sandy Alcantara (3-5, 5.57)

Palm Beach 4 vs. Bradenton 3 (12)

It took 12 innings, but the Beach Birds finally prevailed over third-place Bradenton, 4-3, in the rubber game of the series.  The victory keeps Palm Beach (10-4) a half game up on second-place Fort Myers (MIN) heading into their three-game road series.

Thomas Spitz worked his second free pass of the game with one gone in the 12^th.  A two-out single by Danny Diekroeger moved Spitz to third and Blake Drake’s bunt single back to the mound gave the PB-Cards the walk-off win.

Diekroeger’s single was his third hit in six at bats, as he joined Chris Chinea, who scored one and knocked in another.  Drake and Andy Young both singled twice with an RBI. Drake was one of three Beach Birds with a stolen base along with Spitz and Lane Thomas.

The home team had a chance to win it in regulation, but the Marauders (8-6) (PIT) tied it up with a ninth-inning tally against the combination of Ramon Santos and Jacob Evans (BS, 2).  Santos struck out two but allowed a double, with the baserunner scoring on the only hit Evans allowed in 1 1/3.

Jake Woodford tossed six strong frames, holding his opponents to a run on eight hits.  He left with his team up 2-1, but Ross Vance (BS, 2) gave up a tally in the first of his two-inning stint.  Chandler Hawkins finished the game by maneuvering around a hit and two walks over two for his third win in four decisions.

Friday’s game:  at Fort Myers (9-4), 7:05 pm ET, Derian Gonzalez (4-7, 4.09)

Peoria 4 vs. Beloit 0

Ian Oxnevad compiled his best start of the season as the Chiefs blanked the Snappers, 4-0, for a three-game series sweep.  Second-place Peoria (10-5) kept pace with league-leading Quad Cities (HOU) with the victory, the latter having won six straight.

Oxnevad (W, 3-8) shut down Beloit (8-7) on just five hits and two free passes through seven.  It was the first time in 15 games that the lefty had held his opponents scoreless.  Oxnevad struck out four with 12 ground- to just two fly-ball outs, earning a co-Player of the Day nod.

Max Almonte and Yeison Medina each worked around two hits for a scoreless frame.

Eight of nine players took part in the Chiefs’ balanced offensive effort with either a hit or RBI.  Danny Hudzina, Dylan Carlson and Mick Fennell went 2-for-4, Hudzina scoring once and the other two knocking in one.  Nick Plummer got a hit for the third time in his last four games.

Friday’s game:  at fourth-place Cedar Rapids (7-8) (MIN), 6:35 pm CT, Frederis Parra (1-1, 3.03)

State College 9 at Williamsport 0

Behind a huge night from Brandon Benson, the Spikes drove past the Crosscutters, 9-0, salvaging the third and final series game versus Williamsport (8-9).  State College (10-7) is tied for second with Mahoning Valley (CLE), a game in back of West Virginia (PIT).

Co-Player of the Day Benson ignited his team’s offense, taking part in seven of nine tallies.  The right fielder, St. Louis’ 20^th round pick last month, went 4-for-5 with a triple and grand slam.  Benson crossed home twice. His big fly was the Spikes’ first grand slam in three years and his six total RBI tied the team’s single-game record.

Infielders Evan Mendoza and Zach Kirtley each had three more of 14 team hits, both in four at bats.  Mendoza singled three times with a walk and three runs scored out of the three hole while Kirtley drove in one from the bottom of the order.

That was more than enough firepower to make a winner out of Sam Tewes, who recorded his first victory as a professional in three decisions.  Tewes finished an out shy of seven full frames, permitting six hits and plunking a batter.  Leland Tilley allowed a hit and walk in 2 1/3.

Friday’s game:  vs. sixth-place Auburn (5-12) (WSH), 7:05 pm ET, Daniel Castano (3-0, 1.71)

Johnson City 5 at Greeneville 6 (11)

The JC-Cards’ bullpen blew a four-run lead in the ninth, eventually falling to the Astros, 6-5, in 11.  First-place Greeneville’s (10-4) three-game sweep of Johnson City (7-8) leaves the third-place Appy Birds 3 1/2 behind the division leader.

Reliever Thomas St. Clair began the ninth-inning slide, yielding three runs on a hit and two walks while recording just one out.  His last base runner scored under Robert Calvano’s watch.

Calvano (BS, 1) (L, 0-3) gave up an unearned score that sent the game into extras.  The Missouri native tossed a clean 10^th but departed after a base-on-balls and sac bunt put the winning run at second.  Evan Guillory did not retire either of his two batters, issuing a free pass and RBI single.

That end spoiled a strong showing by starter Alvaro Seijas, who scattered eight hits and a walk producing one run over six.  He fanned five.  Jake Walsh matched that strikeout total in just two frames.

Six JC-Cards totaled seven hits, with first baseman Luis Bandes the only one with a multi-hit effort.  The clean-up hitter singled and doubled in four at bats, his double knocking in two in a four-run eighth.  Right fielder Carlos Rodriguez got the scoring started with a solo bomb in the fourth, his third long ball of 2017.

Friday’s game:  at second-place Elizabethton (10-5) (MIN), 7:00 pm ET, Johan Oviedo (1-0, 2.00)

GCL Cardinals 11 vs. GCL Astros 10 (10)

A see-saw battle ended with the Gulf Birds winning their fifth straight, this time in walk off fashion, as they downed the GCL Astros 11-10 in 10.  The GCL Cardinals (5-4) are tied for second with the Marlins, a half game in back of the Nationals.

The Astros (4-5) struck first, plating four third-inning runs against starter Brian Pirela, the only frame in which the 19-year-old would be scored upon.  The visitors held a 5-3 lead midway through six, at which point the Gulf Cards pushed across four, taking their first lead.

That advantage held until a three-run top of the ninth resulted in the home team trailing 9-8.  And it took a play at the plate to end the Astros’ scoring.  But the Cardinals capitalized on an error and two wild pitches for an unearned score that sent the game into extras.

The Astros were not done at the plate, however, going up 10-9 with three outs to go.  But the Birds struck last, scoring two times, one earned, for the walk off win.

Pirela headed a sextet of Cardinals’ hurlers, five of whom were scored upon.  Chris Hunt and Noel De Jesus each tossed a frame, Hunt allowing one run and De Jesus holding the distinction of pitching a one-two-three scoreless inning.

Cory Malcom followed DeJesus to the mound, yielding a tally on three hits.  Righty Jim Voyles was charged with three runs while retiring just one batter but two of his runners scored with Patrick Dayton on the mound.  Dayton (BS, 1) (W, 1-0) allowed a run of his own in the 10^th, although it was unearned because of the new rule in which each inning after regulation begins with a runner at second.

The offense exploded for 14 hits, paced by two Cardinals garnering three hits each:  catcher Carlos Soto and left fielder Daniel Gomez.  Third baseman Taylor Bryant and designated hitter Robbie Coleman each had two hits, including Bryant doubling twice.  But the biggest hit belonged to center fielder Terry Fuller, whose single drove in Bryant for the decisive tally.

Friday’s game:  Off

DSL Cardinals 9 vs. DSL Nationals 8

The Dominican Birds slipped past the DSL Nationals, 9-8, snapping a four-game losing skid.  The seventh-place Cardinals (11-17) trail the Twins by 12 games.

Two Cardinals had two each of the team’s seven hits: second baseman Pablo Gomez and left fielder Alexander Samuel.  Both went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, including Gomez’ first professional home run.  Carlos Soler had a very active day, both at the plate and in the field.  The center fielder singled once in two at bats, touched home twice, swiped a base, twice was hit by a pitch and was credited with an outfield assist at second.

On the mound, Diego Cordero held his opponents to a tally over the first five but did not retire any of the four batters faced the next inning.  The southpaw’s final line was five runs allowed on seven hits and a walk.  One of the seven hits was a three-run long ball.

17-year-old right-hander Larimel Soriano picked up his first win despite giving up an unearned run on three hits in the sixth.  Rodard Avelino began the seventh, yielding two hits and a base-on-balls resulting in two tallies, one earned, in 2/3 of an inning.  Dionis Zamora recorded the last seven outs, issuing just one free pass, for his fourth save.

Friday’s game:  at eighth-place DSL Nationals (10-19), 10:30 am ET, Francisco Ventura (1-2, 3.20)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation: Springfield Cardinals Notebook: 2017 Week 13

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Results from games played Tuesday, July 4^th.

Memphis 10 at Round Rock 1

The Redbirds banged out 19 hits, romping past the Express, 10-1, in the first of their three-game series.  Memphis (52-32) has increased its American Southern Division lead to 12 games over Nashville (OAK).

The offensive onslaught, in which all nine starters garnered at least one hit, was spearheaded by Player of the Day Adolis Garcia, who reached base five times, going 4-for-4 with a run scored.  He was also hit by a pitch once.  Harrison Bader went 3-for-5, with a two-run long ball, his 15^th home run of the season.

Breyvic Valera went 3-for-5 as well, touching home once and knocking in two.  Three Redbirds had two hits apiece:  Nick Martini, Aledmys Diaz and Rangel Ravelo.

Starter Jack Flaherty surrendered a solo shot, one of four hits allowed and reached his 65-pitch limit after 3 2/3 innings. The top prospect fanned four.

Working well in long relief, Josh Zeid (W, 5-2) struck out five over 4 1/3, permitting four hits.  Ryan Sherriff faced the minimum in the ninth.

Wednesday’s game:  at third-place Round Rock (39-46) (TEX), 7:05 pm CT, Marco Gonzales (4-3, 2.68)

Springfield 11 at Frisco 4

Anthony Garcia’s grand slam set the tone in the S-Cards’ 11-4 drubbing of Frisco (7-5) (TEX), salvaging the third and final series game.  Springfield (6-6) sits one game behind co-leaders Northwest Arkansas (KC) and Tulsa (LAD) in the North Division.

Garcia’s 11^th bomb of 2017 gave his team a 5-0 lead after four before Springfield poured on a five-run fifth and Bruce Caldwell’s solo shot capped the scoring the next frame – all before their hosts ever got on the scoreboard.  Garcia and Caldwell each went 3-for-4 with a walk, Garcia scoring twice and Caldwell four times.  Garcia swiped his third bag of the season.

Catcher Gabriel Lino added a double to two singles in five at bats, touching home once with an RBI.

The visitors’ mound effort consisted of a trio of hurlers.  Austin Gomber tossed a quality start over seven, permitting three runs on six hits and a base-on-balls.  All three tallies were generated by two home runs.  Ian McKinney yielded a hit and walk in the eighth, resulting in a score before Landon Beck pitched a one-two-three ninth.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Midland (3-9) (OAK), 6:30 pm CT, Matt Pearce (8-5, 2.98)

Bradenton 3 at Palm Beach 1

Beach Birds’ bats were held to just four hits in their 3-1 loss to Bradenton in the home series opener.  The loss puts Palm Beach (8-4) and the Marauders into a tie atop the South Division, a half game in front of Fort Myers (MIN).

Brennan Leitao (L, 3-1) gave up two runs on seven hits and an intentional walk in three, his first start in 21 appearances for Palm Beach this season.  Hector Mendoza tossed three scoreless frames in his second relief effort since being promoted from the DSL.

Zach Duke’s rehab assignment moved from one side of the Jupiter complex to another, going from the GCL team to the PB-Cards.  But for the first time in three appearances, Duke was inserted into the middle of game action, allowing a hit and hit batsman in the seventh.  Jacob Evans struck out four over the final two frames with a run on two hits.

The home team’s sole score came in the fifth after Andy Young singled.  Luke Dykstra sacrificed him to second and FSL Player of the Week Darren Seferina’s two-out single drove him in.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Bradenton (8-4) (PIT), 6:30 pm ET, Ryan Helsley (7-2, 3.01)

Peoria 5 vs. Beloit 1

The Chiefs began their three-game home series versus the Snappers with a 5-1 victory.  The win allows second-place Peoria (8-5) to keep pace with division-leading Quad Cities (HOU), which holds a slim one-game margin over Peoria and Beloit.

A trio of Chiefs’ pitchers joined forces to hold their opponents to just four hits:  Juan Perez, Keaton Siomkin and Eric Carter.  Facing the Snappers for the second consecutive start, Perez kept them to a run on two hits and three free passes over six.  Those results are much improved from his June 29^th start, when he permitted five tallies in eight innings.  Siomkin gave up two hits in his two-inning stint and Carter struck out two in his one-two-three ninth.

Seven Peoria starters accumulated nine hits, with Stefan Trosclair and Ryan McCarvel garnering two apiece.  Both players hit home runs. McCarvel’s was with a runner aboard, and he touched home twice on the evening.

Wednesday’s game:   vs. co-second place Beloit (8-5) (OAK), 7:00 pm CT, Mike O’Reilly (6-2, 1.95)

State College 2 at Williamsport 4

Four late Crosscutters tallies produced a 4-2 loss by the Spikes in the first of three games at Williamsport.  With the defeat, State College (9-6) fell into a two-way tie for second with Mahoning Valley (CLE), a game behind West Virginia (PIT).

Starter Anthony Shew (L, 2-1) held his opponents to just two hits and a walk over the first six but gave up two singles and a two-run double the next frame.  He struck out eight and hit a batter.

Steven Farinaro let Shew’s last runner score before recording the seventh’s final out.  Farinaro was charged with a run on three hits and three bases-on-balls, one intentional, in 1 1/3.

Timely hitting was key in the Spikes’ two scores since they were held to just three singles.  All three hits occurred in the third, combined with a fielding error and wild pitch, generating two runs.

Wednesday’s game:  at fourth-place Williamsport (7-8) (PHI), 7:05 pm ET, Levi MaVorhis (0-0, 7.11)

Johnson City 1 at Greeneville 4

The Appy Birds could not recover from an early deficit, falling to Greeneville, 4-1, in the road series opener.  Third-place Johnson City (7-6) trails the first-place Astros by 1 1/2 games in the standings.

Three of the four tallies charged to Franyel Casadilla (L, 0-2) in just 2/3 of an inning were generated by a home run, one of the three hits and three walks given up.  The Cards had strong efforts in long relief as Will Changarotty and Fabian Blanco both pitched 2 2/3-inning efforts, with Changarotty working around four hits and a walk.  Juan Alvarez retired all six batters faced.

The JC-Cards translated five hits into just one score, a home run by right fielder Carlos Talavera.  Second baseman Wood Myers singled twice in four at bats.

Wednesday’s game:  at Greeneville (8-4), 7:00 pm ET, Edwar Ramirez (1-1, 4.09)

GCL Cardinals 3 at GCL Nationals 2

Single scores in three straight innings rallied the Gulf Birds to a 3-2 win over the first-place GCL Nationals (5-2).  Winners of three straight, the GCL Cardinals (3-4) are tied for third with the GCL Astros, two behind the Nationals.

Down 2-0 through five, the visitors pushed across a run each in the sixth and seventh before Terry Fuller’s first professional home run snapped a 2-2 tie in the eighth.  Fuller led his team’s 11-hit effort, going 3-for-4 out of the five hole.

Elehuris Montero and rehabber Andrew Brodbeck added two hits each, with Montero going 2-for-4 with a run scored and sac fly.  Brodbeck singled twice in five at bats and was one-for-two in stolen base attempts.

Angel Rondon pitched a strong game, yielding two runs on five hits and a walk through six.  Rondon surrendered a solo home run and struck out six.

Right-hander Alex Fagalde limited the opposition to a hit over 1 2/3 for his first professional win.  Patrick Dayton stranded Fagalde’s runner, working around two hits in 1 1/3, for his first save as a pro.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. second-place GCL Marlins (4-3), 12:00 pm ET, Brian Pirela (0-1, 6.00)

DSL Cardinals 5 at DSL Angels 6

The Dominican Cards rallied late to tie but could not break through, suffering a 6-5 walk-off loss to the DSL Angels.  The DSL Cardinals (10-16) are in sixth, 11 behind a red-hot Twins club which holds the best record in the Dominican Summer League.

Oneiver Diaz (L, 0-1) gave up the tie-breaking run on a hit and three walks, one intentional, while recording three outs.  Enmanuel Solano went the first five plus, permitting three runs on five hits and a hit batsman.

Wilman Madera pitched the sixth, allowing a run on three hits and a free pass.  Roy Garcia was charged with a tally on two hits and two walks, one intentional, in 1 2/3.

The visiting Cards struck early with a run in the first, that slim lead holding up until Solano tired in the sixth.  Down 5-1 after seven, the Cardinals tied it up after eight but would score no more.

Six Dominican Birds split eight hits, with catcher Ivan Herrera reaching base four times.  Herrera singled twice in two at bats, worked two free passes, scored one and knocked in another.  First baseman Freddy De Jesus went 2-for-5 with a run scored, striking out twice.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. DSL Angels (13-13), 10:30 am ET, Wilfredo Pereira (0-3, 2.81)

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Results from games played Monday, July 3^rd.

Memphis 4 vs. New Orleans 1

Nick Martini had a three-hit night and the bullpen delivered a strong performance in the Redbirds’ 4-1 victory over the Baby Cakes (30-53) (MIA).  Memphis (51-32) took three games of the four-game set.

Martini finished the night a home run shy of the cycle in four at bats and scored once.  Harrison Bader singled and doubled in three at bats, crossed home once and knocked in one.  The center fielder was the only other Redbird with more than one of the team’s nine hits.

Kevin Herget went the first three innings, permitting a tally on three hits.  Herget took Luke Weaver’s start after St. Louis recalled Weaver earlier Monday.  Trey Nielsen allowed three hits over the next two frames.

Miguel Socolovich (W, 2-1) hurled a scoreless sixth and seventh, yielding one hit.  Mark Montgomery retired all six faced for his second save.

Tuesday’s game:  at third-place Round Rock (39-45) (TEX), 7:05 pm CT, Jack Flaherty (1-1, 4.33)

Springfield 1 at Frisco 4

The S-Cards were held to just four hits in their 4-1 loss at Frisco.  Springfield (5-6) has lost the first two games of the series with one to go.

Chris Ellis (L, 0-4) fell one out shy of finishing the fourth, permitting two runs on six hits, two bases-on-balls and a hit batsman.  Dailyn Martinez stranded two inherited runners while pitching the next 2 1/3, yielding two tallies on seven hits.  Pedro Echemendia gave up two hits and plunked a batter during his two innings on the mound.

Bruce Caldwell reached base each time he came to the plate, singling twice in two at bats with two walks.  The team’s only tally came when Magneuris Sierra singled in Casey Turgeon after the latter worked a free pass and stole his third base of 2017.

Tuesday’s game:  at Frisco (7-4) (TEX), 7:05 pm CT, Austin Gomber (2-6, 4.10)

Palm Beach 8 at Charlotte 4

The Beach Birds scored in six of nine innings for an 8-4 victory over Charlotte (4-6) (TB).  Palm Beach (8-3) took the road series, three games to one.

The visitors banged out 14 hits with six PB-Cards having two hits each:  Thomas Spitz, Darren Seferina, Danny Diekroeger, Andy Young, Blake Drake and Luke Dykstra.  Young knocked in three, Spitz and Drake touched home twice and the other three scored once.  Drake hit a solo shot, his third home run of the season.

Connor Jones (W, 6-4) allowed five hits and three walks over 5 2/3, resulting in three scores.  Chandler Hawkins left Jones’ final runner aboard, striking out three in 2 1/3.  Ramon Santos yielded a run on two hits and a walk in the ninth.

Tuesday’s game:  vs. second-place Bradenton (7-4) (PIT), 6:00 pm ET, TBA

Peoria 4 at Kane County 5

The Chiefs (7-5) could not get out of an early hole, falling 5-4 to the Cougars (7-5) (ARI).  The two second-place teams split the four-game series.

Starter Evan Kruczynski (L, 0-1) was touched for four of the five scores, giving up seven hits in 3 2/3.  Three of the four runs were produced by a first-inning long ball.

Kruczynski’s final run scored under Frederis Parra’s watch. Parra then allowed a tally of his own on four hits over 2 1/3.  Max Almonte and Yeison Medina each tossed a scoreless frame.

All of Peoria’s scoring occurred in the seventh, when they generated four of their five hits for the game.  The big blow was Juan Yepez’ two-run double, scoring Brian O’Keefe (single) and Ryan McCarvel (walk).  Dylan Carlson had singled to open the inning, touching home on a single to right by Vince Jackson.  In turn Jackson scored his team’s final run via J.R. Davis’ sac fly.

Tuesday’s game:  vs. co-leader Beloit (8-4) (OAK), 5:30 pm CT, Juan Perez (1-1, 2.70)

Batavia 5 at State College 4

Three late scores sent State College (9-5) to a 5-4 defeat at the hands of Batavia (6-8) (MIA).  The loss prevented a three-game series sweep by the Spikes.

The home team led 3-2 after six but that was flipped with a two-run seventh.  Both tallies were against reliever Colton Thomson, who struck out eight over three, stranding three inherited, but yielded two hits and a walk.

Paul Balestrieri held the Muckdogs scoreless over the initial three, giving up a hit and two walks.  Andrew Summerville recorded just two outs, allowing two runs on three hits and two free passes.  Robbie Gordon (BS, 1) (0-1) was charged with a run on two hits and a walk in 2 1/3 and let Thomson’s last runner cross.

Three Spikes garnered two hits apiece:  Evan Mendoza, Ricardo Bautista and Edwin Figuera.  Mendoza drove in one in five at bats while Bautista singled and doubled in four at bats with a walk and RBI.  Figuera went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Tuesday’s game:  at fourth-place Williamsport (6-8) (PHI), 1:05 pm ET, Anthony Shew (2-0, 0.84)

Pulaski 7 at Johnson City 1

Long balls by the visitors and a quiet night at the plate by the Cardinals resulted in a 7-1 Johnson City loss to Pulaski (9-3) (NYY) in the decisive third game of the series.

Only one of the six hits by third-place Johnson City (7-5) went for extra bases. Shortstop Delvin Perez’ triple drove in Julio Rodriguez (single) for his team’s only tally.  No Appy Bird had more than one hit.

A quartet of JC-Cards pitchers combined to allow just seven hits, but two were home runs, accounting for four tallies.  Jacob Schlesener’s four-inning outing was a mixed bag. The righty (L, 0-1) struck out nine Yankees but walked four, hit a batter and served up a two-run bomb.

Jake Dahlberg was touched for a run on two hits in the sixth before handing the ball off to Paul Salazar.  Salazar surrendered a two-run home run, allowing four runs in all on two hits and two walks while retiring two.  He also plunked a batter.  Evan Guillory quieted things down with 2 1/3 innings of shutout ball, but by then the game was out of reach.

Tuesday’s game:  at second-place Greeneville (7-4) (HOU), 7:00 pm ET, Franyel Casadilla (0-1, 1.29)

GCL Cardinals 12 vs. GCL Mets 1

The Gulf Birds (2-4) used a balanced offense to pound the GCL Mets, 12-1, for their second consecutive win after losing the first four of the season.

All nine starters either had at least one of 11 team hits or drove in a run.  First baseman Leandro Cedeno and right fielder Sanel Rosendo each went yard, Cedeno with one and Rosendo with two runners aboard.  Cedeno, Rosendo and shortstop Taylor Bryant had two hits apiece, with Cedeno adding a double and Bryant tripling once while scoring twice.

Junior Gonzalez (W, 1-0) tossed five frames of shutout ball, scattering seven hits and a free pass.  Memphis’ Rowan Wick began his rehab assignment by fanning all three batters faced – two swinging and one looking.

Noel De Jesus faced the minimum in the seventh but Chris Hunt was charged with a run on two hits and a walk in his inning of work.  Gabriel Gentner permitted a hit in the ninth.

Tuesday’s game:  at GCL Nationals (5-1), 12:00 pm ET, Angel Rondon (0-1, 1.50)

DSL Cardinals 0 at DSL Twins 3 (7) – Game 1

DSL Twins 8 at DSL Cardinals 5 (7) – Game 2

The DSL Cardinals (10-14) suffered a double-header sweep at the hands of the DSL Twins (19-5) on Monday, 3-0 and 8-5.

The Dominican Birds managed just three hits in the opener, with Ivan Herrera’s double the only one to go for extras.  The catcher did not fare as well on the base paths, being picked off second and caught trying to steal third.

Jose Moreno (L, 0-1) yielded two runs on four hits over four.  He did not issue a free pass.  Nelson Prada was charged with an unearned tally in his two innings of work.

Hector Soto took the loss in the finale, his first against two wins, allowing two runs on four hits in three.  Soto struck out five.  It was the 18-year-old’s first start in six appearances.

Rodard Avelino had a hard time finding the strike zone, issuing more free passes (three) than he recorded outs (two).  Avelino was charged with three runs.

Leonardo Taveras limited further damage to Avelino by leaving the latter’s last runner aboard but allowed three hits and a walk over 2 1/3.  All three of the runs charged to Taveras crossed home with Dionis Zamora on the mound.  Zamora struck out the side but gave up a hit and walk.

The DSL Cardinals supplemented their five hits with five bases-on-balls.  Second baseman Erik Pena and first baseman Freddy De Jesus each had two hits, Pena doubling once with two runs scored and De Jesus touching home one time.

Tuesday’s game:  at DSL Angels (12-13), 10:30 am ET, Enmanuel Solano (1-0, 4.91)

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