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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – June 11, 2021

Photo: Masyn Winn (Ryan Dowd/Palm Beach Cardinals)

St Louis’ minors went 2-2 on Thursday.  Palm Beach rode to victory behind a career night by Masyn Winn while Peoria edged out a win as well.  Both Memphis’ and Springfield’s bats were quiet, resulting in a loss for each team.

Results from games played Thursday, June 10th

Memphis 0 vs Gwinnett 11
Ineffective pitching and silent bats were a losing combination as the Redbirds fell to the Stripers at AutoZone Park, 11-0.  Currently, Memphis (12-21) has a five-game losing streak, including the first three of this six-game set, and has scored just one run in their last 22 innings.

The offense had just two hits, singles by center fielder Matt Szczur and pinch hitter Dennis Ortega, and two walks.

Dennis Ortega

Three of four Memphis hurlers taking the mound Thursday evening were scored upon, beginning with Tommy Parsons.  Parsons was charged with four runs on nine hits, including two long balls accounting for three runs, in five plus innings.

Grant Black topped Parson’s performance, yielding five tallies on four hits and a walk in 1 2/3 frames.  One of his four hits was a three-run bomb.

Both runs given up by Tyler Webb in his return to Memphis from St Louis were generated by one home run.  That bomb was one of three hits permitted against four batters retired.

Jesus Cruz was the lone bright spot on the bump, tossing a one-two-three ninth.

Friday’s game:  vs Gwinnett (17-15)(ATL),  7:10 pm CT, Connor Thomas (1-0, 4.63)

Springfield 1 vs Arkansas 4
Springfield managed just one hit, dropping a 4-1 decision to Arkansas at Hammonds Field.  The S-Cards (10-22) have won two of the first three games in the six-game series and remain in fifth and last place in the North Division standings, nine games behind Tulsa (LAD).

The home team’s entire offense consisted of David Vinsky who reached base three times.  The left fielder’s sixth-inning single broke up the Travelers’ no-hit bid while he scored the only run, unearned, via the second of his two base-on-balls.  Vinsky was unsuccessful in his only stolen base attempt.

David Vinsky

Kyle Leahy absorbed his fifth loss against no wins, permitting two runs on five hits and three free passes issued over 5 2/3 innings.  Michael Brettell recorded the sixth’s last out, leaving two inherited runners aboard, but surrendered a solo long ball, one of two hits and two walks given up in the next frame.  Four of the six outs recorded by Jacob Bosiokovic were strikeouts, but the only hit allowed by the 27-year-old was a solo shot.

Friday’s game:   vs fourth-place Arkansas (15-17)(SEA),  7:05 pm CT, Tyler Pike (0-1, 24.55)

Peoria 4 vs Quad Cities 3
The Chiefs’ late surge provided the edge needed to slip by the River Bandits, 4-3, for a two-games-to-one series’ lead.  Sixth-place Peoria (14-19) trails first-place Quad Cities by 6 ½ games in the six-team West Division standings.

Down 2-1 after six, the home team transformed three hits, a fielder’s choice and an RBI ground out into a 4-2 lead then held on for the win.  The only Chief with more than one of the team’s seven hits was shortstop Francisco Hernandez who singled twice in four at bats, crossing home plate once.

Right fielder Jhon Torres accounted for two tallies, going 1-for-4 with a double, run scored and RBI.  Malcom Nunez, Pedro Pages and Tyler Reichenborn each drove in one while Cristhian Longa and Matt Chamberlain both scored a run.

Starter Jack Ralston struck out eight over 5 2/3 frames, yielding two runs on three hits and three walks.  Nathanael Heredia picked up the win, his first in three decisions, working around three hits and a free pass issued over 1 1/3 innings and stranding two inherited runners.

Jack Ralston

Jacob Schlesener was dinged for a tally on two hits in his inning on the bump.  Wilfredo Pereira made things interesting in the ninth but maneuvered around two hits for his first save.

Friday’s game:  vs Quad Cites (20-12)(KC),  6:35 pm CT, Connor Lunn (1-1, 5.88)

Palm Beach 14 at St Lucie 8
A nine-run first inning propelled the Beach Birds over the Mets, 14-8, halting a five-game losing skid.  Palm Beach (9-24) remains in fourth place in the four-team East Division, 10 games behind St Lucie.

Home runs were a crucial component in the victory with eight of the team’s 14 runs generated by three bombs.  The offensive spearhead was lead-off batter Masyn Winn whose first blast of 2021 was a grand slam capping the first-inning scoring, a frame in which the Mets’ starter did not record an out.  Player of the Day Winn reached base five times, going 3-for-4 with two base-on-balls, the aforementioned home run, three runs scored and four RBI’s.

Masyn Winn

Matt Koperniak also garnered a three-hit performance in four at bats, launching a solo shot which comprised one of his two runs scored and three driven in.  The center fielder also worked a base-on-balls.

Three Palm Beach players had one hit apiece, including first baseman Todd Lott, whose three-run bomb was part of his team’s five-run fifth and his only hit in three at bats.  Lott was issued two free passes, touched home twice and knocked in four.

The pitching side did not click nearly as well as did the bats.  Starter Gustavo J Rodriguez lasted just two plus innings, yielding five tallies on eight hits and no walks.

Right-hander Edgar Manzo (W, 1-1) tossed another impressive effort, retiring nine of 10 batters faced.  The sole St Lucie player to reach against the 20-year-old was on a base-on-balls but the Mexico native did allow both inherited runners to score on two sac flies.

Dionys Rodriguez navigated around a hit and two free passes issued for a clean sixth, but Luis Tena ran into trouble the next frame.  The righty allowed two hits and a walk, resulting in three tallies, two earned.  Francisco Justo worked 2 1/3 frames of scoreless ball, striking out four and walking three while leaving Tena’s last runner on base.

Friday’s game: at first-place St Lucie (19-14) (NYM), 6:10 pm ET, John Beller (0-3, 5.47)


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Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2021 Week 5


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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – June 9, 2021

Photo: Nolan Gorman (Springfield Cardinals)

Springfield’s team-wide effort led to the system’s only victory on Tuesday, highlighted by a nine strikeout performance from Ramon Santos, and a home run from Nolan Gorman.  Peoria went down to defeat as did Palm Beach, the latter despite Todd Lott’s stellar 3-for-4 performance.  Memphis’ game was rained out.

Results from games played Tuesday, June 8th

Memphis vs Gwinnett – postponed   
Tuesday’s contest at AutoZone Park between Memphis (12-18) and Gwinnett was postponed due to rain.  The game has been rescheduled as part of a double-header on Wednesday, June 9th with game one starting at 5:05 pm CT.

Wednesday’s games:  vs Gwinnett (15-15)(ATL).  Game one – 5:05  pm CT, Zack Thompson (0-3, 9.64)/Tommy Parsons (1-1, 5.40)

Springfield 8 vs Arkansas 6
Alec Burleson’s two-run single in the eighth provided the difference as the S-Cards flew (9-21) past the Travelers, 8-6.  The contest is the first of six between the two North Division rivals.

Burleson’s bases-loaded hit came with two gone, scoring Delvin Perez (single) and Nolan Gorman (walk) and snapping a 6-6 tie in the back-and-forth affair.  The right fielder singled twice in five at bats, garnering two of the team’s 11 hits.

Most of the offense, however, was provided by the long ball.  Nolan Gorman’s fourth bomb of 2021 got the scoring started in the first.  The home run drove in Perez after the latter doubled, the first of his three hits in five at bats, giving Springfield a brief 2-0 lead.

Arkansas answered with two two-run frames off Dalton Roach who surrendered long balls to the same Traveler in consecutive innings.  That put the visitors up 4-2 through three but designated hitter Aaron Antonini launched a three-run blast of his own, edging his team ahead 5-4 after four.

Antonini’s first home run of the season plated Brendan Donovan and Nick Dunn, both of whom reach base via singles.

The lead was again short lived with Roach serving up another home run to his first batter (different Travel than the prior two long balls) the next inning.  After retiring the next two batters, the Wisconsin native was removed when he allowed his seventh hit in 4 2/3 frames.  Roach struck out seven.

Ramon Santos (W, 2-0) recorded the fifth’s final out, stranding the inherited runner, then watched his teammates hand him another lead.  Donovan worked a two-out free pass, swiped second – his first steal of 2021 – and scored on Dunn’s line drive single to left.

Dunn was one of four Springfield players with a multi-hit effort, joining Burleson, Perez and Gorman, the latter going 2-for-4 with a walk, home run, two runs scored and two RBI.

The 6-5 lead lasted until the visitor half of the seventh when Santos permitted a tally on a walk and RBI double, the only base-on-balls and one of two hits given up over 3 1/3 innings.  The righty struck out nine.

Ramon Santos

Edgar Escobar made things interesting in the ninth after yielding a hit and walk but fanned two for his third save.

Wednesday’s game:   vs Arkansas (14-16)(SEA),  6:35 pm CT, Domingo Robles (0-1, 3.42)

Peoria 3 vs Quad Cities 6
Peoria (12-19) began a 12-game home stand with a 6-3 defeat to Quad Cities.

Michael YaSenka took the loss, his second in as many decisions, allowing five runs on five hits and two walks in six frames.  Three of the five scores were generated by one long ball.

A trio of Chiefs relievers tossed one inning each.  Fabian Blanco worked around two hits, but Enmanuel Solano was touched for a run, unearned, on a hit and free pass issued.  Freddy Pacheco walked one in the ninth.

Peoria mustered just five hits with two of their three tallies being unearned.  Shortstop Moises Castillo singled twice in four at bats, driving designated hitter Zade Richardson twice.  Richardson went 0-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored while catcher Pedro Pages doubled once in five at bats with a run scored.

Moises Castillo

Defensively, second baseman Francisco Hernandez committed a fielding error, his third miscue of the season, and Pages was charged with two passed balls.  On the plus side, right fielder Leandro Cedeno was credited with an outfield assist at home and Hernandez was part of a 4-3 double play.

Wednesday’s game:  vs Quad Cites (20-10)(KC),  6:35 pm CT, Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (1-2, 4.40)

Palm Beach 6 at St Lucie 12
Beach Bird pitchers were scored upon in five of eight innings as Palm Beach (8-23) was soundly thrashed by St Lucie, 12-6.

Jose Moreno could not finish the fourth, giving up seven runs, six earned, on eight hits, three walks and a hit batsman in 3 1/3 frames.  Six of the seven tallies came in the third.

The bullpen did not fare much better.  Jose Davila was charged with a tally on two hits and a base-on-balls with three strikeouts during his 2 2/3-inning stint.  The 18-year-old left Moreno’s last two runners on base.

Davila did better than Edwin Nunez, who allowed four scores on six hits, including a solo shot, in 1 2/3 frames.  Will Guay replaced Nunez after the solo home run then permitted a single and base-on-balls before recording the last out.

The Beach Birds’ offense held up their end, banging out 11 hits.  The attack was led by Player of the Day Todd Lott’s three-hit performance, the first baseman going 3-for-4 with a solo bomb, his fourth long ball of 2021, two runs scored and two knocked in.  Three Palm Beach players had two hits apiece:  shortstop Masyn Winn, center fielder Patrick Romeri, and left fielder Tommy Jew.

Todd Lott

Wednesday’s game: at St Lucie (18-13) (NYM),  12:10 pm ET, Ludwin Jimenez (0-3, 4.50)


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Palm Beach Cardinals Notebook – 2021 Week 5


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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – June 7, 2021

Photo: Grant Black (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

Offense and Pitching were scarce to be found in St Louis’ 0-for-4 Sunday as the four teams were outscored by a combined 27-5 differential.  Pitcher Grant Black’s maiden Triple-A effort for Memphis was one of the system’s few bright spots as was Nolan Gorman’s four-hit night.

Results from games played Sunday, June 6th

Memphis 1 vs Toledo 4
Grant Black’s encouraging Triple-A pitching debut went for naught as the Redbirds fell to the Mud Hens, 4-1.  Memphis (12-18) and Toledo (14-15) each won three of the six games in their just completed series.

Player of the Day Black, an Indy ball acquisition in February 2020, tossed four shutout frames in his first start of 2021 after 10 relief appearances for Springfield.  The lefty limited the opposition to three hits and did not issue a free pass.

Grant Black

Evan Kruczynski fanned five over the next two innings, blanking Toledo on a hit and two walks.  But Connor Jones (L, 1-2)(BS, 2) nearly matched the four outs recorded to runs given up, allowing three tallies on three hits and two base-on-balls.

Roel Ramirez retired three batters but not before getting dinged for an unearned score with two hits and a walk yielded.  Austin Warner recorded the final two outs, permitting a hit driving in Ramirez’ base runner.

The offense mustered six hits with the team’s sole tally generated by Ali Sanchez’ first home run of the season.  It was the catcher’s only hit in four at bats.  Lead off batter Evan Mendoza singled twice in four at bats, the only Redbird with more than one hit.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:  vs Gwinnett (15-15)(ATL),  7:10 pm CT, TBA

Springfield 2 vs San Antonio 9
A six-run seventh blew open a competitive contest, leading to the S-Cards’ 9-2 defeat by the Missions.  Springfield (8-21) claimed two of the six-game set versus San Antonio (15-15).

The S-Cards never lead a game in which they did not score until putting up a straight number in each of the final two frames despite matching their opponents’ 13 hits.  Third baseman Nolan Gorman led the offense, going 4-for-5 out of the lead-off spot.

Nolan Gorman

Designated hitter Nick Raposo went 2-for-3 with a base-on-balls and run scored in the nine hole.  The only other Redbird with more than one hit was left fielder David Vinsky who singled and doubled in four at bats with an RBI.  His two-bagger one of only two hits to go for extra bases.

Luken Baker doubled and scored via a ground out in the eighth, his only hit in five at bats.  Center fielder Nick Plummer reached base three times, going 1-for-4 with a walk and RBI plus reaching base a third time on a Missions’ miscue.  His base-on-balls brought Springfield’s other run across the plate in the ninth.

Andre Pallante (L, 2-1) scattered seven hits and two walks over five innings, holding San Antonio to two scores.  The 22-year-old struck out five.

Jacob Bosiokovic tossed a clean sixth but was hammered the next frame, surrendering six runs, four earned, on four hits, two base-on-balls and a plunked batter in 1 1/3 innings.  Michael Brettell retired five batters, giving up a hit and stranding an inherited runner, but Edgar Escobar served up a ninth-inning home run.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:  vs Arkansas  (14-15)(SEA),  6:35 pm CT, TBA

Peoria 2 vs Wisconsin 11
Quality pitching was in short supply for the Chiefs in their 11-2 defeat by the Timber Rattlers (15-15)(MIL).  Peoria (12-18) split the six-game set with their West Division rivals.

Three of four Chiefs hurlers were scored upon, beginning with Logan Gragg who made his second consecutive start after five relief appearances.  The 22-year-old tossed a season-high four frames, yielding two runs on four hits, two base-on-balls and a sac fly while striking out three.  The righty threw 43 of his 61 pitches for strikes.

Gragg turned over a 2-2 tie to Wilfredo Pereira (L, 1-3) who was tagged for three scores on three hits and two walks in two innings.  One of the three hits was a two-run long ball.

Nathanael Heredia retired just two batters, giving up four hits and issuing two free passes, resulting in six runs.  Two of the six tallies derived from one home run.

Three of the four outs recorded by Evan Sisk were strikeouts, the lefty representing the sole Peoria pitcher to not allow the opposition to cross home.  The only batter to reach against Sisk was via a hit-by-pitch.

Peoria’s offense consisted of five hits and four base-on-balls with single scores coming in the second and fourth.  First baseman Leandro Cedeno had an excellent day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and RBI.

Leandro Cedeño

Shortstop Moises Castillo reached base twice, singling once in three at bats with a base-on-balls and one knocked in.   Centerfielder Tyler Reichenborn scored both runs, getting aboard twice via free passes.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:  vs Quad Cites (19-10)(KC),  6:35 pm CT, Michael Ya Senka (0-1, 6.20)

Palm Beach 0 vs Jupiter 4
The Beach Birds’ lackluster offense managed just three hits as the team dropped a 4-0 decision to Jupiter (16-14)(MIA).  Palm Beach (8-22) scored a combined four runs in their four losses of the six-game series.

All three hits were singles and were matched by the three miscues committed defensively.  Shortstop Masyn Winn committed two errors, one throwing and one fielding,  and third baseman Jacob Buchberger was charged with a throwing bobble.  On the defensive plus side, center fielder Tommy Jew was credited with an outfield assist at second base.

Inohan Paniagua (L, 2-1) had a one-hitter going through five but could not finish the sixth.  The Dominican native allowed four runs, two earned, on four hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings.  Paniagua threw 77 pitches, 50 for strikes.

Inohan Paniagua

The bullpen shut down the Hammerheads the rest of the way.  Luis Tena retired four batters, three on strikeouts, yielding a hit and walk.   Luis Ortiz issued an eighth-inning free pass and Dionys Rodriguez tossed a one-two-three ninth.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:   at St Lucie () (NYM), 6:10 pm ET, Jose Moreno (0-2, 8.00)


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Memphis Redbirds Notebook – 2021 Week 4


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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – June 4, 2021

Photo: Conner Capel (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Connor Capel’s bat helped Memphis to a double-header sweep, two of three victories in five games for St Louis’ minors on Thursday.  Palm Beach walked off with a win of their own but Springfield and Peoria both went down to defeat, the latter despite Brendan Donovan’s noteworthy night at the plate.

Results from games played Thursday, June 3rd

Memphis 10 vs Toledo 6 (7) – game one
Memphis 3 vs Toledo 2  (7) – game two
The Redbirds swept a pair from the Mud Hens at AutoZone Park on Thursday, 10-6 and 3-2, the latter in walk off fashion.  Memphis (10-16) takes a two-games-to-one series’ lead with three on tap and now claim sole possession of fifth place in the Southeast Division, 10 ½ games behind Nashville (MIL).

Offense propelled the home team to victory in the opener which featured a combined 16 runs and 24 hits.  All nine starters reached base, led by designated hitter Ali Sanchez who went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and two driven in.

Three Redbirds garnered two hits each:  first baseman John Nogowski, shortstop Evan Mendoza and centerfielder Conner Capel.  Nogowski and Mendoza both singled twice in four at bats and crossed home twice, Nogowski adding two RBI.  Capel went 2-for-3 with a double, his first triple, a walk, a run scored and one knocked in.

Two more Memphis players contributed to the cause.  Second baseman Kramer Robertson reached base twice, doubling once in three at bats with a base-on-balls, run scored and RBI.  Right fielder Justin Toerner’s Triple-A debut saw him launch a two-run home run, his only hit in three at bats.

Justin Toerner

Tommy Parsons (W, 1-1) was the beneficiary of the offensive largess, picking up the win despite allowing six runs on 11 hits, including a solo long ball.  He did not issue a free pass.  Connor Jones faced the minimum in the seventh, striking out two.

Pitching highlighted the nightcap, a make-up contest that was washed away on June 1st.  Austin Warner toed the rubber, his first 2021 start after seven relief appearances.  The lefty limited Toledo to a two-run second inning, yielding three hits, two base-on-balls and plunking a batter over 4 1/3 frames.

Roel Ramirez recorded five outs, four via the K, giving up a hit and stranding an inherited runner.  Evan Kruczynski tossed a one-two-three seventh, putting him in line for his second win in as many decisions after his teammates walked it off in the bottom of the inning.

Contrasting with the 13 hits Memphis banged out in game one, the Redbirds accumulated just five in the finale.  Capel got his team on the board with a solo shot in the home half of the second.  The bomb was one of the centerfielder’s two hits in three at bats, adding his second triple of the season and driving in two.  For his combined efforts in the twinbill, Capel earns the Player of the Day nod.

Conner Capel

Capel’s second triple of both the day and season drove in Nogowski after the latter greeted a new Mud Hens hurler with a third-inning double.  The game remained tied at 2-2 until left fielder Rayder Ascanio opened the seventh with a moon shot over the left center wall for the walk off win.

Friday’s game:  vs Toledo (12-14)(DET), 7:10  pm CT, Connor Thomas (1-2, 4.62)

Springfield 1 vs San Antonio 9
It was a long night for S-Cards pitchers as they were drubbed by the Missions, 9-1.  Springfield (7-19) has claimed one of the first three series’ games with three yet to play.  The S-Cards, who remain in fifth and last place in the five-team North Division, trail Tulsa (LAD) by 8 ½ games.

Starter Domingo Robles (L, 0-1) was charged with the unlucky loss despite both tallies he gave up being unearned.  The 23-year-old fanned four over 4 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and no walks.

Robles may have been tagged with the loss but the bullpen let the game get out of hand.  Jacob Bosiokovic permitted three scores on two hits and a free pass issued against four outs recorded.  The right-hander did leave Robles’ last runner aboard.

Michael Brettell was also scored upon, allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings.  Jacob Patterson recorded the ninth’s final out, working around a base-on-balls that jammed the sacks full.

Springfield’s only tally gave them an early 1-0 lead after two but the advantage evaporated.  Luken Baker’s fourth home run of 2021 was his only hit in three at bats.  Nolan Gorman was the only S-Card with more than one of the team’s five hits, singling and doubling in four at bats.

Luken Baker

Defensively, the home team committed four miscues leading to three unearned scores.  Third baseman Imeldo Diaz, second baseman Gorman plus pitchers Robles and Bosiokovic were the culprits.

Friday’s game:   vs San Antonio (13-14)(SD),  7:05 pm CT, Kyle Leahy (0-4, 15.98)

Peoria 7 at Wisconsin 8
The Chiefs came out on the wrong end of a see-saw road contest, falling to the Timber Rattlers, 8-7.  Peoria trails in the series, one game to two, and sit in sixth place in the six-team West Division stands, 6 ½ behind Quad Cities (KC).

A two-run first gave Peoria an early advantage, but Wisconsin responded with five runs off starter Nick Trogrlic-Iverson, going up 5-2 after three.  Trogrlic-Iverson did not finish the second, all five tallies generated by five hits and four free passes issued.

Enmanuel Solano stranded two inherited runners, limiting the damage to Trogrlic-Iverson but was tagged for a run on three hits and a base-on-balls during his 3 1/3 innings of work.

That run put the hosts up 6-2 through five frames but Peoria had one last offensive push in them.  The Chiefs exploded for a five-run sixth capped by Brendan Donovan’s grand slam, going back in front 7-6 after six.

Brendan Donovan

Wisconsin had the final response, scoring a run in the seventh and eighth.  The tallies were charged to Fabian Blanco (L, 2-1)(BS, 1) who allowed five hits and retired eight batters.  Jacob Schlesener was on the mound when Blanco’s last base runner was caught stealing second.

Donovan had a big game for his team, going 3-for-5 with a double and the aforementioned blast that was one of his two runs scored and all four of his RBI’s.

Eight of nine starters either had at least one of Peoria’s ten hits or seven base-on-balls.  Centerfielder Tyler Reichenborn and shortstop Moises Castillo had two hits apiece, in three and five at bats respectively.  Brady Whalen launched his third long ball of 2021, his only hit in three at bats.

Friday’s game:  at Wisconsin (14-13)(MIL),  7:05 pm CT,  Jack Ralston (1-2, 2.21)

Palm Beach 5 vs Jupiter 4
Donivan Williams’ single drove in Tommy Jew in the ninth, giving the Beach Birds a 5-4 walk off victory over the Hammerheads.  Palm Beach (8-19) has claimed two of the first three games of the series with three to go.

The victory allowed fourth (and last) place Palm Beach to gain a game on first-place St. Lucie (NYM) whom they trail by eight games in the East Division standings.

Williams’ one-out single, his only hit in three at bats, easily brought Jew across home plate after the latter walked to open the frame.  Jew’s successful steal of second prompted an errant throw by Jupiter’s pitcher, advancing the right fielder to third.

Palm Beach generated eight hits, Todd Lott and Jacob Buchberger acquiring two apiece.  Lott doubled twice in four at bats, touching home once and Buchberger went 2-for-4 with a double and RBI.  Jew’s sole hit in three at bats was his first career long ball which came with the bases empty.

Todd Lott

Defensively, the home team committed three errors.  Shortstop Masyn Winn was charged with both a throwing and fielding bobble while third baseman Darlyn Del Villar could not field the ball cleanly once.

That Beach Birds’ defense hindered their pitching staff’s efforts, resulting in three unearned tallies.  Starter Levi Prater was tagged with one of those unearned scores, the only run he allowed along with two hits and three walks through 4 1/3 frames.  The lefty fanned seven.

That run scored with Edwin Nunez on the bump, the righty charged with a run of his own, earned, on two hits and three base-on-balls in two innings.  Hector Soto recorded seventh’s last two outs but not before Nunez’ final base runner crossed home plate.  Soto gave up two hits and a walk in his maiden 2021 effort.

Dionys Rodriguez (BS, 1) was tasked with holding a 4-2 lead after seven but could not pitch around defensive lapses leading to two unearned runs that frame to go with two hits permitted.  Will Guay (W, 2-0) worked around his own wildness, tossing a clean ninth despite walking three and throwing a wild pitch.

Friday’s game: vs Jupiter (13-14) MIA(),  6 :30 pm ET, TBA


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Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2021 Week 4


Now Available – 2021 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – June 2, 2021

Photo: Andre Pallante (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

St Louis’ minors went 1-1 with the other two games impacted by inclement weather.  Starter Andre Pallante and the Springfield offense were victorious in their efforts but Peoria went down to defeat.  Memphis’ contest was postponed and Palm Beach was unable to finish their game.

Results from games played Tuesday, June 1st

Memphis vs Toledo – postponed
The first of six games at AutoZone Park between Memphis (9-15) and Toledo was postponed due to inclement weather.  The contest has been rescheduled as part of a twin bill on Thursday, June 3rd with game one’s start scheduled for 5:05 pm CT.

Wednesday’s game:  vs Toledo (11-12)(DET),  7:10 pm CT, Thomas Parsons (0-1, 4.56)

Springfield 10 vs San Antonio 3
S-Card bats pounced early to back Andre Pallante’s solid start, generating a 10-3 victory over the Missions in the home series’ opener.

Springfield (7-17) used a balanced offensive attack that saw all nine starters either garner one of the team’s 11 hits or cross home plate.  The steady effort resulted in five first-inning tallies, driving San Antonio’s starter from the game before he recorded his second out.  Springfield added two more in the seventh, capping the scoring with a three-run eighth.

The offense featured four S-Cards with two hits apiece: catcher Ivan Herrera, second baseman Nolan Gorman, first baseman Luken Baker and left fielder Alec Burleson – the two through five hitters in the lineup.

Herrera did the most damage, going 2-for-3 with two walks, three runs scored and an RBI.  Gorman singled twice in five at bats in the two hole just ahead of Herrera, scoring once, his third consecutive multi-hit start.

Baker matched Gorman’s output, going 2-for-5 while touching home once while Burleson continued his assault on Double-A hurlers.  The 22-year-old, the 70th pick in the June 2020 First-Year Player Draft, has compiled a .356/.420/.620/1.040 line in 45 at bats since his May 17th promotion from High-A Peoria.

Burleson’s third Springfield double was one of three extra-base hits along with a double by David Vinsky and Nick Plummer’s second triple of 2021.

Nick Plummer

The bats supported Player of the Day Pallante (W, 2-0) who has been one of the most consistent starters in St Louis’ minors this season.  The right-hander held San Antonio to two tallies on six hits and two base-on-balls in five innings.  Pallante has yielded two or fewer runs in all six starts, going five frames in three of his most recent four starts.

Ramon Santos and Edgar Escobar tossed two frames apiece, Santos surrendering a home run that was his only hit allowed.  Escobar retired all six batters faced.

Wednesday’s game:   vs San Antonio (11-14)(SD),  6:35 pm CT, Dalton Roach (1-2)(5.82)

Peoria 0 at Wisconsin 3
Peoria (9-16) could not get key hits as they fell at Wisconsin, 3-0.

The Chiefs’ outhit their rivals, eight to seven, but went 0-for-8 with runners In scoring position, stranding six.  The sole Peoria player with more than one hit was left fielder Matt Chamberlain who singled and doubled in three at bats at the bottom of the order.  The Timber Rattlers did not issue a free pass.

Logan Gragg (L, 0-2) gave a good account in his first start of 2021 after five relief appearances.  The tall Arkansas native limited the opposition to a run on three hits and a sac fly in 3 1/3 frames, departing with the bases clean.  Gragg did not walk a batter.

Logan Gragg

Wilfredo Pereira recorded eight outs, permitting one score on two hits and two base-on-balls while fanning five.  Freddy Pacheco was not scored upon in his inning on the bump, issuing one free pass but Jacob Schlesener was tagged for an eighth-inning run on two hits and a sac fly.

Wednesday’s game:  at Wisconsin (13-12)(MIL),  7:05 pm CT, Michael YaSenka (0-1, 5.60)

Palm Beach vs Jupiter – suspended
Tuesday’s contest between Palm Beach (6-18) and Jupiter was suspended due to rain.  The scoreless game was halted with two gone in the top of the fourth and a runner on first while Inohan Paniagua was pitching for the Beach Birds.  The contest’s completion is scheduled for Wednesday, June 2nd along with the regularly scheduled game.

Wednesday’s game: vs Jupiter (12-12) (MIA), 12:00 pm ET, TBA


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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – May 31, 2021

Photo: Luken Baker (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

It was an 0-fer day in St Louis’ minors on Sunday with all four teams going down to defeat.  Luken Baker’s grand slam for Springfield was one of the bright spots as was teammate Ivan Herrera’s three-hit effort.

Results from games played Sunday, May 30th

Memphis 0 at Gwinnett 5     

A short start, faltering bullpen and ineffective offense resulted in the Redbirds’ 5-0 defeat to Gwinnett (ATL)(13-10) at Coolray Field.  Memphis (9-14) won just one of the six-game road series, sitting fifth in the six-team Southeast Division, 9 ½ behind Nashville (MIL).

Angel Rondon’s (L, 0-3) fifth start lasted just four frames despite the righty yielding just an unearned tally on three hits and two walks.  Trailing 1-0 in the top of the fifth and facing a two on/none out opportunity, Memphis manager Ben Johnson elected to pull Rondon for a pinch hitter but the move generated no positive results.

Angel Rondón

The Stripers jumped on the Redbirds’ bullpen for four more tallies, beginning with reliever Bernardo Flores Jr.  Flores was tagged for three runs on three hits and a whopping five free passes issued over 2 1/3 innings.

Evan Kruczynski walked one and retired two, stranding two inherited runners.  But Connor Jones surrendered a home run with the bases empty in his inning on the mound.

The sole Memphis player with more than one of the team’s six hits was Conner Capel who singled and doubled in four at bats, batting clean up.  The right fielder was caught stealing in his only attempt.

Third baseman Irving Lopez reached base twice, going 1-for-3 with a base-on-balls in the eight slot.  Defensively, Lopez was charged with a fielding error, his first miscue overall.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:  vs Toledo (DET)(10-12), 6:10 pm CT, TBA

Springfield 5 at Wichita 6            

The S-Cards could not hold an early lead, falling to the Wind Surge at Riverfront Stadium 6-5.  Springfield (6-17) and Wichita (14-10)(MN) split the six-game series.  The S-Cards, who are in fifth place in the five-team North Division of the Double-A Central, trail Tulsa (LAD) by 7 ½ games.

The contest got off to a bang when Player of the Day Luken Baker smashed a grand slam, scoring Nick Plummer (walk), Ivan Herrera (single) and Juan Yepez (catcher’s interference).  The home run was Baker’s only hit in two at bats although the first baseman did work two base-on-balls.

Luken Baker

Wichita crept back into the game with single scores off starter Kyle Leahy in three of the initial four frames. After the visitors added a fifth-inning tally, Leahy did not retire any of his four batters faced in the home half of the frame, leading to his departure.

The Colorado native allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks with six strikeouts in four plus innings.

Michael Brettell kept the score at 5-4 Springfield by negotiating around a bases-loaded with no outs jam.  However, Brettell gave up a solo long ball in his third and final inning of work, one of two hits permitted.

Jake Walsh (L, 2-1) surrendered the game difference in the eighth via a double, two walks (one intentional) and a run-scoring wild pitch.

Springfield banged out nine hits led by Herrera who went 3-for-4 with a double, base-on-balls and two runs scored before being ejected in the ninth.   The only other S-Card with a multi-hit effort was Yepez who singled twice in three at bats, touching home once.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:  vs San Antonio (SD)(11-12), 6:35 pm CT, TBA

Peoria 3 at Beloit 7             

The Chiefs could not overcome an early deficit in their 7-3 loss at Beloit (MIA)(13-11).  Peoria (9-15) won three of their six-game set, and are in sixth place in the six-team West Division, 6 ½ games in back of Quad Cities (KC).

Connor Lunn took the loss, his first in two decisions, yielding four tallies on six hits and a walk in five plus frames.  The right-hander fanned seven.

Lunn’s last two runs scored under Fabian Blanco’s watch via a one-out single and a sac bunt.  It was the only hit allowed by Blanco during his inning of work to go with three strikeouts.  Wilfredo Pereira served up two solo shots constituting two of the three runs charged to him on three hits plus a plunked batter in two frames.

Down 2-0 through four, Peoria put up single tallies in each of the next two frames for a brief 2-2 tie at the sixth’s midpoint.  The Chiefs added a final run in the eighth, temporarily closing the deficit to 5-3.

Six Chiefs had one hit apiece with another two players reaching base via a base-on-balls.  Tyler Reichenborn launched his second bomb of 2021 while Brady Whalen doubled in a run.  It was the only hit in four at bats for both players.

Tyler Reichenborn

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:  at third-place Wisconsin (MIL)(12-11), 7:05 pm CT, TBA

Palm Beach 1 at Brandenton 13     

Starter John Beller retired just two batters while four of his six successors were scored upon as the Beach Birds were thumped by The Marauders 13-1.  Fourth-place Palm Beach (6-18) suffered a series’ sweep by Bradenton (PIT)(15-9) and sits firmly in last place in the Southeast Division, nine games in back of St Lucie (NYM).

Beller (L, 0-2) permitted four runs on four hits and two walks, two of the tallies coming from a long ball.  He threw 14 of his 33 pitches for strikes.

Righty Will Guay recorded the first’s last out, leaving Beller’s final two runners on base.  But the 24-year-old yielded a solo shot, one of two hits allowed along with a walk during his 2 1/3 innings.

Edwin Nunez tossed a clean fourth with one free pass issued, bouncing back from a horrific May 25th appearance in which Bradenton tagged him for 10 runs on eight hits and two base-on-balls in two frames.

Luis Tena pitched the fifth, giving up three runs on two doubles, a triple and wild pitch.

Yordy Richard ‘outdid’ Tena by permitting three tallies in just 2/3 of an inning.  The 18-year-old yielded two hits and issued three free passes.

Reinys Portillo negated further damage by stranding three of Richard’s base runners but was tagged for two scores via a hit and four walks the next inning.  Luis Ortiz retired all four batters faced, stranding three inherited runners.

Palm Beach managed just five hits and their only run was unearned due to a two-base throwing error by Bradenton’s center fielder.  Catcher Roblin Heredia’s single up the middle ended up with him on third.  Masyn Winn’s fourth double of 2021 drove in Heredia easily.  The shortstop added his 11th stolen base, tying him for third in the league in that category.

Masyn Winn

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:   vs second-place (tie) Jupiter (MIA) (12-12), 6:30 pm ET, TBA


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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – May 28, 2021

photo: Alec Burleson (Trevor Travis/Peoria Chiefs)

In the 1-2 Thursday across the St. Louis Cardinals system, a top pitching prospect was battered and a late lead was squandered. In Springfield’s road win, Alec Burleson plated three and Ivan Herrera crossed home plate three times. Peoria was rained out.

Results from games played Thursday, May 27th.

Memphis 2 at Gwinnett 14

The Redbirds could not overcome an early and enormous hole, resulting in a 14-2 pounding by the Stripers.  Memphis (8-13) has lost the first three of six games at Coolray Field by an aggregate tally of 27-8.

Starter and TCN no. 5 prospect Zack Thompson (L, 0-2) retired just four batters, surrendering an eight-run second inning on nine hits and two walks.  One of those hits was one of four home runs allowed by Redbirds pitchers, accounting for seven tallies.  Thompson’s long ball came with the bases clear.

Seth Elledge used four strikeouts to navigate around three hits for 1 2/3 scoreless frames.  The native Texan left Thompson’s final base runner aboard.

Andrew Miller served up a solo shot to the same Striper batter as Thompson in his second rehab outing.  It was his only hit given up to go with a free pass issued in his inning of work.

Evan Kruczynski was the third and final Memphis hurler to be bitten by the home run.  The lefty permitted a grand slam to the identical nemesis as Thompson and Miller plus a solo bomb so someone not named Alex Jackson.  Kruczynski recorded six outs, allowing four hits and a base-on-balls.

Connor Jones used a double play to mitigate a double plus two walks for a clean seventh. As the white flag was waved, Infielder Rayder Ascanio pitched the eighth, issuing just one free pass.

Rayder Ascanio

Home run balls benefitted Memphis too but not nearly as much as Gwinnett.  Both of the visitors’ tallies were generated by long balls – off the bats of third baseman Jose Rondon and center fielder Matt Szczur.  Rondon went 1-for-3 before being replaced defensively in the bottom of the seventh while Szczur’s blast was his only hit in four at bats.

Second baseman Kramer Robertson accumulated two more of his team’s five hits, singling twice in four at bats. Productive hitter Lars Nootbaar did not play after leaving Wednesday’s contest with a possible wrist injury.

Friday’s game:  vs. Gwinnett (ATL) (12-9), 7:05 pm ET, Thomas Parsons (0-0, 3.05)

Springfield 6 at Wichita 2

Big offensive efforts by Alec Burleson and Ivan Herrera led the S-Cards to a 6-2 victory over host Wichita.  Springfield (5-15) holds a two-games-to-one lead in the six-game set at Riverfront Stadium.

Burleson (TCN no. 15 prospect) and Herrera (TCN no. 3) both banged out three hits in five at bats. The former launched a two-run home run with the latter aboard., earning them co-Player of the Day honors.  The right fielder drove in three and the catcher touched home three times.

Iván Herrera

Alec Burleson

Shortstop Delvin Perez reached base three times out of the lead-off slot, going 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored.  He was one-for-one in stolen base attempts.

The final Springfield player with more than one hit was Nick Plummer, who singled twice in three at bats with a base-on-balls while driving in one.  The left fielder was caught stealing in his only attempt.  Springfield garnered 11 hits in all.

Andre Pallante’s fifth start was a mixed bag at best.  The 22-year-old allowed six hits in 4 2/3 frames while his control issues continued with four free passes given.  The California native has walked 14 batters in 22 1/3 frames this season.  The fact that he permitted just two unearned runs is more to the credit of his replacement, Jacob Bosiokovic.

Bosiokovic (W, 1-2) retired seven of eight batters faced, giving up a hit and stranding three inherited runners.  It was the first Double-A victory for the 27-year-old right-hander. Jake Walsh yielded just one hit during his two innings on the mound.

Friday’s game:  at Wichita (MN) (12-9), 7:05 pm CT, TBA

Peoria at Beloit – postponed

Game 3 of six between the Chiefs (7-13) and Snappers was postponed due to inclement weather.  The contest at Pohlman Field has been rescheduled as a doubleheader on Saturday, May 29th with Game 1 starting at 4:05 pm CT.

Friday’s game:  at Beloit (MIA) (11-9), 6:35 pm CT, Michael YaSenka (0-1, 6.39)

Palm Beach 5 at Bradenton 6

The Beach Birds’ bullpen could not hold a three-run lead with four outs remaining, resulting in a 6-5 loss to the Marauders at LECOM Field.  Palm Beach (6-15) is looking for its first win in the six-game series with three contests remaining.

Luis Ortiz had a hand in four of the five runs the bullpen allowed.  The Dominican native entered the seventh with one out and a runner aboard from Francisco Justo’s efforts.  That base runner scored before the inning’s finish, bringing the score to 5-2.  Ortiz recorded two quick outs the next frame but the third out proved elusive with three runs charged to him on two hits and three walks.

All three runners crossed home plate with Yordy Richard (L, 1-2) (BS, 2) on the mound.  Richard issued three free passes of his own to go with a hit, his efforts generating what proved to be the difference in the game.

The bullpen’s implosion wasted a fine performance by starter Inohan Paniagua, his best effort to date this season.  In Paniagua’s second straight start in after three relief appearances, the 21-year-old limited the opposition to a solo blast, the only hit yielded in four frames, his longest stint so far.  The righty struck out seven, issued a free pass and hit two batters.

Inohan Paniagua

Justo fanned three over the next 2 1/3 frames but walked three, one of whom came around to score. The 6-foot-4 righty plunked a batter and was charged with a wild pitch.

Palm Beach outhit Bradenton 10 to four but were issued ‘just’ five free passes versus the 10 allowed by their bullpen.  Six of the 10 Beach Birds’ hits were doubles, including at least one each by Mason Winn, Carlos Soto and Jacob Buchberger.

Buchberger reached base four times, doubling twice in three at bats with two walks and two runs scored.  Winn and Soto doubled one time each, Winn touching home once and Soto driving in three.   Jordan Walker did not play.

Friday’s game: at Bradenton (PIT) (12-9), 6:05 pm ET, Levi Prater (0-1, 1.72)


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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – May 26, 2021

photo: Alvaro Seijas (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals’ minors went 2-2 on Tuesday. Player of Day Alvaro Seijas’ six mound innings for Springfield was backed by five long balls and Peoria narrowly prevailed in a slugfest. Memphis was edged and Palm Beach was blown out.

Results from games played Tuesday, May 25th.

Memphis 1 at Gwinnett 2

The Redbirds were on the wrong end of a low-scoring affair, falling to Stripers in walk-off fashion at Coolray Field, 2-1.  Fifth-place Memphis (8-11) trails Jacksonville (MIA) by 5 ½ in the seven-team Triple-A East and fourth-place Gwinnett by two games.

The visitors outhit their hosts, seven to six, but all seven were singles.  Right fielder Lars Nootbaar was the only Redbird with a multi-hit effort, singling twice in four at bats.

The team did not get on the scoreboard until the ninth when Jose Rondon lined a one-out single to center.  Catcher Ali Sanchez’ base-on-balls advanced Rondon, putting the latter in position to race home via Conner Capel’s game-tying single up the middle. Capel reached base twice, adding a walk to his single in three at bats.

Conner Capel

The tie lasted only until the home half of the frame with Jesus Cruz (L, 0-1) took the mound.  The righty sandwiched two free passes issued around a single, loading the bases with one gone.  Yet another single drove in the decisive tally.

Angel Rondon went the first five innings, limiting the opposition to a third-inning solo shot comprising one of only two hits and two walks allowed.  The 23-year-old fanned five.

Andrew Miller looked sharp in his first rehab assignment appearance, retiring the side in order on 14 pitches, 10 strikes, with one strikeout.  Roel Ramirez blanked Gwinnett on two hits and a base-on-balls over two frames.

Wednesday’s game:  vs fourth-place Gwinnett (ATL) (10-9), 7:05 pm ET, Bernardo Flores, Jr (2-0, 1.38)

Springfield 7 at Wichita 2

Springfield home run balls backed Alvaro Seijas’ strong start as the S-Cards flew past the Wind Surge in the road series opener, 7-2.  The victory snapped a three-game losing streak, allowing fifth-place Springfield (4-14) to keep pace with first-place Arkansas (SEA), whom they trail by eight games in the five-team Double-A Central.

Half of Springfield’s 10 hits were solo long balls jacked by five different players.  Nick Plummer, Ivan Herrera, Juan Yepez, Delvin Perez and David Vinsky each went yard. Plummer tripled once in three at bats with one of six S-Cards’ walks while Herrera went 1-for-3 with two free passes and two RBIs. and Perez scored twice.  Yepez’ bomb was his third in his last four games.

Defensively, Springfield completed two double plays, 6-3 and 5-6-3.  Center fielder Justin Toerner was credited with an outfield assist at second base.

Alvaro Seijas

This offensive output was more than sufficient for Seijas (W, 1-2), who twirled his best effort to date.  The 22-year-old righty held the opposition to two runs on five hits and three walks, the six-inning span doubling Seijas prior longest start in 2021.

Edgar Escobar and Jake Walsh shared pitching duties the rest of the way.  Escobar retired all six batters faced and Walsh struck out the side in the ninth.

Wednesday’s game:   at second-place Wichita (MN) (11-8), 7:05 pm CT, Kyle Leahy (0-3, 14.66)

Peoria 11 at Beloit 10

The Chiefs withstood a late rally, coming out on top of a slugfest at Beloit, 11-10.  Peoria (7-12) is in sixth-place in the six-team High-A Central, 6 ½ games behind Quad Cities (KC).

The Snappers struck the initial blow, scoring three first-inning tallies off Connor Lunn.  They were the only results Beloit would garner from Lunn (W, 1-0) during his five-inning outing.  The 22-year-old gave up five hits, including a two-run long ball, and did not issue a free pass in his first professional win.

Peoria’s bats responded with an 11-run, 17-hit performance, as all nine starters accumulated at least one hit.  Designated hitter and number two batter Malcom Nuñez led the hit parade, going 4-for-6 with two doubles.  But Moises Castillo produced the biggest results out of the nine-hole, accounting for five runs.  The shortstop singled and doubled in four at bats, scored twice and knocked in three.  Pedro Pages, Brady Whalen and Francisco Hernandez all went yard with the bases empty.

Moises Castillo

Up 7-3 at the sixth’s midpoint, Peoria’s bullpen let their hosts back into the game. The Snappers scored in the sixth through ninth off four different Chiefs’ hurlers – Enmanuel Solano, Fabian Blanco, Nathanael Heredia and Evan Sisk. They yielded a combined seven tallies, five earned, on eight hits and five walks.  Sisk stranded Heredia’s final two base runners thus limiting further damage and picked up his third save of the season.

Wednesday’s game:  at second-place Beloit (MIA) (10-9), 6:35 pm CT, Mac Lardner (0-1, 5.84)

Palm Beach 2 at Bradenton 12

10 runs allowed over the last three innings led to the Beach Birds’ 12-2 pasting at the hands of their former division rival Bradenton in the first of their six-game series.  Palm Beach (6-13) remains in fourth and last place in the four-team Low A Southeast, seven games in back of St. Lucie (NYM).

Gustavo J. Rodriguez’ first start of 2021 lasted just five outs, as the right-hander was tagged for two runs on two hits and four walks.  Edgar Manzo kept the game close over the next 3 1/3, shutting out the Marauders on three hits and leaving Rodriguez’ last two base runners aboard.

Edgar Manzo

Manzo handed Edwin Nuñez a 2-2 tie, but the 19-year-old was shelled during his two-plus innings on the mound.  Nuñez (L, 0-1) allowed 10 runs on eight hits, two walks and two hit batsmen.  Yordy Richard recorded the last three outs – but not before letting all three inherited runners cross home plate.

Palm Beach mustered just six hits and went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Left fielder Matt Koperniak went 2-for-3 with a walk.  Second baseman Franklin Soto reached base twice as well, singling once in three at bats with a base-on-balls and run scored.  Masyn Winn singled and stole a base, his 10th of the season, but fanned three times. Both Beach Bird tallies were unearned.

Wednesday’s game: at Bradenton (PIT) (10-9), 6:05 pm ET, John Beller (0-1, 3.18(


For more

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – May 24, 2021

photo: Lars Nootbaar (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals’ minors went 0-for-Sunday as all four teams went down to defeat by a collective 34-14 margin. Player of the Day Lars Nootbaar blasted two home runs for Memphis, which claimed its first series win of 2021 despite Sunday’s loss.

Results from games played Sunday, May 23rd.

Memphis 3 vs. Louisville 8

The Redbirds were outpitched and outhit in their 8-3 loss to Louisville (CIN) (8-12) at AutoZone Park.  Despite the Sunday defeat, Memphis (8-10) claimed the week’s series, four games to two.

Matthew Liberatore’s four-inning stint consisted of two frames of shutout ball followed by four runs yielded on five hits and a walk.  Most damaging was a two-run home run.

Garrett Williams was tagged for four runs, two earned, on three hits and a base-on-balls in 1 1/3 innings.  Both Liberatore and Williams hit a batter.

Connor Jones recorded four outs but allowed Williams’ final runner to score on a hit and walk.  Alex FaGalde worked around a hit a free pass issued for a clean eighth.  Seth Elledge faced the minimum in the ninth in his first appearance since being reassigned from St. Louis.

Lars Nootbaar

Player of the Day Lars Nootbaar provided most of his squad’s offense, going 2-for-3 with two solo shots and a base-on-balls.  The center fielder has hit safely in six of his last seven games and nine of his most recent 11 contests.

The Redbirds’ third tally was generated by Kramer Robertson, who went yard immediately after Nootbaar’ second blast.  It was the second baseman’s only hit in four at bats and one of the team’s five hits in all.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:  at Gwinnett (ATL) (9-9), 7:05 pm ET, Bernardo Flores, Jr (2-0, 1.38)

Springfield 5 vs. Northwest Arkansas 12

S-Cards’ hurlers put the team in a hole from which they could not dig out as they were thrashed 12-5 by Northwest Arkansas (KC) (9-7).  Springfield (3-14) won only one of the six-game home series with one contest postponed.

Connor Thomas (L, 0-2) gave up four runs before Springfield took the field, accounting for four of the eight tallies, six earned, yielded in four plus frames.  Three of the 10 hits allowed by the lefty were solo shots to go with two free passes issued.

The only hit permitted by Ramon Santos during his two innings on the mound was a long ball scoring Thomas’ last two base runners.  The Naturals’ three-run seventh was charged to Jacob Bosiokovic who allowed three hits and walked one.

Neither Grant Black nor Jake Walsh were scored upon during their inning of work, the former issuing a free pass and the latter allowing a hit.  Walsh is one of the few bright lights in the S-Cards bullpen, having not yet been scored upon this season over 10 innings covering six appearances.

Three of the home team’s five scores were generated by Juan Yepez’ bomb, his only hit in four at bats and the only one of the team’s eight hits to go for extra bases.  Three Springfield players garnered two hits each:  Delvin Perez, Alec Burleson and Luken Baker.  All three touched home once with Baker adding a walk and RBI.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:  at Wichita (MN) (11-7), 7:05 pm CT, TBA

Peoria 2 vs. Quad Cities 5

Three late runs proved to be the difference in the Chiefs’ 5-2 Sunday loss to Quad Cities (KC) (13-4).  Peoria (6-12) claimed just one of the six-game home set versus their division leader.

Starter Jack Ralston was tagged for his second loss in as many decisions, giving up two runs on three hits, two walks and a plunked batter in four frames.  Logan Gragg kept the River Bandits off the board, permitting two hits and two walks against eight batters retired.

Freddy Pacheco recorded the seventh’s last out, leaving one inherited runner stranded, but served up two long balls encompassing three eighth-inning tallies.  Wilfredo Pereira issued a free pass in the ninth.

Matt Chamberlain

Peoria was held scoreless until the home half of the eighth when center fielder Matt Chamberlain launched his first home run as a professional.  It came with Cristhian Longa (single) on base and was his only hit in three at bats.  The Chiefs mustered five total hits.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:  at Beloit (MIA) (10-8), 6:35 pm CT, TBA

Palm Beach 4 vs. St. Lucie 9

A five-run ninth transformed a competitive game into a decisive home 9-4 Beach Birds’ defeat. In fact, Palm Beach (6-12) was swept by St. Lucie (NYM) (13-5).

Ludwin Jimenez (L, 0-2) did not finish the fourth, permitting an unearned tally on three hits and four bases-on-balls over 3 2/3 frames.  His was the best pitching effort by Beach Birds’ hurlers as the bullpen combined to give up eight more tallies over the final 5 1/3 innings.

Jose Moreno served up a three-run bomb comprising one of four hits and two walks against six strikeouts in 2 1/3 frames.  He stranded two inherited runners.

Francisco Justo tossed two clean frames but could not record a ninth-inning out.  The righty was tagged for four tallies on four hits and a walk. Three of his runners scored with Luis Ortiz on the mound.  Ortiz yielded a run of his own on three hits.

Carlos Soto

Missing top prospect Jordan Walker’s bat for the third straight game, Palm Beach put together two-run sixth and ninth innings.  Carlos Soto and Donivan Williams had two hits apiece but were separated by five teammates in the batting order.  Both players singled twice in four at bats with a run scored. Soto added a walk and an RBI.  Three Beach Birds had one hit each.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:   at Bradenton (PIT) (9-9), 6:05 pm ET, TBA


For more

To track the status of the Cardinals’ 40-man roster as well as all players in the system by position and level, check out the Roster Matrix, always free and updated here at The Cardinal Nation. Also included is every player transaction across the full organization all year long.


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TCN’s Monthly Cardinals Top 50 Prospect Rankings – May 2021


Now Available – 2021 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – May 21, 2021

photo: Irving Lopez (Frank Ramirez/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-1 on Thursday with more rain in Springfield. Player of the Day Irving Lopez’ pinch-hit, bases-clearing double gave Memphis its second consecutive walk-off celebration.

Results from games played Thursday, May 21st.

Memphis 5 vs. Louisville 3

Irving Lopez’ pinch-hit bases-loaded double cleared the sacks as the Redbirds walked off with a 5-4 victory over the visiting Bats.  It was the second straight walk-off win for sixth-place Memphis (6-9) which has claimed two of the first three contests in the six-game set versus the Midwest Division’s Cincinnati Reds affiliate.  The Redbirds trail first-place Jacksonville (MIA) by five games in the seven-team Southeast Division.

Player of the Day Lopez’ two-bagger scored Ali Sanchez (ground-rule double), Conner Capel (walk) and Kramer Robinson (walk) after the latter three jammed the sacks full with none out.  The hit was the home team’s seventh of the game, tying them with their guests.

Irving Lopez

Sanchez and Robertson were the only two Redbirds with multi-hit efforts. Sanchez went 2-for-4 with a double and run scored and Robertson singled twice in three at bats with a base-on-balls and RBI, touching home once.

Matt Szczur launched a first-inning solo shot, his third bomb of 2021 and second in two nights, comprising part of the 2-0 lead Memphis held after two.  But a four-run fifth off starter Zack Thompson flipped the script, leading to the lefty’s ejection, along with manager Ben Johnson, after he was removed from the game.

Thompson held the opposition to one hit plus three walks through the initial four frames but ran into trouble in the fifth.  The 23-year-old gave up three hits then a three-run blast to go with five K’s in 4 2/3 frames.

Bernardo Flores Jr. (W, 2-0) took over at that point, limiting the Bats to two hits and a base-on-balls over 4 1/3.  He struck out five.

Friday’s game:  vs. Louisville (CIN) (4-10), 7:10 pm CT, Thomas Parsons (0-0, 3.29)

Springfield vs. Northwest Arkansas – postponed

The partial double-header between the S-Cards and Naturals could not be played due to inclement weather conditions.  Thursday’s originally scheduled contest will be made up as part of a twin bill on Wednesday, June 30th while the completion of the rain-suspended May 19th game is now scheduled prior to the contest on Friday, May 21st.

Springfield (2-11) is firmly in fifth and last place in the North Division, 6 ½ games in back of Arkansas (SEA).

Friday’s games:   vs. fourth-place Northwest Arkansas (KC) (6-6), 5:15 pm CT, Kyle Leahy (0-2, 9.00)

Peoria 4 vs. Quad Cities 3

The Chiefs scored twice in the middle frames then hung on, edging the River Bandits, 4-3, at Dozer Park.  The win, the first of three series games played, lifts Peoria (6-9) into a fourth-place tie with Wisconsin (MIL), with both squads 4 ½ games behind Quad Cities.

Peoria broke through in the third, compliments of back-to-back solo bombs by Francisco Hernandez and Pedro Pages.  The home runs are firsts on several levels for the pair:  first High-A home run which means first 2021 long ball and first full-season home runs.

After scoring via the power game, the Chiefs took advantage of the Quad Cities starter’s fourth-inning control issues to push across two more tallies sans benefit of a hit.  Consecutive free passes issued to Leandro Cedeno, Chandler Redmond and Moises Castillo elicited a pitching change, but the replacement walked Matt Chamberlain, bringing Cedeno across home plate.  A 6-5/6-5 force out by Jhon Torres scored Redmond for the Chiefs’ last run.

Francisco Hernandez

The home team banged out seven hits with Hernandez the only Chief gathering more than one.  The second baseman added a single to his home run in four at bats, striking out twice.  Brady Whalen and Moises Castillo each reached base twice, singling once and working a base-on-balls.

Peoria starter Michael YaSenka tossed his best effort in his third start, holding the River Bandits scoreless on one hit through four innings.  But a single and two walks pushed across one run and led to YaSenka’s exit, leaving him an out shy of qualifying for the win.

Enmanuel Solano (W, 1-0) recorded five outs, permitting two runs on two hits and a base-on-balls and stranding two inherited runners.  His final run scored under Wilfredo Pereira’s watch, as the righty gave up a hit with three of his five batters retired striking out.  Freddy Pacheco faced the minimum in the ninth for his first save.

Friday’s game:  vs. first-place Quad Cities (KC) (10-4), 6:35 pm CT, Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (High-A debut)

Palm Beach 0 vs. St. Lucie 7

For the second game in a row the Beach Birds could not overcome the start of a rehabbing Major League hurler as they were shut out by the visiting Mets, 7-0.  Palm Beach (5-10) has dropped the first three of the six-game series and sit in fourth and last place in the East Division, six games behind St. Lucie.

After Noah Syndergaard on Wednesday, on Thursday the home team hosted Jacob deGrom, who made quick work of Palm Beach batters, eight of his nine outs recorded being strikeouts with his reported velocity peaking at 102 mph.  Beach Birds’ starter John Beller was no match, permitting five runs on seven hits and two walks over 5 1/3 frames.  The lefty fanned 10.

Luis Ortiz was charged with two unearned runs on a hit and two walks with four batters retired.  The 20-year-old allowed his only inherited runner to touch home plate.  Francisco Justo recorded the final seven outs, yielding two hits and leaving Ortiz’ last two base runners on base.

Francisco Justo

Palm Beach mustered just two hits, both doubles.  One was the first professional hit by Tommy Jew after 13 at bats.  Masyn Winn doubled once in four at bats, his second two-bagger of 2021, reached on an error and stole three bases, raising his season total to nine.

Friday’s game:  vs. first-place St. Lucie (NYM) (11-4), 6:30 pm ET, Inohan Paniagua (2-0, 4.32)


For more

To track the status of the Cardinals’ 40-man roster as well as all players in the system by position and level, check out the Roster Matrix, always free and updated here at The Cardinal Nation. Also included is every player transaction across the full organization all year long.


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Cardinals System Reacts to Injuries on Thursday


Now Available – 2021 Cardinals Prospect Guide

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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – May 19, 2021

photo: Conner Capel (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The third week of 2021 across the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system opened with three home losses and a rainout. Our Player of the Day is Memphis outfielder Conner Capel, who went 3-for-4, including a double, a walk, and a run scored as the Redbirds fell in 11 innings.

Results from games played Tuesday, May 18th.

Memphis 2 vs. Louisville 4 (11)

The Redbirds’ late rally went for naught as they were clipped by the Bats in the home series opener, 4-2, in 11 innings.

Trailing 2-0 after seven due to single scores off starter Matthew Liberatore, Memphis (4-9) pushed across a straight number in each of the next two frames.  Matt Sczcur singled to begin the eighth and was sacrificed to second by Evan Mendoza.  The center fielder crossed home for an unearned tally after Jose Rondon’s single to short produced an error by Louisville’s first baseman, leaving the hitter at second.

Two players who recently rejoined to the Redbirds contributed. Junior Fernandez (back from St. Louis) faced the minimum in the visitors’ half of the ninth, fanning two in his only inning of work, to keep the game’s margin to within one.  Player of the Day Conner Capel (returned from Springfield) greeted the new Bats hurler with a double to right, advancing to third via Rayder Ascanio’s sac bunt and knotting the game at two all when Kramer Robinson hit a two-out single up the middle. That sent the game into extras.

Conner Capel

Things got dicey for reliever Jesus Cruz, who issued two 10th-inning free passes, jamming the sacks full with none out.  The righty induced a 4-5 double play only to walk yet another batter, reloading the bases for Cruz’ replacement, Roel Ramirez.  Ramirez (L, 0-1) ended the threat with a fly out to center but served up a gopher ball to the initial hitter in the 11th, scoring the runner which began the inning at second.

Liberatore went 5 1/3 innings, holding the opposition to single runs in the fourth and fifth, rebounding from a poor showing versus Nashville on the 12th in which he gave up five runs over six.  The lefty scattered six hits and three walks, striking out five.

Austin Warner recorded five outs, yielding two hits and stranding an inherited runner.  Evan Kruczynski worked around a hit batsman for a clean eighth.

Capel led his team’s nine-hit effort, going 3-for-4 with a walk, the aforementioned double and run scored.  Unfortunately, none of his teammates garnered more than one hit and Capel’s two-bagger was the only Redbirds’ hit to go for extra bases.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Louisville (CIN) (4-8), 12:15pm CT, Angel Rondon (0-2, 11.88)

Springfield 1 vs. Northwest Arkansas 2

Connor Thomas’ strong start was not enough as Springfield (2-11) fell to Northwest Arkansas, 2-1, at Hammons Field Tuesday evening.

Thomas struck out eight over six innings, yielding a third inning run on two of the six hits permitted.  The lefty did not issue a free pass and threw 62 of his 87 pitches for strikes.

Connor Thomas

The Naturals immediately struck for a score against Jacob Bosiokovic (L, 0-2) in the seventh, the first of his two-inning stint.  The 27-year-old issued a lead-off free pass followed by an RBI triple, breaking a 1-1 tie.  The walk and triple represented the only two base runners allowed by Bosiokovic, who fanned four.  Jake Walsh tossed a one-two-three ninth.

The only S-Card with more than one of the team’s seven hits was Nolan Gorman, who went 3-for-4 with a double.  His one-out single in the opening stanza resulted in his squad’s only run after the third baseman advanced to second on a 4-3 ground out and scored on Luken Baker’s line drive single to center.  Gorman has now gone 7-for-13 over his last three contests.

Baker and Ivan Herrera both reached base twice, singling once in three at bats, working a base-on-balls.  Defensively, Gorman and first baseman Baker took part in a double play.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Northwest Arkansas (KC) (6-6), 6:35 pm CT, Alvaro Seijas (0-2, 24.30)

Peoria vs. Quad Cities – postponed

The first of a six-game home series between Peoria (5-7) and Quad Cities was postponed due to rain.  The contest is scheduled to be made up as part of a twin bill on Wednesday, May 19th.

Wednesday’s games:  vs. Quad Cities (KC) (8-3).  Game 1 – 5:00 pm CT, Mac Lardner (0-0, 7.36)/Connor Lunn (0-0, 4.05)

Palm Beach 0 vs. St. Lucie 4

Beach Birds (5-8) bats mustered just three hits in their 4-0 loss to the Mets in the first of their six-game set at Roger Dean Tuesday night.

Ludwin Jimenez (L, 0-1) did not finish the fourth, giving up three runs, two earned, on four hits and two walks in 3 2/3 frames.  That pitching span in the right-hander’s longest of his three starts in 2021.

Angel Cuenca was tagged for a tally on two hits, two walks plus two plunked batters during his 2 2/3 innings on the bump.  The 19-year-old left Jimenez’ last two runners aboard.

Yordy Richard and Luis Tena split pitching duties the rest of the way.  Richard retired all five batters faced before Tena navigated around a hit and two walks for a clean ninth.

Carlos Soto

Catcher Carlos Soto reached base three times, singling once in two at bats with two walks.  Designated hitter Todd Lott reached base twice, going 1-for-2 with a base on balls.

Third baseman Jordan Walker doubled once in four at bats, extending his hitting streak to six games.  The reigning league Player of the Week has reached base safely in all 11 games of his young career, garnering at least one hit in nine contests.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. St. Lucie (NYM) (9-4), 12:00 pm ET, Jose Moreno (0-1, 5.87)


For more

To track the status of the Cardinals’ 40-man roster as well as all players in the system by position and level, check out the Roster Matrix, always free and updated here at The Cardinal Nation. Also included is every player transaction across the full organization all year long.


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Transactions Tuesday Across the St. Louis Cardinals System


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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – May 14, 2021

photo: John Beller (Palm Beach Cardinals)

On Thursday, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-2. Palm Beach squandered Player of the Day John Beller’s stellar start, but third baseman Jordan Walker led a 10th-inning comeback.

Results from games played Thursday, May 13th.

Memphis 2 at Nashville 8

Redbirds hurlers gave up runs in four of eight frames in their 8-2 loss at Nashville.  Memphis (2-7) trails in the series, one game to two, with three remaining.

The contest got off to a solid beginning as Daniel Ponce de Leon kicked off his rehab assignment.  The 29-year-old worked around a lead-off free pass issued for a clean first that included a strikeout.  Ponce de Leon threw seven of his 14 pitches for strikes.

The home team greeted regular starter Angel Rondon (L, 0-2) with a tally in his first inning of work but the Redbirds replied with two runs of their own for a 2-1 lead at the fourth’s midpoint.  Rondon served up one of his two solo shots in the home half of the fourth before being tagged for a three-run fifth, his final inning on the mound.  The righty allowed seven hits for five runs and was also called for a balk.

A trio of Memphis relievers shared the last three innings.  Austin Warner walked one and struck out three during his two-inning stint but Evan Kruczynski’s 2021 debut did not go as well.  The southpaw retired one batter, yielding three runs on a hit and two walks.  Connor Jones gave up two hits before the inning was over, allowing Kruczynski’s last runner to score.

Austin Dean

Left fielder Austin Dean did the most damage on the offense side, taking part in both of his squad’s scores.  Both runs came on Dean’s first home run as a member of the St. Louis organization, scoring Jose Rondon, who extended his hitting streak to seven with a single.  Memphis generated five hits in all with Dean going 2-for-4.

Friday’s game:  at Nashville (MIL) (5-3), 6:35 p.m. CT, Bernardo Flores Jr. (0-0, 2.70)

Springfield 1 at Arkansas 3

The S-Cards could not overcome an early hole, falling to host Arkansas, 3-1.  Springfield (1-8) has lost all three contests to date in the six-game series.

Kyle Leahy (L, 0-2) permitted three first-inning runs, holding the Travelers over the next three frames.  The Colorado native allowed nine hits and a base-on-balls, fanning four in four innings.

Jacob Bosiokovic tossed two scoreless innings with two walks but Salvador Justo plunked his only batter, former Cardinals farmhand Brian O’Keefe.  Right-hander Grant Black retired all six batters faced, fanning four.

Grant Black

The visitors’ sole offensive results occurred in the seventh when Imeldo Diaz opened with a single to left.  Nick Dunn’s double advanced the third baseman to third, putting the latter in position to score on a groundout by David Vinsky.  Diaz and Dunn each went 2-for-4, accounting for all of Springfield’s hits.

Friday’s game:  at Arkansas (SEA) (5-3), 7:10 pm CT, Alvaro Seijas (0-1, 16.88)

Peoria 3 vs. Wisconsin 2

Brendan Donovan’s first High-A long ball capped a late rally as the Chiefs edged the Timber Rattlers, 3-2.  Peoria (3-6) holds a two-games-to-one series advantage with three yet to play.

Wisconsin struck first with a single third-inning tally off starter Connor Lunn. Peoria answered with a run of their own via Malcom Nunez’ RBI double plating Jhon Torres (single), tying the game at one all after three.

The visitors went back up in the fifth, 2-1, the score remaining stationary until the seventh.  Leandro Cedeno worked an inning-opening free pass, ending up at third on a wild pitch and single to right by Moises Castillo.  Cedeno tied the game 2-2 after Wisconsin’s hurler was called for a balk.

Brendan Donovan

Donovan’s blast occurred with two gone the next inning and was the second baseman’s only hit in three at bats.  Torres singled twice in four at bats leading off and was the only Chief with more than one of the team’s six hits.

Nunez reached base twice, the second time on a hit-by-pitch, however he was caught stealing in his only attempt.  Torres and Castillo both swiped their initial bags of 2021.

Lunn struck out six over five frames, yielding two runs on six hits.  He did not walk a batter.  Lunn’s effort was a distinct improvement from his May 9th start in which he recorded just two outs.

Wilfredo Pereira (W, 1-0) fanned four in three hitless innings for his first High-A victory.  Evan Sisk negotiated around a lead-off walks by retiring his next three batters, two on swinging K’s, for his first High-A save.

Friday’s game:  vs. Wisconsin (MIL) (5-4), 6:35 p.m. CT, Michael YaSenka (0-1, 10.80)

Palm Beach 5 ‘at’ Jupiter 3 (10 innings)

Jordan Walker’s 10th-inning efforts backed starter John Beller’s stellar performance in the Beach Birds’ 5-3 triumph over Jupiter.  Palm Beach (3-6) has won two of the series’ first three games with three on tap.

Walker accounted for three of his squad’s five tallies, singling and doubling in five at bats.  The third baseman’s game-winning double drove in Masyn Winn, who began the 10th on second, breaking a 3-3 tie.  Walker raced home on Todd Lott’s single, one of the two runs scored by the 18-year-old.

Jordan Walker

In the balanced offensive performance, all nine starters contributed.  Franklin Soto joined Walker and Lott with two hits, the shortstop singling twice in four at bats with an RBI.  Lott went 2-for-5, driving in one.  Four Cards had one hit each.

John Beller built upon his excellent professional debut in which he limited his opponents to an earned run in five innings.  This time the southpaw struck out an eye-popping 12 Hammerheads in 6 2/3 frames, permitting just three hits and one unearned score to earn our Player of the Day honors.  Beller did not issue a free pass and departed with his team up 3-1.

John Beller

Ramon Santos gave up a double and run-scoring single before recording the seventh’s last out, which cut the Palm Beach lead to one.  Yordy Richard fanned five over the last three frames but permitted a run on three hits and a walk to send the game into extra innings.

Friday’s game:  at Jupiter (MIA) (4-5), 6:30 pm ET, Edwin Nuñez (0-0, 9.82)


For more

To track the status of the Cardinals’ 40-man roster as well as all players in the system by position and level, check out the Roster Matrix, always free and updated here at The Cardinal Nation. Also included is every player transaction across the full organization all year long.


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Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2021 Week 1


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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – May 12, 2021

photo: Scott Hurst (St. Louis Cardinals)

On Tuesday’s opening day of week 2 of the 2021 minor league schedule, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 1-3, as Memphis trounced Nashville. Redbirds hitters Max Moroff, Scott Hurst and Jose Rondon share our Player of the Day honors.

Results from games played Tuesday, May 11th.

Memphis 18 at Nashville 6
In their first road game of 2021, the Redbirds scored 10 times in the initial three frames, romping over the Sounds, 18-6, in the first of their six-game series.  Memphis (2-5) is in a three-way tie for fifth place in the Southeast Division standings, three games behind Durham (TB), Gwinnett (ATL) and Jacksonville (MIA).

All 18 tallies were earned and were generated by 20 hits, 10 going for extra bases. Memphis’ top of the order really came through, accounting for eight scores and 12 RBI.

Max Moroff

Tri-Player of the Day Max Moroff spearheaded the attack, going 4-for-6 with two two-run bombs, three runs scored and five knocked in while batting second. Defensively, the second baseman took part in all three of his team’s double plays.

Scott Hurst

Leadoff batter and tri-Player of the Day Scott Hurst accounted for seven scores, going 3-for-5 with a sac fly, triple and two-run home run, touching home three times and driving in four.  Our final shared Player of the Day is Jose Rondon, the third member of the Redbirds’ hitting troika. The third baseman went 3-for-6 with a double and solo shot comprising part of his two runs scored and three RBI.

José Rondón

Two more Redbirds whose offensive efforts deserve mention are shortstop Evan Mendoza and right fielder Lars Nootbaar.  Mendoza went 3-for-5 with a double, three runs scored and one RBI while the latter scored each time he reached base, singling twice in three at bats with a walk, hit-by-pitch, four runs scored and an RBI.

Meanwhile on the mound, Miles Mikolas made his second rehab start who got off to a rocky start.  All three runs charged to the right-hander in his four-inning stint were generated by his first four batters, via two singles and a two-run home run.  Mikolas settled down at that point, limiting the opposition to two more hits with no free passes issued while striking out five.  47 of his 69 pitches thrown went for strikes.

Reliever Garrett Williams, who was claimed from San Francisco’s organization in the December 2020 Rule 5 draft, was credited with his first Redbirds win.  The lefty notched two clean frames, issuing a free pass and plunking one.

Connor Jones faced the minimum in the seventh, striking out two, but was tagged for three runs on three hits and a base-on-balls the next frame.  One of the three hits was a solo shot.  Jesus Cruz tossed a one-two-three ninth with two K’s.

Wednesday’s game:  at Nashville (MIL) (3-3), 6:35 pm CT, Matthew Liberatore (0-1, 3.00)

Springfield 2 at Arkansas 9
Springfield (1-6) could not overcome Arkansas’ sixth inning explosion which led to a 9-2 trouncing in the road series opener. The S-Cards are in fifth and last place in the North Division of the Double-A Central, four games behind Wichita (MIN).

In his 2021 debut, Griffin Roberts (L, 0-1) entered the 2-2 contest in the sixth and promptly served up a home run ball to his first batter.  The inning went downhill from there as the righty jammed the sacks full via a single plus back-to-back walks.  Roberts wild pitched a runner across home before retiring his only batter on a foul tip strikeout.

Jacob Patterson replaced Roberts but he was unable to quell the Travelers’ offense.  The Texan allowed both inherited runners to score plus two of his own on two hits, two walks, a wild pitch and a hit batsman.

Patterson recovered for a clean seventh but loaded the bases the next frame when he hit three consecutive Arkansas players, getting him a free trip to the showers.  Patrick Dayton limited the damage to one sac fly before inducing a 6-4 unassisted double play.

Springfield starter Andre Pallante scattered five hits and three walks generating two runs over 4 2/3 innings.  Two of the hits were fifth-inning singles sandwiched around two outs.  Right-hander Jacob Bosiokovic caught his only batter looking at strike three to end the threat.

Juan Yepez

The S-Cards got on the board first with a two-run second on doubles by left fielder Juan Yepez, right fielder Nick Plummer and second baseman Irving Lopez.  Plummer’s two-bagger drove in Yepez while Lopez knocked in Plummer.

Unfortunately, that represented 75% of the S-Cards’ total hits, as designated hitter Nick Dunn’s single accounted for Springfield’s fourth and final hit.  Yepez reached base twice, adding a walk to his double.  Catcher Ivan Herrera also reached base via two free passes but went hitless in two at bats.

Wednesday’s game:   at Arkansas (SEA) (3-3), 7:10 pm CT, Connor Thomas (0-0, 0.00)

Peoria 2 vs. Wisconsin 3
The Chiefs’ late rally fell just short as they were edged by the Timber Rattlers in their home opener, 3-2.  Sixth-place Peoria (1-6) trails both Cedar Rapids (MIN) and Wisconsin by four games in the six-team West Division.

Jack Ralston (L, 0-1) accumulated an interesting stat line in his second full-season start.  The righty struck out eight in three plus frames but issued five free passes, including two to the fourth inning’s initial batters.  Ralston threw 69 pitches, 34 for strikes.

Jack Ralston

One of those two batters came around to score on Michael Brettell’s watch and was the only tally charged to Peoria’s starter.  Brettell allowed a hit and two walks in three scoreless frames.  Logan Gragg and Leonardo Taveras were each charged with a run during their mound time. Gragg yielded two hits and a base-on-balls in the seventh and Taveras permitted a solo shot which proved to be the game difference.

Trailing 3-0 at the eighth’s midpoint, Peoria closed the gap in the home half.  Pedro Pages’ one-out double drove in Malcom Nunez who doubled to lead off the frame.  Brendan Donovan reached on a fielding error by Wisconsin’s center fielder, scoring Brady Whalen (walk).  That put the potential go-ahead runner on with one out and drove the visiting pitcher from the game.  Unfortunately, his replacement struck out the next two batters swinging.  Peoria managed just three hits in all.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Wisconsin (MIL) (5-2), 6:35 pm CT, Mac Lardner (0-0, 0.00)

Palm Beach 2 ‘at’ Jupiter 5
The Beach Birds outhit but did not outscore the Hammerheads, losing to their Roger Dean stablemates in the series opener, 5-2.  Palm Beach (2-5) is in last place in the four-team Southeast Division, three games behind St Lucie (NYM).

The game seemed to epitomize that fortune is not favoring the PB-Cards right now as they outhit Jupiter, six to four, matching the walks allowed (four).  But the Hammerheads managed to bunch their hits and walks together, leading to a three-run second and two-run seventh.  Palm Beach pushed across single tallies in the sixth and eighth.

Starter Levi Prater (L, 0-1) permitted three runs on three runs on three hits plus three walks in 4 1/3.  Inohan Pagiagua was touched for two tallies on a hit and base-on-balls during his 2 2/3 innings on the mound.  The latter stranded an inherited runner.  Luis Tena struck out the side in the eighth.

Jordan Walker

Six Beach Birds had one hit each with Jordan Walker blasting his second home run of 2021 in the eighth.  Masyn Winn walked and scored his team’s initial run, driven in by L.J. Jones, who also reached base via a free pass.

Wednesday’s game:  at Jupiter (MIA) (3-4), 12:00 pm ET, Ludwin Jimenez (0-0, 0.00)


For more

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Palm Beach Cardinals Notebook – 2021 Week 1


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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – May 10, 2021

photo: Matt Szczur (Memphis Redbirds)

The lone bright spot in St. Louis’ minors on Sunday was Memphis breaking through for its first victory of 2021 behind Matt Szczur’s timely hit.  Springfield and Palm Beach both fell while Peoria was on the wrong end of a twin bill affair.

Results from games played Sunday, May 9th.

Memphis 7 vs. Durham 6 (10 innings)
Player of the Day Matt Szczur’s two-out 10th-inning single gave the Redbirds a 7-6 walk-off victory over Durham in the series finale.  It was the first win of 2021 for Memphis (1-5) and prevented a six-game sweep by the visiting Bulls (5-1) (TB).

Szczur’s liner to left scored Scott Hurst who began the 10th on second.  Max Moroff led off with a single up the middle, advancing Hurst to third.  The second baseman stole second during the next at bat which ended with a swinging K by Jose Rondon. After Rayder Ascanio’s pop out to short did not drive in the run, Lars Nootbaar was intentionally walked, bringing Szczur to the plate and he came through.

The veteran’s single was the center fielder’s second hit in four at bats comprising two of the Redbirds’ 10 hits.  Szczur was joined in the two-hit column by Moroff and Nootbaar with all three connecting for extra bases.  Szczur and Moroff both doubled once and Nootbaar banged out his first Triple-A triple.

Matt Szczur

Dennis Ortega and Rondon each went yard with the bases empty. It was the infielder’s third blast in six games, but the catcher’s shot was majestic.

Szczur’s hit made a winner out of Austin Warner (W, 1-0), the third Redbirds reliever.  The lefty worked around a hit and two walks for two clean frames.

Johan Oviedo tossed his maiden effort for Memphis and retired eight batters.  The Cuban was tagged for five scores on four hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings.  Two of the five runs permitted came via one home run.

Thomas Parsons recorded the next 12 outs, limiting the opposition to one run despite allowing four hits and five walks.  The Ohio native stranded his only inherited runner.  Junior Fernandez retired all four batters faced, leaving Parsons’ last two runners aboard.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:  at Nashville (MIL) (3-2), 6:35 pm CT, TBA (was Parsons)

Springfield 2 vs. Wichita 3
Springfield could not hold a lead thru six, falling to the Wind Surge, 3-2 in the series finale.  The S-Cards (1-5) managed to win just one of the six-game home set versus Wichita (5-1) (MIN).

Starter Domingo Robles held his Game 1 foes to a single tally on six hits and a free pass issued through 5 1/3 before giving way to Salvador Justo with two on (error, single) and one gone.  Justo (L, 0-1) (BS,1) maneuvered around a leadoff walk by notching two swinging strikeouts.

Another lead off free pass issued came back to haunt the righty the next frame when Justo served up his first home run of 2021.  That bomb flipped a 2-1 lead into what proved to be the final score.

The contest ended on a positive pitching note due to Jake Walsh’s performance.  Walsh struck out five during his three-inning stint, retiring the side in order all three times.

Jake Walsh

The only Springfield player with more than one hit was leadoff batter Delvin Perez who went 2-for-4 with a double, run scored and two stolen bases.  Defensively, the shortstop’s errant throw was his first miscue of 2021.

Acting as the team’s designated hitter, Nolan Gorman reached base three times.  Gorman doubled once in two at bats, driving in two with two base-on-balls.  He joined Perez by swiping two bases.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:  at Arkansas (SEA) (2-3), 11:00 am CT, Andre Pallante (0-0, 6.00)

Peoria 0 at Cedar Rapids 3 (7 innings) – Game 1  
Peoria 2 at Cedar Rapids 3 (8 innings) – Game 2
The Chiefs absorbed a double-header sweep at Cedar Rapids on Sunday, getting shut out in Game 1, 3-0, before the finale ended in walk-off fashion, 3-2, in eight.  Peoria (1-5) limps home having gained just one victory in six tries against the Kernels (5-1) (MIN).

In the opener, the Chiefs were blanked for the second time in the season’s first five games.  The offense was held to just four hits and three walks, going 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

Nathanael Heredia took the loss in his first full season start.  The lefty worked around three free passes issued in the initial two frames but did not finish the third, yielding two runs on a hit, five walks and a sac fly over 2 1/3.

The last run charged to Heredia crossed under Evan Sisk’s watch via an RBI double.  The southpaw induced a 6-5 double play, escaping further damage.  That two-bagger was the only hit Sisk yielded in 1 2/3 innings although he did walk one.

Ian Bedell, who did not finish the first inning as the Opening Day starter, pitched the fifth and sixth.  Bedell was touched for an unearned run with three hits given up plus a free pass issued.

Matt Chamberlain

Left fielder Matt Chamberlain accumulated half of his squad’s hits, singling twice in three at bats out of the nine spot.  Designated hitter Alec Burleson went 1-for-2 with a base-on-balls for an early season line of .353/.476/.706/1.182 in 17 at bats over five contests.

Game 2 featured the 2021 and full season debut of right-hander Connor Lunn, who needed 34 pitches to record two outs.  Lunn was tagged for a run on two hits and a walk in 2/3 of an inning.

Three of the four outs recorded by Fabian Blanco were strikeouts which the righty used to work around a hit and two free passes issued.  Blanco stranded Lunn’s last two runners.

Leonardo Taveras tossed a clean third, walking one but Freddy Pacheco was touched for a run on two walks in 1 2/3 frames.  That tally scored with Ian Oxnevad (BS, 1) on the mound, knotting the game at 2-2 after five.

Oxnevad issued three of his squad’s eight free passes during his two innings of work along with a hit yielded.  Cole Aker (L, 0-1) began the extra-inning eighth with a runner at second and promptly gave up an RBI single to left.

Peoria generated nine hits but only one went for extra bases and the team went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.  Three Chiefs had two hits apiece:  right fielder Jhon Torres, catcher Pedro Pages and shortstop Imeldo Diaz.  Torres singled and doubled in three at bats with a sac fly and an RBI and Pages and Diaz both went 2-for-4, the latter touching home once and stealing his first base of 2021.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:  vs Wisconsin (MIL) (4-2) (home opener), 6:35 pm CT, Jack Ralston (0-0, 0.00)

Palm Beach 3 vs. Daytona 7
Starter Nick Trogrlic-Iverson could not duplicate his Opening Day gem as Palm Beach was downed by Daytona, 7-3.  The Beach Birds dropped the opening series at Roger Dean, two games to four.

Trogrlic-Iverson (L, 0-1), who blanked the Tortugas (4-2) (CIN) through five frames on May 4th, allowed six runs, four earned, on four hits, a walk and a plunked batter in four-plus frames.  The right-hander yielded a single score in the third, two-run four-inning bomb followed by four tallies in the fifth.

Reliever Jose Moreno allowed both inherited runners to cross home before surrendering a solo long ball, one of the two hits yielded against six outs recorded.  Francisco Justo, Will Guay and Ramon Santos each tossed a scoreless frame.

Beach Birds bats squandered numerous opportunities, going a dismal 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranding 12.  Catcher Roblin Heredia and first baseman Jacob Buchberger has two hits apiece, the former singling and doubling in four at bats with a run scored and the latter going 2-for-5.

Roblin Heredia

Masyn Winn was one of four Palm Beach players to have one hit each and stole his third base of the season. However, the shortstop also committed a fielding error. Despite going hitless, Jordan Walker worked three free passes, raising his on-base percentage to .500.

Monday’s game:  There are no scheduled MiLB games on Mondays this season
Tuesday’s game:  at Jupiter (MIA) (2-4), 6:30 pm ET, TBA


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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – May 7, 2021

photo: Chandler Redmond (Gardner-Webb University)

Chandler Redmond led Peoria to its first 2021 win as St. Louis’ system went 2-1 with a rain out on Thursday.  Springfield won for the first time too but Memphis still seeks its initial victory of the season. Palm Beach’s contest was postponed.

Results from games played Thursday, May 6th.

Memphis 3 vs. Durham 4     
Memphis starter Matthew Liberatore’s strong Triple-A debut was not enough as the Redbirds (0-3) fell to the Durham Bulls at AutoZone Park.

The only mark against the southpaw (L, 0-1) during his six innings on the mound was a two-run third-inning home run.  The bomb comprised one of the five hits allowed versus five strikeouts.  Liberatore did not walk a batter.

Matthew Liberatore

Durham’s 2-0 lead doubled in the seventh after reliever Roel Ramirez was tagged for two runs on three hits.  A bright spot out of the bullpen was lefty Garrett Williams’ two scoreless frames with just one walk (and a hit batsman) in his organization debut.

Shortstop Jose Rondon, a minor league free agent signee, finally put his team on the board with a three-run long ball.  His blast scored Kramer Robertson (walk) and Max Moroff (single), cutting the score to 4-3 after eight.  Moroff compiled two of Memphis’ six hits, singling twice in four at bats.

Friday’s game:  vs. Durham (TB) (3-0), 7:10 pm CT, TBA (perhaps LHP Bernardo Flores, Jr. (Triple-A and season debut))

Springfield 7 vs. Wichita 6       
Starter Connor Thomas tossed five shutout frames while Juan Yepez’ solo shot provided the winning margin as Springfield (1-2) edged Wichita, 7-6.  It was the S-Cards’ first victory of the 2021 campaign and gave the Hammons Field home crowd something to cheer.

In Thomas’ first Double-A start, he halted the Wind Surge on five hits and a base-on-balls.  The lefty notched five K’s and departed with a 1-0 lead after centerfielder Justin Toerner unloaded over the wall in left center in the home half of the fifth.

Connor Thomas

Bullpenner Jacob Patterson kept the opposition off the board the next frame but could not match that feat in the seventh.  Patterson (BS, 1) was tagged for five runs on two hits, two walks and plunked batter, the scoring capped by a grand slam.

Springfield responded for a five-run seventh of their own to go back up 6-5.  The runs were generated by small ball – five singles plus a free pass.  The S-Cards’ production displayed the team-wide offensive attack featuring eight starters accumulating at least one of the team’s 10 hits.  (Alas, Nolan Gorman is still looking for his first hit of 2021.)

Jake Walsh (W, 1-0) (BS,1) could not hold the advantage in his Double-A debut, yielding a tally via a base-on-balls and RBI double.  Except for a 1 2/3-inning rehab stint in 2019, the eighth inning was the righty’s first action since the 2018 season.

Yepez led off the eighth with a solo home run.  It was his only hit in four at bats while teammates Ivan Herrera and David Vinsky each singled twice in four at bats, Herrera driving in two and Vinsky touching home once.

Righthander Salvador Justo worked around a lead-off walk and double, retiring his last three batters faced, for his first save.  It was the Dominican native’s first game as a member of the St. Louis organization since signing as a free agent way back in November 2019.

Friday’s game:  vs. Wichita (MN) (2-1), 7:05 pm CT, RHP Kyle Leahy (season debut)

Peoria 11 at Cedar Rapids 2       
A seven-run ninth transformed a competitive game into an easy 11-2 Peoria (1-2) victory at Cedar Rapids.  The Chiefs’ first win of 2021 also featured a noteworthy professional debut by starter Mac Lardner.

Three Chiefs garnered three-hit performances:  third baseman Malcom Nunez, right fielder Alec Burleson and left fielder Chandler Redmond.  Hitting back-to-back in the two and three spots, Nunez and Burleson both scored twice with the former knocking in one and the latter working a free pass plus two RBI, including a fifth-inning solo shot.  The team had 15 hits in total.

Chandler Redmond

The biggest bat belonged to Redmond, our Player of the Day, who went 3-for-4 with a base-on-balls, runs scored and four driven in.   His first long ball of the season occurred with Brendan Donovan (walk) and Zade Richardson (single) on base and was the finale of the ninth inning scoring.

A final Chiefs’ effort that should not be passed by without comment was that of Pedro Pages.  The catcher was responsible for four tallies, going 2-for-5, crossing home once and knocking in three.

Lardner, a June 2020 free agent signee from Gonzaga, held the Kernels scoreless over four innings.  The southpaw permitted a hit and two walks, tossing 40 of his 68 pitches for strikes, and hit a batter.

Michael Brettell (W, 1-0) was credited with the victory in his first High-A action.  The Canadian allowed two runs on three hits and a base-on-balls, the final tally scoring with Ian Oxnevad on the mound.  The lefty (S, 1) gave up three hits against five out recorded, stranding one of two inherited runners.  Oxnevad missed the 2019 season due to injury.

Friday’s game:  at Cedar Rapids (MN) (2-1), 6:35 pm CT, Michael YaSenka (full season debut)

Palm Beach vs. Daytona – postponed  
Game three of the six-game series between Palm Beach (1-1) and Daytona was postponed due to rain.  The contest is scheduled to be made up as part of a twi-night double header on Friday, May 7th.

Friday’s games:  vs. Daytona (CIN) (1-1).  Game 1 – 5:00 pm ET, TBA/TBA (possible Ludwin Jimenez/John Beller)


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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – May 5, 2021

photo: Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (Gonzaga University)

On Opening Day 2021, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 1-3, with Palm Beach securing a walkoff win on a two-run error. In his professional debut, by spinning five scoreless innings, Beach Birds right-hander Nick Trogrlic-Iverson is our Player of the Day.

Results from games played Tuesday, May 4th.

Memphis 5 vs. Durham 7    

The Memphis Redbirds (0-1) were unable to hold two leads, falling to Durham 7-5 in the 2021 season and home opener.  The contest was the first of six at AutoZone Park against their new division rival in the seven-team Southeast Division of the Triple-A East League.

The Redbirds built a 4-0 lead based on two-run frames in the first and third, but the Bulls erased that advantage with a four-run fourth off starter Tommy Parsons.  The damage against the right-hander included two solo shots which were two of the seven hits and one walk he yielded in 4 2/3.  Parsons fanned seven.

Third baseman Max Moroff’s solo bomb put his squad up 5-4 after five. The blast was part of his perfect 3-for-3 night with a double, walk, three runs scored and an RBI.  It was the Cardinals organizational premiere for the former Pittsburgh Pirate.

Max Moroff

The only other Redbird with more than one of the team’s seven hits was right fielder Lane Thomas who doubled and tripled in five at bats, touched home twice and drove in one.  Defensively. Moroff committing his first miscue while Thomas was credited with an outfield assist.

Roel Ramirez retired all four batters faced, stranding Parsons’ final runner.  Connor Jones was not nearly as effective, permitting two runs on five hits and a free pass in just 2/3 of an inning.

Jesus Cruz limited further damage, fanning his first batter to leave the sacks jammed.  The Mexico native tossed a clean eighth, walking one.  Southpaw Garrett Williams was touched for a tally in his Triple-A and organizational debut.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Durham (TB) (1-0), 6:45 pm CT, RHS Miles Mikolas (St. Louis rehab)

Springfield 0 vs. Wichita 2      

Starter Domingo Robles’ five strong frames were not enough as the Springfield Cardinals (0-1) were shut out by Wichita, 2-0, in the season and home opener.  The six-game series at Hammons Field between the two division rivals kicks off a revamped Double-A League which features the S-Cards as part of the five-team North Division of the Double-A Central.

Robles, a southpaw acquired from Pittsburgh for international bonus capacity in December 2020, limited the Wind Surge to three hits and two walks.  He struck out five in his five scoreless frames.

Domingo Robles

Dalton Roach (L, 0-1) continued the scoreless battle over the next two innings before being tagged for two runs in the eighth.  The 25-year-old yielded five hits and a walk against five K’s in his Double-A debut.  Right-hander Edgar Escobar struck out the side in his first taste of Double-A ball.

Springfield’s offense generated eight hits, led by shortstop Delvin Perez and left fielder Nick Plummer who had two hits apiece in their respective first Double-A action.  Perez singled twice in four at bats in the lead-off slot while Plummer went 2-for-3 out of the seven hole.  Third baseman Nolan Gorman was hitless in three at bats in his initial Double-A contest.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Wichita (MN) (1-0), 6:35 pm CT, RHS Andre Pallante (full season debut)

Peoria 0 at Cedar Rapids 7        

Starter Ian Bedell (L, 0-1) did not finish the first as the Peoria Chiefs (0-1) were blasted at Cedar Rapids, 7-0.  In addition to being the 2021 season opener, the contest was also the Chiefs’ inaugural game as St. Louis’ High-A affiliate.

The righty permitted four hits and a free pass, resulting in three runs with just two batters retired, both on strikeouts.  It was Bedell’s organizational debut after being drafted by the Cardinals in the fourth round of the June 2020 First-Year Player Draft.

Chiefs’ hurlers were scored upon in each of the first four frames.  Wilfredo Pereira retired his initial batter, leaving Bedell’s last two runners aboard but yielded three scores on two hits and two walks against six outs recorded.

Pereira’s last run scored under Jacob Schlesener’s watch as the lefty had difficulty finding the strike zone.  Schlesener issued four free passes which matched the number of batters retired, resulting in one run charged to him.

Evan Sisk

Peoria’s last three relievers were unscored upon.  Nathanael Heredia and Connor Lunn both walked one with one strikeout in their inning of work before Evan Sisk struck out three over two perfect frames.

The offense mustered just three singles and five free passes taken.  Catcher Pedro Pages and third baseman Malcom Nuñez each singled and walked once and left fielder and 2020 draftee Alec Burleson worked two free passes in his first professional action.

Wednesday’s game:  at Cedar Rapids (MN) (1-0), 6:35 pm CT, RHS Jack Ralston (High-A debut)

Palm Beach 4 vs. Daytona 3   

The Palm Beach Cardinals (1-0) walked off with a 4-3 victory over Daytona in the season and home opener.  The game is the first of six versus the Cincinnati affiliate, with both part of the four-team East Division of the Class A Southeast League.

In the back-and-forth battle, the Beach Birds took an early 2-0 lead via single scores in the first and fourth.  Starter Nick Trogrlic-Iverson, a June 2020 undrafted free agent signee from Gonzaga, held that lead during his five strong innings.  The 23-year-old righty held the Tortugas scoreless on two hits and three walks with five strikeouts.  He also picked off a runner at second.

Nick Trogrlic-Iverson

Luis Ortiz kept the shutout bid alive with a clean sixth but Daytona got on the board the next inning with a run off righty Edwin Nuñez, who was making his professional debut.  The tally was generated without a hit, coming on a lead-off walk, steal, balk and wild pitch.  Nuñez departed after issuing his second free pass, having struck out one.

Enmanuel Solano (BS, 1) left that runner aboard but not before putting him on third via a wild pitch and passed ball.  The righty served up a game-tying solo shot in the eighth.

Daytona took its only lead with a run against reliever Ramon Santos (W, 1-0).  The Dominican native allowed a single and RBI double but an outfield assist by center fielder Patrick Romeri nailed the runner in his attempt to take third base.

Catcher Carlos Soto ignited the ninth-inning rally with a lead-off double, the second of his two hits in four at bats.  Right fielder L.J. Jones lined a single to center, advancing Soto to third, putting runners at the corners with none out.

It looked like the Beach Birds might squander this opportunity after the next two batters struck out swinging.  Terry Fuller hit one to center which was misplayed by Daytona’s center fielder, the bobble resulting in both Soto and Jones scoring.

Overall, Palm Beach generated seven hits, with two each by third baseman Jordan Walker, first baseman Todd Lott and Soto.  Walker, St. Louis’ first pick in the June 2020 draft, launched a solo bomb in his first professional at bat.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Daytona (CIN) (0-1), 12:00 pm ET, LHS Levi Prater (professional debut)


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Game Recap – Wednesday, September 30, 2020

photo: Dylan Carlson via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Wednesday, September 30, 2020 – St. Louis 7 at San Diego 4

The St. Louis Cardinals scored early then turned back several late opportunities by the San Diego Padres’ offense to claim a 7-4 victory in their series opener at Petco Park.  The Wild Card Series is best-of-three.

The contest featured a bit of everything:  offense, defense – both good and bad, pitching – both good and not-so-good.  St. Louis’ bats pounced a depleted Padres’ pitching staff missing their top two starters due to injuries – Mike Clevinger and Dinelson Lamet – by scoring six times over the initial three frames.

The visitors banged out 13 hits, led by veteran Yadier Molina who was playing in his 99th postseason contest.  The catcher went 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI.  Molina had plenty of opportunities at the plate, batting right behind Dylan Carlson, who reached base four times in five plate appearances.

Carlson joined Stan Musial and Albert Pujols as the only Cardinals age 21 or younger to bat clean-up for the club in the postseason. The left-fielder singled and doubled in three at bats with two walks and touched home twice.  Batting in the six hole, Paul DeJong reached base five times, going 2-for-2 with two free passes, a hit-by-pitch, run scored and one driven in.

Paul DeJong via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The final Cardinal with a multi-hit game was Dexter Fowler, who singled twice in five at bats with an RBI.  Paul Goldschmidt got the scoring started with a two-run bomb that was part of his team’s four-run first inning.

Paul Goldschmidt via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Faced with a display of offense rare in his starts, Kwang Hyun Kim yielded single tallies in each of his first three frames on the mound.  The lefty, who battled both San Diego’s potent offense and the home plate umpire’s tight strike zone, lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks.  All three tallies resulted from permitting the lead-off batter to reach.

Kwang-Hyun Kim via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Ryan Helsley recorded four outs, stranding an inherited runner. But Helsley was tagged for an unearned run in the sixth because of third baseman Tommy Edman’s inability to cleanly handle Yadier Molina’s strike on an attempted steal of third by former Cardinal Tommy Pham.

Genesis Cabrera replaced Helsley and immediately plunked his first batter, putting runners at the corners for catcher Austin Nola.  Nola flied into an unusual 9-3-5 double play – due in large part to a baserunning blunder by the trailing runner.  Cabrera departed after allowing a single and walk, bringing the potential go-ahead run to the plate in the form of dangerous Fernando Tatis, Jr.

Giovanny Gallegos (W, 1-0) got Tatis on a swinging K to hold San Diego to one run that inning.  Gallegos issued a two-out free pass in the seventh but got Pham – representing the tying run – to ground out to short.

Andrew Miller greeted his first batter the next inning by hitting him then yielded a one-out single.  The veteran right-hander got the hook after a rundown that retired the lead runner at third, and gave way to Alex Reyes.

Reyes faced Tatis, representing the go-ahead run, and got him to hit into a 6-3 ground out.  After St. Louis added a final tally in the ninth off former Cardinal Trevor Rosenthal, Reyes tossed a one-two-three ninth for his first post-season save.

Defensively, St. Louis had a couple of highlight reel plays, notably left fielder Carlson’s diving catch to rob Manny Machado of extra bases to open the seventh and center fielder Harrison Bader’s leaping grab for the game’s final out.  Molina threw in a gem of his own in foul territory and Dexter Fowler made a nifty catch in right.

Thursday’s game:  at San Diego (0-1), 4:08 pm CDT, Adam Wainwright (0-0, —) vs. Zach Davies (0-0, —)


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Game Recap – Sunday, September 27, 2020

photo: Harrison Bader via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Sunday, September 27, 2020 – St. Louis 5 vs. Milwaukee 2

By any measure, the St Louis Cardinals’ season was unique, even for a year as unusual as 2020.  While most other Major League squads ‘merely’ dealt with the compacted 60-game schedule, the Cardinals persevered through a 17-day gap in play sparked by positive tests for the coronavirus.  That interruption resulted in 11 double headers, 53 games in 44 days and a seemingly endless revolving door between the active and Injury Lists.

But on the last day of the regular season, St Louis’ journey took them to clinch the number five seed in the National League’s postseason with a 5-2 victory over division rival Milwaukee (29-31).  The Cardinals (30-28) claimed the five-game set, three games to two, and will face fourth-seeded San Diego beginning Wednesday.

The margin of victory was generated in the third when the home team scored four times.  Speedster Harrison Bader led off with his second triple of 2020 which was followed by Tyler O’Neill’s walk and stolen base.  An injury delay ensued whereupon Milwaukee starter Brett Anderson (L, 4-4) had to leave the game with a finger issue.

Kolten Wong pounced on Anderson’s replacement, Freddy Peralta, with an infield single, scoring both Bader and O’Neill.  Wong ended up on second due to a throwing error by Peralta, putting him in position to come home on Paul Goldschmidt’s line drive single up the middle.  A base-on-balls to Yadier Molina advanced Goldschmidt to second, and the latter crossed home plate on Paul DeJong’s single to left.

Starter Austin Gomber, who had tossed a crisp initial three frames, showed the results of sitting during the extended bottom half of the third the next inning.  The lefty issued free passes to his first two batters then wild pitched both runners into scoring position.  Gomber regrouped by sandwiching an RBI groundout between two strikeouts, this minimizing the damage.  At 75 pitches, within one of his season-high, Gomber’s day was done with a stat line of one run allowed on one hit and two walks with three K’s.

Austin Gomber via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Bader got that run right back in the home half of the fourth, leading off with a 425-ft blast that hit Fredbird’s painting set up on the steps halfway up into Big Mac Land.  The center fielder went 2-for-3 with a triple and solo shot, touched home twice and drove in two.

The only other Cardinal with a multi-hit performance was Goldschmidt, who singled three times in four at bats (finishing at .304 for the season), scored one and knocked in another.  Kolten Wong’s third-inning single, his only hit in four at bats, extended his hitting streak to seven games.

Paul Goldschmidt via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Each team traded zeros on the scoreboard over the next four innings, thanks to the efforts of Giovanny Gallegos, Genesis Cabrera and Alex Reyes, called “The Three Amigos” by manager Mike Shildt after the game.  Gallegos (W, 2-2) retired six batters, yielding a hit to begin the seventh and fanned three. Cabrera replaced Gallegos with a runner on first and tossed a clean seventh, but not before uncorking a wild pitch and walking a batter.

Cabrera left in the eighth after a single and free pass put two on with one out for Reyes.  The flamethrower caught Ryan Braun looking at strike three and Jedd Gyorko swinging through the third strike.

But Reyes was not able to navigate the ninth before causing some serious angst in Cardinal Nation.  A two-out double, walk and RBI single brought the potential tying run to the plate.  However, an athletic play by second baseman Wong generated the third and final out and the Cardinals celebrated reaching the post-season and avoiding a Monday twinbill in Detroit. The team will play its first Wild Card Game in San Diego on Wednesday at a time to be determined.


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Game Recap – Wednesday, September 23, 2020

photo: Carlos Martinez via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Wednesday, September 23, 2020 – St. Louis 3 at Kansas City 12

The St. Louis Cardinals (27-26) absorbed a 12-3 pounding at Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday in the decisive third game of their series with the Kansas City Royals (23-33).  Following a win by Cincinnati, the Cardinals fell into a second-place tie with the Reds, with both squads 3 ½ games behind Chicago. Milwaukee is just one game behind them.

Starter Carlos Martinez (L, 0-3) was not up to the task of keeping the Royals’ offense at bay, yielding eight runs on nine hits and two walks over five-plus frames.  The right-hander surrendered two of the four home runs slugged off St. Louis pitching, directly accounting for five tallies.

In what turned out to be Martinez’ last pitch of the game, he grabbed his left side, resulting in Seth Elledge’s quick entry.  Martinez was later diagnosed with a left mid-back strain.  Elledge was subsequently tagged for a three-run bomb scoring Martinez’ final two runners, with his long ball one of four hits and a base-on-balls permitted.

Kodi Whitley via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The seventh featured Kodi Whitley’s return to action after his long layoff due to the coronavirus. The right-hander’s last appearance occurred on July 29th.  Whitley allowed a solo shot and fanned one.  Jake Woodford retired the side in order in the ninth, striking out two.

The offense was pretty somnambulant, mustering just one run through the initial eight frames before doubling that output in the last inning.  Yadier Molina and Harrison Bader were the only Cardinals with more than one of the team’s nine hits. Molina went 2-for-3 including a double, plus a walk and run scored out of the five hole.  Batting ninth, Bader singled twice in four at bats, knocking in two.

Harrison Bader via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Thursday’s game:  vs. Milwaukee (27-28), 7:15 p.m. CDT, Kwang Hyun Kim (2-0, 1.59) vs. Corbin Burnes (4-0, 1.77)  FOX Sports Midwest // KMOX


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Game Recap – Tuesday, September 22, 2020

photo: Dylan Carlson via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Tuesday, September 22, 2020 – St. Louis 5 at Kansas City 0

A breakout performance by Dylan Carlson and six strong frames by starter Austin Gomber led the St. Louis Cardinals over the Kansas City Royals, 5-0, on Tuesday evening at Kauffman Stadium. The win evened the road series at one game each with one on tap.  The victory also placed St. Louis (27-25) in sole possession of second place in the National League Central, thanks to losses by both the division-leading Cubs and Cincinnati. The Cardinals now trail Chicago by 3 ½ games while the Reds’ drop into a third-place tie with Milwaukee, 4 ½ back.

Mike Shildt via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

On a night in which each team saluted the Negro Leagues Centennial by wearing the uniforms of the 1930 St. Louis Stars, a team on which the legendary James “Cool Papa” Bell played, and the 1945 Kansas City Monarchs, who had shortstop Jackie Robinson on their roster, respectively, both Carlson and Gomber brought their best efforts.  With a fly ball to the track in the eighth, Carlson finished a few feet shy of being the first St. Louis player to hit for the cycle since Mark Grudzielanek in 2005. Carlson went 3-for-4 with a single, two-run double and triple, scoring twice. The rookie’s go-ahead two-base hit in the second set the tone for the evening.

The only other Cardinal with more than one of the team’s seven hits was Kolten Wong, who reached base three times by singling twice in three at-bats and driving in one.  Wong worked one of the seven free passes issued by Kansas City’s pitching staff, two of whom eventually crossed home plate.

Austin Gomber via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Moving into St. Louis’ rotation after the recent season-ending injury of Dakota Hudson, Gomber’s impressive effort held the Royals’ offense at bay.  After a first-inning triple, the southpaw did not allow a runner to reach scoring position until the fifth, when a single and throwing error by third baseman Matt Carpenter put a runner on second with one gone.  But Gomber negated the bobble with a line out to left and one of his three strikeouts.  Overall, he gave up four hits did not walk a batter. Gomber was also assisted by a stellar second-inning catch by center fielder Harrison Bader to rob Bubba Starling in a potential-momentum-shifting play. The big lefty noted his changeup was on, enabling him to pitch more efficiently and increase his ground ball rate.

A trio of Cardinals’ relievers held solid over the final three frames:  Ryan Helsley, Genesis Cabrera and Jake Woodford.  Each hurler tossed an inning, with Helsley and Woodford walking one apiece while Cabrera and Woodford permitted a hit.  Woodford struck out the side.

Wednesday’s game:  at Kansas City (22-33), 7:05 p.m. CDT, Carlos Martinez (0-2, 8.40) vs. Danny Duffy (3-4, 5.01)  FOX Sports Midwest // KMOX


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Game Recap – Monday, September 21, 2020

photo: Adam Wainwright via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Monday, September 21, 2020 – St. Louis 1 at Kansas City 4

Early missed opportunities on offense resulted in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 4-1 defeat to the Kansas City Royals in the three-game series opener at Kauffman Stadium on Monday night.  The loss by St. Louis (26-25), combined with a Cincinnati victory, drops them into a virtual second-place tie with the Reds, 4 ½ games behind Chicago, which also won.

The visitors clung to a slim 1-0 advantage midway through the fifth, thanks to designated hitter Matt Carpenter’s fourth home run of 2020.  But St. Louis failed to expand the lead, having left six on base to that point and grounding into a double play, and it came back to bite them.

Matt Carpenter

Starter Adam Wainwright (L, 5-2) was tagged for three runs on six hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings while fanning seven.  The damage would have been worse but for center fielder Dylan Carlson’s glove and Tyler Webb’s arm.  Carlson’s leaping catch at the wall in the fourth robbed the Royals’ Salvatore Perez of a solo shot and Webb recorded the sixth’s last out to escape a bases-loaded jam, thus stranding Wainwright’s final three base runners.

Webb retired all four batters faced, striking out two, before turning the ball over to Giovanny Gallegos, fresh off the Injured List.  Facing batters for the first time since September 10th, the righty permitted a tally on two hits and a base-on-balls in 2/3 of a frame.  Seth Elledge retired his only batter to strand two inherited runners.

Carpenter’s bomb was one of just six hits for the Cardinals and the only one for extra bases. The designated hitter came into Monday on a 1-for-22 (.045) skid over his prior eight games.

Yadier Molina was the only St. Louis player with multiple hits, singling twice in four at bats.  Tommy Edman extended his hitting streak to nine games with a first-inning single (and also walked) while Dexter Fowler went 1-for-4 in his return from the Injured List.

Tuesday’s game:  at Kansas City (22-32), 7:05 p.m. CDT, Austin Gomber (0-1, 2.37) vs. Brady Singer (3-4, 4.14)   FOX Sports Midwest // KMOX


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Game Recap – Sunday, September 20, 2020

photo: Yadier Molina via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Sunday, September 20, 2020 – St. Louis 2 at Pittsburgh 1

An old-fashioned pitching duel broke out in the series finale at PNC Park on Sunday and when the dust cleared, the St. Louis Cardinals had edged the home Pittsburgh Pirates, 2-1.  After dropping the first game of the five-game set, St. Louis (26-24) won the next four, the team’s longest winning streak in 2020.  The victory kept the second-place Cardinals a game up on both Cincinnati and Milwaukee who won their afternoon contests and 3 1/2 behind Chicago which lost Sunday evening.

Both starters, St. Louis’ Jack Flaherty and Pittsburgh’s Joe Musgrove, were near the top of their game, resulting in a scoreless contest through 3 ½ frames.  But the Bucs (15-38) eked out their sole tally in the home half of the fourth on a lead-off double, sacrifice bunt advancing the runner to third and sac fly to center.

That two-bagger was one of only two hits and two walks yielded by Flaherty during his six-inning stint.  Bouncing back from his worst 2020 start last time out versus Milwaukee in which he yielded nine runs in three plus frames, the 24-year-old fanned 11 Pirates, including his final seven recorded outs.

Jack Flaherty via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Despite this effort, Flaherty departed after six with his team down 1-0, because his teammates could get nothing going against Musgrove, who matched Flaherty’s 11 strikeouts over six frames.  Having thrown 94 pitches during that span, Musgrove’s day was over and the bullpen took over.

It was déjà vu all over again as the Cardinals mimicked their exploits of Saturday’s contest by pouncing on Pittsburgh’s relief corps in the seventh inning.  Matt Carpenter led off with a single to left, followed immediately by Yadier Molina’s fourth home run of the season to give St. Louis a 2-1 lead.

That was all the run support needed by the visitors’ relievers, who did not allow a base runner over the final three innings.  Tyler Webb, John Gant and Andrew Miller each tossed a frame, with Webb and Miller striking out one each and Miller earning his third save.  It was Gant’s first action since September 13th when he left that game with a groin injury.

Andrew Miller via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinals’ offense consisted of six hits, with two by Paul Goldschmidt in four at bats. Tommy Edman extended his consecutive hitting streak to eight games and his consecutive on-base streak to 11 contests with a seventh-inning single, his only hit in five at bats. Kolten Wong (two steals) and Harrison Bader (one stolen base) each walked.

Monday’s game:  at Kansas City (21-32), 7:05 p.m. CDT, Adam Wainwright (5-1, 2.87) vs. Carlos Hernandez (0-0, 3.86).  FOX Sports Midwest // KMOX


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Games Recaps – Wednesday, September 16, 2020

photo: Adam Wainwright via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Adam Wainwright’s seven-inning complete game gave St. Louis (22-23) a split of their double-header versus Milwaukee (23-26) at Miller Park on Wednesday.  The Cardinals claimed the opener, 4-2, but were blanked in the finale, 6-0.

The loss, combined with Cincinnati’s fifth consecutive win, drops St. Louis into a second-place tie with the Reds in the National League Central, 5 ½ games behind Chicago.

Wednesday, September 16, 2020 – St. Louis 4 at Milwaukee 2 (7 innings) – Game 1

As he has done all season, Wainwright came through for his team when they needed him most.  The 39-year old overcame a first inning in which he served up a two-run long ball, allowing just three more base runners the rest of the way.  Wainwright (W, 5-1) struck out nine against four hits and one walk yielded.

Tyler O’Neill via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The offense backed their mound leader with single tallies in four frames.  The scoring began with Tyler O’Neill’s solo shot in the second and finished with another solo bomb by Brad Miller in the sixth.  The Cardinals generated seven hits in all, with Miller the only player with a multi-hit performance.  The designated hitter added his sixth double of 2020 to his seventh home run in three at bats.  O’Neill added his second RBI of the night on a sac fly driving in Paul Goldschmidt (single), knotting the game at 2-2 after four. In his St. Louis debut, 29th man outfielder Justin Williams collected a single.

Justin Williams via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

St. Louis 0 at Milwaukee 6 (7 innings) – Game 2

It was all Milwaukee in Game 2, which made up a contest postponed on July 31st. Manager Mike Shildt served his one-game suspension, handed down that afternoon, and sat out the nightcap.

So did his offense.

St. Louis’ lineup mustered just two hits and two walks in total against four Brewers pitchers.  No Cardinal reached base more than once. It continued a pattern of little offense during Johan Oviedo’s starts – just six runs in total support over the rookie’s five outings.

Johan Oviedo via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Oviedo, fresh off the Injured List due to coronavirus precautions, absorbed his third loss in as many decisions.  The 22-year-old was tagged for six runs, five earned, on seven hits and two free passes over 5 1/3 frames.  He also hit three batters.

The big damage came from two home run balls, one in his first and one in his last inning of work.  Those long balls resulted in five of the six tallies yielded.  In between those two blasts, Oviedo compiled four frames of shutout ball.  Seth Elledge recorded the final two outs, issuing one free pass.

Behind Oviedo, Miller committed an error on a dropped popup and catcher Matt Wieters was charged with a passed ball.

The Cardinals dropped the series in Milwaukee two games to three while batting a collective .208 and being outscored 11-30. They will play the Brew Crew five more times starting on September 24 at Busch Stadium.

Thursday’s game:  at fifth-place Pittsburgh (14-34), 6:05 p.m. CDT, Dakota Hudson (3-2, 2.92) vs. Steven Brault (0-3, 5.06), FOX Sports Midwest/KMOX


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Game Recap – Tuesday, September 15, 2020

photo: Jack Flaherty via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Tuesday, September 15, 2020 – St. Louis 3 at Milwaukee 18

A tumultuous contest featuring the benches clearing, costly injuries and ejections was part of an 18-3 trouncing of the St. Louis Cardinals by the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park Tuesday evening.  St. Louis (21-22) has won just one of the series’ initial three games with the double-header finale set for Wednesday.

Before the game ever began, a down note was sounded as lead-off hitter Kolten Wong was a late scratch due to a left side injury that may or may not require an injured list move. Even so, the visitors mustered a run in the first frame for an early lead.  However, Milwaukee answered with two solo home runs in the home half of the inning and it was all downhill for the Cardinals after that.

Jack Flaherty (L, 3-2) lasted just three plus innings, surrendering nine runs, earned, on eight hits and two walks. The righty struck out six. The solo shots were two of four home runs hit off St. Louis pitching.

Jake Woodford was equally ineffective, retiring four batters and serving up a bomb comprising three of the five tallies allowed on three hits and three walks.

Rob Kaminsky replaced Woodford with two on and one gone in what proved to be a turbulent fifth inning.  A free pass loaded the bases for Ryan Braun, who was awarded first when his swing hit Yadier Molina’s left wrist in what was ruled catcher’s interference.  While Molina was being attended to by St. Louis’ medical staff, a contretemps erupted whereby both benches and bullpens cleared, leading to ejections of both managers – Mike Shildt and Craig Counsell.

After the game, Shildt was vehement in his defense of his catcher, defending his toughness. The manager was careful not to make allegations against Braun, but noted that “it just didn’t look good” because there was “a little conversation prior to it.”

Mike Shildt via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Molina remained in the game for two more frames before departing for scans and treatment. His ongoing playing status remains to be seen. Post-game, Shildt said, “There is some discomfort there, for sure. If Yadier Molina is in discomfort, something is wrong.”

Meanwhile, St. Louis pitchers continued to be pounded.  Kaminsky finished the fifth but not before yielding three runs, two earned, on a hit and two walks.  Woodford and Kaminsky allowed both inherited runners to score.

Nabil Crismatt was relatively effective, all things considered.  The 25-year-old tossed the final three innings, giving up three hits, including a solo long ball.

Offensively, the Cardinals managed seven hits, with Tommy Edman the sole player with multiples.  The second baseman singled twice in four at bats with a walk and run scored.  Paul Goldschmidt went 1-for-2 with a double, walk and two RBI before exiting for the night when Kaminsky entered.

Paul Goldschmidt via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

After Chicago’s late win, St. Louis has fallen to five games back in the Central Division and drops below .500 for the first time this season. Their hold on second place is increasingly tenuous, with Milwaukee a half-game behind the Cards and the Reds just one game back.

Wednesday’s games:  at Milwaukee (22-25).  Game 1 – 4:10 pm CDT, Adam Wainwright (4-1, 2.91) vs. Brandon Woodruff (2-3, 3.40) // Game 2 – 45 minutes after the first game’s finish, Johan Oviedo (0-2, 4.66, tentative off the IL) vs. Brent Suter (2-0, 3.52)  FOX Sports Midwest // KMOX


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Games Recaps – Monday, September 14, 2020

photo: Daniel Ponce de Leon via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Two extra-inning affairs generated different results for the St Louis Cardinals (21-21) as they split Monday’s doubleheader at Milwaukee, dropping the opener, 2-1, but claiming the finale, 3-2. Starters Kwang-Hyun Kim and Daniel Ponce de Leon excelled.

Monday, September 14, 2020 – St. Louis 1 at Milwaukee 2 (8 innings) – Game 1

In the opener, the visitors squandered a stellar performance by starter Kwang Hyun Kim in his return from the Injured List.  Kim blanked the opposition on three hits and three walks, one intentional, over the regulation seven frames while striking out six.  The southpaw has not been scored upon in his last four MLB starts covering 24 innings.

Kwang-Hyun Kim via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinals offense could not back Kim’s outstanding effort, however, managing just four hits through seven innings and sending the game into extra innings.  St. Louis finally broke through in the eighth after Tommy Edman’s two-out single brought home Tyler O’Neill, who began the frame on second.

Ryan Helsley (L, 1-1) (BS,2) was not up to the task of holding the 1-0 advantage.  The righty allowed a game-tying double with one gone, bringing Austin Gomber into the game.  With a runner at third thanks to a throw home on the run-scoring play, Gomber issued a free pass and sac fly that ended the contest.

St. Louis mustered five total hits, all singles, with no player having more than one.  Paul DeJong and Edman both reached base twice. DeJong went 1-for-2 with a hit-by-pitch and Edman added a base-on-balls to his RBI single in three at-bats.

Monday, September 14, 2020 – St. Louis 3 at Milwaukee 2 (9 innings) – Game 2

The closing contest shaped up to end much the same way as the opening defeat with St. Louis trailing 2-1 and three outs to go.  A last-gasp rally by the Cardinals, however, knotted the game at 1-1, triggering another extra-inning decision.

Paul Goldschmidt doubled to lead off the seventh, his second hit in five at bats and the only one of his squad’s 10 hits to go for extra bases.  Brad Miller’s single to left drove in Goldschmidt, sending the game into extras.

After neither team broke through in the eighth, DeJong’s third single of the game brought Edman across home after the latter began the frame at second.  DeJong’s three hits in five at bats led St. Louis’ offense.  Catcher Matt Wieters and Goldschmidt had two hits apiece and Edman worked two free passes, scoring both times.

Paul DeJong via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Daniel Ponce de Leon tossed his strongest effort of 2020, striking out nine over six-plus innings.  The only damage against the right-hander was via a two-run home run by former Cardinal Jedd Gyorko in his final inning of work, one of only four hits and a walk permitted.

Alex Reyes struck out the side in the seventh, walking one and leaving Ponce de Leon’s final runner on base.  Genesis Cabrera (W, 4-1) matched Reyes’ stats the next frame with three K’s and a free pass but hit a batter that jammed the sacks full before his last strikeout.  Tyler Webb (S, 1) used a 6-4-3 double play to erase the lead-off free pass he issued then notched a swinging K for the save.

In Game 2, the Cardinals set dual strikeout high-water marks in 2020. The offense collectively fanned 16 times as St. Louis pitchers set down 16 Brewers by strikes.

The victory prevented the Brewers from tying the Cardinals for second-place in the National League standings, instead leaving them two games behind St. Louis with three games to go in the series.

Tuesday’s game:  at Milwaukee (21-25), 6:40 pm CDT, Jack Flaherty (3-1, 3.08) vs. Brett Anderson (2-3, 4.64)   FOX Sports Midwest/KMOX


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Game Recap – Sunday, September 13, 2020

photo: Carlos Martinez via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Sunday, September 13, 2020 – St. Louis 5 vs. Cincinnati 10

The St. Louis Cardinals’ failure to hold two separate leads resulted in a 10-5 home loss to the Cincinnati Reds in the rubber game of the three-game series, held Sunday afternoon.

Facing five games in three days just ahead, St. Louis (20-20) needed to minimize the number of pitchers used.  The contest did not play out that way, however, as the home team was forced to send seven hurlers to the mound, all of whom were scored upon.

Starter Carlos Martinez fanned eight over four innings but surrendered three tallies on six hits and two walks.  His final stat line was inflated by left fielder Austin Dean’s failure to catch a routine fly ball for what would be the last out in the third and left St Louis up 3-1.  Instead, the third finished with the score knotted at 3-3. (Dean departed after four innings with right elbow discomfort.)

St. Louis reclaimed a 5-3 lead with four consecutive singles in the home fifth but the bullpen allowed Cincinnati (21-26) to score in each of the next four frames.  Genesis Cabrera tossed a clean fifth but got the hook after issuing a lead off free pass in the sixth.  That runner crossed home plate under Alex Reyes’ watch after the righty gave up two singles.

Reyes retired three batters, his final out recorded just prior to a seventh-inning base-on-balls that brought John Gant into the game.  Gant (L, 0-3) lasted just one batter, yielding a single before exiting with what was subsequently termed “right groin soreness, status day-to-day”.

Pitching for his second straight day, Andrew Miller (BS, 1) had trouble finding the strike zone.  The right-hander plunked his initial batter, leaving nowhere to put his next hitter when he walked him.  That free pass brought Reyes’ final runner across home and soon, Gant’s runner scored via a wild pitch.   A 5-3 ground out brought in another runner, this one charged to Miller.

Jake Woodford pitched the eighth during which he served up a two-out home run.  Nabil Crismatt tossed the ninth, permitting a single and bomb to his first two batters.

Cardinals pitching fanned 14 Reds, but also yielded three home runs, walked five, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch.

Matt Carpenter via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Matt Carpenter was the sole Cardinal with more than one of his squad’s eight hits, singling and doubling in four at bats, touching home twice and driving in one.  Designated hitter Brad Miller was issued three free passes but was stranded each time.  Paul DeJong accounted for two tallies, going 0-for-2 with two walks, a run scored and one knocked in via a sacrifice fly.

On Sunday, the Cubs routed the Brewers 12-0 on a no-hitter by Alec Mills. In the process, Chicago increased its division lead over the Cardinals to four games.

St. Louis heads out on a very challenging 10-day, 13-game road trip to Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and Kansas City.

Monday’s games:  doubleheader at Milwaukee (20-24).  Game 1 – 4:10 p.m. CDT, Kwang Hyun Kim (2-0, 0.83) vs. Josh Lindblom (1-3, 6.06)  //  Game 2 (make up of August 1 postponement) – 45 minutes after Game 1 finish, Daniel Ponce de Leon (0-3, 7.47) vs. Corbin Burnes (3-0, 1.99)   FOX Sports Midwest/KMOX


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Games Recaps – Tuesday, September 8, 2020

photo: Tommy Edman via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Despite just nine hits in 14 innings, the St. Louis Cardinals (18-17) split a twin bill with Minnesota (27-18) at Busch Stadium on Tuesday, falling 7-3 in the opener but claiming the finale 6-4.  The Game 2 victory prevented a season series sweep by the Twins, which claimed both July games played at Target Field.



Tuesday, September 8, 2020 – St. Louis 3 vs. Minnesota 7 (Game 1, seven innings)

The first contest featured the return of starting pitcher Carlos Martinez after his extended absence due to the coronavirus.  While Martinez absorbed his second loss in as many decisions, the primary damage against him came on a three-run long ball that occurred just after his defense was unable to initiate an inning-ending double play.  Overall, the right-hander allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk in 3 2/3 frames.

Carlos Martinez via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation

Jake Woodford and Ryan Helsley shared pitching duties for the game’s balance and both fell prey to the home run ball  Woodford went 2 1/3 innings, yielding a solo shot comprising one of his two hits given up to go with a base-on-balls before Helsley surrendered a two-run shot in the seventh.

St. Louis was blanked until the home half of the sixth when Tommy Edman launched a two-run blast over the right field wall with Kolten Wong (walk) aboard.  It was the third baseman’s second home run in three games and only his third of the season.

Paul Goldschmidt accounted for his team’s last run, following Edman’s bomb with a single to center.  A passed ball and groundball out put the first baseman in position to score via a wild pitch.  Goldschmidt’s two singles in three at bats were half of the Cardinals’ meager total of four hits.

St. Louis 6 vs. Minnesota 4 (Game 2, seven innings)

The Cardinals triumphed in the nightcap thanks to a truly odd third inning that had reporters checking the Elias Sports Bureau for similar occurrences.

St. Louis began the third facing a 2-0 deficit but the momentum swung their way by the end of the frame after the home team touched home five times but managed just one hit, a single, with runners in scoring position.

Matt Carpenter singled to open the inning but the bases were quickly filled after Matt Wieters was plunked and Harrison Bader walked.  Tommy Edman became the first of eight Cardinals that inning to have a plate appearance with the bases loaded.  (The last team to have eight or more straight plate appearances with the bases loaded in a game/inning was the Florida Marlins in 2009.)

Edman was hit by a pitch, a call that was reviewed and upheld, bringing Carpenter across home.  Paul DeJong was issued a free pass, forcing Wieters in to tie the game at 2-2.  Goldschmidt K’d swinging.  Brad Miller hit a squibber toward the first baseman whose throw home arrived after Bader slid feet first across home.

Rangel Ravelo’s single to left drove in Edman, the team’s sole hit that inning with runners in scoring position. After Tyler O’Neill grounded into a force at home, Carpenter returned to the plate.  His base-on-balls pushed Miller across home, making the score 5-2.  The walk was the 600th of Carpenter’s career, tying him with The Rajah, Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby, for seventh all-time in team history.

The third ended with yet another unusual feat – a 19-pitch at bat by Wieters ending in a fly out.  That was the most pitches seen in a plate appearance by a Cardinals hitter dating back to 1988, the first time pitch counts were tracked.  It was also the most in a bases-loaded situation and the third most overall in that span among Cardinals.

Matt Wieters via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The home team managed just five hits in all, all singles, with the last one a sixth-inning RBI single by Kolten Wong. It drove in Edman, who had worked the last of his squad’s six free passes and scored two runs in Game 2. Every Cardinals starter except Tyler O’Neill reached base at least once via hit, walk or hit-by-pitch (Wieters).

Tuesday’s 29th man, up from the alternate camp, Daniel Ponce de Leon, tossed the initial three frames. The right-hander yielded two runs on five hits and a walk, both scores the result of one home run.  Genesis Cabrera (W, 3-1) and John Gant each hurled a scoreless inning.  Andrew Miller retired his first two batters but got the hook after hitting the next one.  Giovanny Gallegos recorded his four save but not before giving up a solo shot in the seventh.

Wednesday’s game:  Off

Thursday’s games: doubleheader vs. Detroit, 1:15 p.m. Game 1, RHP Jack Flaherty (2-1, 2.95) vs. TBA, Game 2 (45 minutes after Game 1), LHP Austin Gomber (0-0, 0.64) vs. TBA, FS Midwest // KMOX // WIJR


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