photo: Trejyn Fletcher (Robert Kell)

On Tuesday, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 3-5. Fernando Diaz had four hits, including three doubles and two RBI as the DSL Blue captured a share of first place. Behind Trejyn Fletcher’s two hits including a home run, a steal and two knocked in, Johnson City also tied for its division lead.

Results from games played Tuesday, August 13^th.

Memphis 7 at Fresno 8

Fresno (55-66) broke a tie in the home ninth as Memphis absorbed an 8-7 walk-off loss, preventing a four-game series sweep by the Redbirds (55-66).

Down 7-4 through six, the visitors scored three times over the next two innings, knotting the score at 7-7 going into the bottom of the ninth.  But a hit batsman and RBI double yielded by reliever Chasen Shreve (L, 2-2) ended the game in a defeat.

Genesis Cabrera was shaky from the start, surrendering a two-run bomb comprising two of the seven runs allowed on eight hits and two walks over five innings.  The southpaw was scored upon in three of his five innings of work.  Jesus Cruz, Zac Rosscup and Domenic Leone each tossed a scoreless frame with one strikeout.

Memphis’ eight-hit offense was led by John Nogowski, who reached base five times., going 2-for-2 with three walks, a run scored and two RBIs.  Edmundo Sosa matched his production, singling three times in five at bats with a run scored and two driven in.  The shortstop was caught stealing in his only attempt.

Wednesday’s game:   Off

Springfield 5 at Tulsa 15

Nine runs yielded by the S-Cards’ bullpen transformed a competitive game into a 15-5 rout at Tulsa.  Each team has won one of the series’ first two contests with two on tap.

Springfield (24-27) trailed 6-4 after six frames but three S-Cards’ relievers plus an infielder could not hold back the Drillers’ offense after that point.  Merandy Gonzalez was charged with three runs on two hits and two walks against four outs recorded, with his final runner crossing home with Jacob Patterson on the mound in the seventh.

Connor Jones retired two batters the next inning but was tagged for five runs on two hits and three free passes,  Second baseman Irving Lopez, who was thrown into the mound fray at that point, permitted a run on two hits and a base-on-balls while allowing both inherited runners to score.

Alex FaGalde (L, 3-3) started the game and was not sharp, yielding six tallies on two hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings.  His final two runners scored under Will Latcham’s watch. The righty gave up two hits and two walks with five retired.

The offense matched Tulsa’s 11 hits but went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base.  Four Springfield players had two hits each:  Justin Toerner, Yariel Gonzalez, Julio Rodriguez and Rayder Ascanio.  Toerner and Gonzalez both went yard with the bases empty, joined by Lopez, in the latter’s only hit in five at bats.  Toerner and Rodriguez both smacked a two-bagger.

Wednesday’s game:  at Tulsa (28-23) (LAD), 7:05 pm CT,  Tommy Parsons (4-4, 5.05)

Palm Beach 2 at Tampa 4

Palm Beach (18-35) could not hold an early lead, falling to the Tarpons in Tampa, 4-2.  The Beach Birds have dropped the series’ first two games with two contests remaining.

The visitors put up single tallies in each of the first two frames but were unable to break through the rest of the way despite outhitting their opponents 10 to eight.  Scott Hurst went 4-for-5 out of the leadoff slot but neither scored nor drove anyone in.  The only other PB-Card with more than one hit was Nick Dunn, who singled and doubled in three at bats with a walk. His double was one of the four on the game.

Starter Michael Baird could not finish the fourth, permitting a two-run home run that was one of his three hits and a walk allowed in 3 1/3 frames.  Patrick Dayton (L, 3-2) retired six batters, yielding two tallies on four hits, two walks, a wild pitch and a plunked batter.  Ramon Santos issued three free passes over 1 2/3 clean frames before Cole Aker tossed a scoreless eighth.

Wednesday’s game:   at Tampa (26-26) (NYY), 6:30 pm ET/5:30 pm CT, TBA

Peoria – off

Peoria (14-36) looks to bounce back from being swept in a home series by Clinton (MIA) as they travel to Kane County (ARI) for three games.

Wednesday’s game:  at Kane County (34-16), 6:30 pm CT, Dalton Roach (0-1, 7.45)

State College 8 vs. Williamsport 6

A five-run first catapulted State College (29-28) past Williamsport, 8-6, in the rubber game of the three-game away-and-home series.

The Spikes banged out 14 hits with two players garnering three hits apiece in five at bats:  Moises Castillo and Stanley Espinal.  Both players touched home once with Espinal doubling and knocking in one.

David Vinsky, Martin Figueroa and Dariel Gomez had two hits each, the first two in four at bats with a walk and Gomez in five at bats.  Gomez joined Espinal with a double while one of Figueroa’s two hits was a triple.  All three players scored once while Vinsky and Gomez drove in one to Espinal’s two RBIs.

Andre Pallante tossed the initial four innings, allowing four runs on six hits.  Jeremy Randolph (W, 3-2) held the Crosscutters (22-36) to a single score on three hits and a base-on-balls over 2 2/3.  Cameron Dulle recorded four outs before handing the ball off to Jack Ralston who allowed a run, his first in 19 1/3 professional innings, and picked up his fourth save.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Mahoning Valley (CLE), 7:05 pm ET/6:05 pm CT, Scott Politz (3-3, 5.87)

Johnson City 6 vs. Princeton 4

The Appy Birds scored in each of the first five innings on their way to a rainy 6-4 victory over Princeton (25-28) (TB), salvaging the third and final game of the series.  Johnson City (28-25) snapped a three-game losing skid and recaptured sole possession of first place in the West Division standings over Elizabethton (MIN), which lost Tuesday night.

Seven of nine JC-Card starters gathered at least one of the team’s eight hits with Raffy Ozuna and Trejyn Fletcher both launching solo shots.  Fletcher went 2-for-4 with a run scored, two knocked in and a stolen base.  Four players doubled for their only hit of the game.

Making his second start in 12 appearances, and first since June 29^th, Will Guay held Princeton in check on three hits and a walk over three innings.  Alex Gallegos followed with a scoreless frame of his own.

Timing is everything, as John Witkowski was credited with the win, his third in as many decisions, despite allowing three runs on five hits, including a two-run bomb, in two innings.  Walker Robbins was charged with a tally on three hits and a walk with six outs recorded but lefty Enrique Perez tossed a one-two-three ninth for his first save of the season.

Wednesday’s game:  Off

GCL Nationals 10 at GCL Cardinals 1

The Gulf Cardinals (18-24) were trounced by the Nationals Tuesday afternoon by a 10-1 margin.

Thomas Hart (L, 2-2) took the loss in his first start in 10 Gulf Coast League appearances.  The 18-year-old surrendered two two-run home runs comprising two of the three hits and two walks yielded in three frames.  Hart hit two batters and threw a wild pitch.

Regular starter Anthony Green struggled with his control, issuing six free passes over 1 2/3 innings, and was tagged for five runs on four hits and a hit batsman.  Martin Cordova held the Nationals (20-19) to a single tally on three hits and two walks and stranded three inherited runners.

Six Cardinals had one hit each with Luis Montano’s double the only one for extra bases.  Cristhian Longa singled once in three at bats and scored his team’s only run.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. GCL Mets (21-20), 12:00 pm ET/11:00 am CT, Inohan Paniagua (1-4, 6.96)

DSL Cardinals Blue 8 vs. DSL Rockies 7 (10)

Two rallies lifted the Cardinals Blue (37-17) over the Rockies, 8-7, in 10 innings.  The contest was a key match-up between the South Division’s top two teams, leaving them tied with 10 games remaining in the C-Blue’s regular season schedule.

The home team’s eighth straight win required them to initially erase a 4-0 deficit after six then a 7-4 setback with three outs to go.  Both rallies were mounted without benefit of either a long ball or defensive lapses.

The Cardinals Blue outhit their opponents, 11 to 10, paced by Player of the Day Fernando Diaz’ strong offensive effort.  The first baseman went 4-for-5 with three doubles, a run scored and two driven in.

Batting right behind Diaz in the six spot, Hansel Otamendi singled three times in four at bats, touched home once and knocked in one.  The final player with more than one hit was third baseman Erik Pena who went 2-for-3 with a walk, three runs scored and an RBI after replacing starter Brandon Hernandez midway through the visitor half of the fourth.  Defensively, Diaz was one of three C-Blue players to commit an error.

Reliever Victor Villanueva picked up the win, his third against one loss, tossing three innings while allowing three unearned tallies on two hits and a plunked batter.  The 18-year-old righty has compiled a 1.67 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in his second professional campaign, covering 27 innings.

Engels Martinez pitched the first five innings, giving up three runs, two earned, on five hits and a base-on-balls.  William Miranda bridged the two innings between Martinez and Villanueva, yielding a tally on three hits and a walk.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. DSL Orioles2 (25-30), 10:30 am ET/9:30 am CT, Eduar Pimental (0-2, 6.05) or Yordy Richard (4-0, 4.81)

DSL Cardinals Red 2 at DSL D-backs2 6

The Cardinals Red (25-37) managed just three hits in their 6-2 road loss to the DSL D-backs2 (38-24).

Four of the six tallies, five earned, permitted by Edgar Manzo (L, 1-4) over 5 1/3 innings were produced by three home runs.  The rookie right-hander allowed eight hits.

Brayan Ramirez retired five batters, giving up a hit and two walks while leaving Manzo’s last two runners aboard.  Miguel Maiz worked a clean eighth.

The offense was aided by the seven free passes issued by D-backs2 hurlers.  Shortstop Sander Mora worked a base-on-balls with two gone in the sixth and wasn’t shy about swiping his 28^th and 29^th bags.  After second baseman Albert Inoa walked, the team executed a double steal, ending the D-backs2’ shutout bid.

Third baseman Bryan Matute opened the eighth with a free pass, advanced to second on a single by Smith Vargas then advanced two more bases on consecutive walks to Inoa and Luis Andujar.  Matute and Inoa worked two free passes apiece, the only C-Red players to reach base more than once.

Wednesday’s game:  at DSL Phillies White (35-26), 10:30 am ET/9:30 am CT, Yonael Dominguez (1-1, 5.27)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Peoria Chiefs Notebook – 2019 Week 19

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Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system. Annual members may purchase the new 2019 Prospect Guide PDF for less than half price. In addition, our limited edition printed and bound Guides are $5 off, so get yours today!

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photo: Dylan Carlson and Joe Kruzel (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

On Sunday, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 4-3. Player of the Day Dylan Carlson launched his Texas League-leading 20^th and 21^st home runs in Springfield’s win. Diego Cordero allowed just one run in six innings for Palm Beach and Malcom Nunez had three doubles in Johnson City’s loss.

Results from games played Sunday, August 11^th.

Memphis 5 at Fresno 3

Edmundo Sosa’s bat led the Redbirds to a 5-3 road win over the Grizzlies.  Second-place Memphis (54-65) has taken the first two of the four-game set and remains 10 games in back of Iowa (CHC) in the American Northern Division standings.

Sosa took part in three of his team’s runs, launching a two-run bomb which put Memphis up 2-0 three outs into the game.  The shortstop added a single in three at bats, touched home once and drove in three.

Harrison Bader went 1-for-3 with a walk and double while scoring twice and stealing a base.  Ramon Urias added a solo shot, his only hit in three at bats to go with a base-on-balls.

Chris Ellis (W, 4-5) fanned nine in five innings, yielding a run on four hits and two free passes.  Chasen Shreve was charged with two runs on three hits and two walks in 1 2/3 frames.  One of his three hits was a solo long ball.

Dominic Leone prevented further damage to Shreve’s line by striking out his first batter to leave the sacks jammed in the seventh.  The righty retired all four batters faced, two via the K.  Mike Mayers tossed a one-two-three ninth for his first save.

Monday’s game:  at Fresno (54-65) (WSH), 7:05 pm PT/9:05 pm CT, Austin Warner (1-2, 6.87)

Springfield 7 vs. Arkansas 3

Back-to-back home runs by Irving Lopez and Dylan Carlson propelled the S-Cards past the division-leading Travelers, 7-3.  Each team won two of the four-game series, leaving third-place Springfield (23-26) trailing Arkansas (28-21) by five games in the North Division standings.

Lopez’ three-run bomb snapped a 3-3 eighth-inning tie, coming with Johan Mieses (single) and Zach Kirtley (single) aboard.  It was the second baseman’s only hit in four at bats.

Carlson followed with his second home run of the night and league-leading 21^st of the season. The center fielder’s earlier solo shot gave his squad the first of three leads.  Carlson went 3-for-5, overall, with a double and two home runs, two runs scored and two RBIs.  Mieses and Kirtley were the final two S-Cards with more than one of the team’s 11 hits, both players singling twice in four at bats.

Reliever Bryan Dobzanski picked up the win, his second in three decisions, tossing 1 2/3 scoreless frames while allowing two hits and striking out two.  The New Jersey native also stranded an inherited runner.

That inherited runner belonged to Jorge Rondon who held his opposition to two runs on six hits through six innings before surrendering a solo long ball with one gone in the seventh.  The righty got the hook after giving up a single up the middle to his next batter, bringing Dobzanski into the game.  Jacob Patterson followed Dobzanski to the mound, yielding a hit in a clean ninth.

Monday’s game:  at second-place Tulsa (27-22) (LAD), 7:05 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (5-6, 5.60)

Palm Beach 4 vs. Clearwater 1

Diego Cordero tossed six strong frames as the Beach Birds flew past the Threshers, 4-1, splitting the four-game home set.  Sixth-place Palm Beach (18-33) has already been eliminated from post-season contention for the season’s second half.

Cordero (W, 2-4) held Clearwater (24-29) (PHI) to a single tally on four hits and a free pass.  The right-hander threw 60 of his 76 pitches for strikes.

Three of the six batters retired by Zack Thompson struck out while Edgar Escobar maneuvered around two hits for his first Florida State League save.

Half of the Beach Birds’ runs were generated by Juan Yepez’ long ball, one of his two hits in four at bats.  It came with hot-hitting Luken Baker aboard after Baker worked the first of his two walks to go with a double in two at bats. Baker scored two runs.

Shortstop Zack Gahagan led the offense with three of his squad’s nine hits, including his second triple of the season, driving in Nick Dunn (triple).  Dunn was the final PB-Card with a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.

Monday’s game:  at Tampa (24-26) (NYY), 6:30 pm ET/5:30 pm CT, Edgar Gonzalez (6.13, 5.10)

Clinton 10 at Peoria 6

At Dozer Park on Sunday, the Chiefs were downed by the LumberKings, 10-6.  Peoria (14-35) will try to salvage the third and final game of the series when the two teams meet again Monday afternoon, and is in eighth and last place in the West Division standings, 19 games behind Kane County (ARI).

All four Chiefs hurlers were scored upon, beginning with Logan Gragg (L, 0-2), who was touched for three runs on seven hits in five innings.  Connor Thomas went the next two frames, permitting two tallies on four hits before giving way to Evan Sisk, who gave up two runs on five hits in the eighth.  All three runs Connor Coward yielded were produced by two long balls.

The Chiefs banged out eight hits with three players garnering two hits each in four at bats:  Delvin Perez, Imeldo Diaz and Alexis Wilson.  All three doubled with Perez crossing home twice and Diaz once with an RBI.

Monday’s game:  vs. second-place Clinton (28-20) (MIA), 12:05 pm CT, Parker Kelly (3-2, 2.45)

State College 3 at Williamsport 10

The Spikes began a three-game series with Williamsport by absorbing a 10-3 Sunday drubbing.  State College (27-27) is in third place in the Pinckney Division standings, 4 /2 games behind Batavia (MIA).

Junior Gonzalez (L, 2-4) lasted just four innings, permitting nine runs, eight earned, on a walk and seven hits that included three home runs.  Connor Lunn tossed two scoreless frames but Hector Villalobos gave up a run on two hits and a base-on-balls during his two innings on the mound.

Three Spikes collected two hits apiece:  David Vinsky, Pedro Pages and Brandon Purcell.  Vinsky and Pages each went 2-for-4 with Vinsky doubling with two runs scored and Pages knocking in one.  Purcell reached base three times, going 2-for-2 with a walk and RBI.

Monday’s game:  at sixth-place Williamsport (21-34) (PHI), 7:05 pm ET/6:05 pm CT, Enmanuel Solano (1-7, 4.23)

Princeton 7 at Johnson City 3

The JC-Cards fell to the Rays, 7-3, in the road series opener.  Johnson City (27-24) is a game up on second-place Elizabethton (MIN) in the West Division standings despite going 4-6 over their last 10 games.

Julio Puello (L, 3-4) pitched the first five innings, allowing six runs, five earned, on seven hits and a base-on-balls.  The right-hander hit one batter.  Tyler Peck and Dylan Pearce went two innings each. Peck permitted a tally on two hits and two wild pitches and Pearce gave up a hit and two walks.

Malcom Nunez spearheaded his team’s eight hit effort, doubling three times in four at bats and driving in one.  No other JC-Card had more than one hit.

Monday’s game:  vs. Princeton (24-27) (TB), 6:30 pm ET/5:30 pm CT, Jake Sommers (2-2, 4.30)

GCL Cardinals 2 vs. GCL Astros 1

The Gulf Cardinals came out on top of a low-scoring affair, edging the fourth-place Astros, 2-1.  The GCL Cardinals (18-22) are in fifth and last place in the South Division standings, five games behind the Marlins (MIA).

Defense provided the difference as both of the home team’s scores were unearned, thanks to two Astros’ miscues.  Franklin Soto singled to lead of the home half of the first, advanced to third when an attempted pickoff throw went awry and scored on Patrick Romeri’s sac fly to left.

After an Astros’ tally knotted the game up 1-1 at the fifth’s midpoint, Pablo Gomez opened the bottom of the frame with an infield single.  The second baseman moved up on another errant pickoff throw and raced home after Soto lined a double to left.  The team managed just four hits in all.

Williams Perez followed up his August 7^th rehab appearance, his first action since June 7^th, with a one-two-three first.  Regular starter Nathanael Heredia (W, 5-1) scattered seven hits over the next 6 1/3 innings, resulting in one run.  The southpaw fanned seven.  Luis Tena left Heredia’s final runner aboard, working around three hits in 1 2/3 frames for his first Gulf Coast League save.  None of the three Cardinals pitchers issued a free pass.

Monday’s game:  at first-place Marlins (22-16), 12:00 pm ET/11:00 am CT, Ludwin Jimenez (2-3, 4.50)

DSL Cardinals Blue – off

The Cardinals Blue (35-17) head into the last 12 games of their season in second place in the South Division standings, a game in back of the Rockies and a half game up on the Phillies Red.  The C-Blue play both teams two more times each, with one more home game versus the Rockies and a road twin bill at the Phillies Red.

Monday’s game:  at seventh-place DSL Twins (20-34), 10:30 am ET/9:30 am CT, William Miranda (4-0, 1.53) or Reinys Portillo (2-4, 3.26)

DSL Cardinals Red – off

The seventh-place Cardinals Red (24-36) have been eliminated from post-season contention in the San Pedro Division.

Monday’s game:  vs. first-place DSL D-backs2 (37-23), 10:30 am ET/9:30 am CT, Hancel Rincon (1-4, 4.72)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Gulf Coast League Cardinals Notebook – 2019 Week 7

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Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system. Annual members may purchase the new 2019 Prospect Guide PDF for less than half price. In addition, our limited edition printed and bound Guides are $5 off, so get yours today!

© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

photo: Delvin Perez (Allison Rhoades/Peoria Chiefs)

On Tuesday, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 3-6, with all wins by rookie complex teams. Our Player of the Day is shortstop Delvin Perez, who went 5-for-8, including a double and a home run in Peoria’s doubleheader loss.

Results from games played Tuesday, August 6^th.

Memphis – off   

Memphis (51-63), winners of eight of their last 10 games, head west to take on Sacramento and Fresno (WSH), the top two teams in the Pacific Northern Division.

Wednesday’s game:  at Sacramento (61-53) (SF), 7:05 PT/9:05 CT, Austin Warner (1-1, 7.24)

Springfield 0 at Tulsa 10

Springfield (21-23) was hammered by Tulsa, 10-0, for their third consecutive loss.

The Drillers got on the board with a first-inning solo blast and never looked back.  The run came off Jorge Rondon (L, 4-4) who yielded four runs on five hits and four walks, one intentional, through five innings.  Roel Ramirez worked around a hit and walk for a clean frame.

But Merandy Gonzalez did not retire any of his four batters, permitting four tallies on two hits and two free passes.  Will Latcham inherited an untenable bases-loaded with none out jam and could not keep any of the three from touching home plate.  Latcham yielded two hits.  Jacob Patterson surrendered a two-run home run, one of three hits given up in his inning of work.

Lars Nootbaar generated a third of his team’s six hits, going 2-for-4 while batting fifth.  All six hits were singles.

Wednesday’s game:  at Tulsa (24-20) (LAD), 7:05 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (5-5, 5.24)

Palm Beach vs. Jupiter – cancelled   

Tuesday’s contest between Palm Beach (15-30) and Jupiter was cancelled due to wet grounds.  Since their Wednesday, August 7^th contest, the last scheduled meeting of 2019 for the stable mates, is already slated to be a double-header due to an August 5^th rain out, Tuesday’s game will not be rescheduled.

Wednesday’s games:   vs. Jupiter (23-23) (MIA).  Game one – 4:00 pm ET, Edgar Gonzalez (6-13, 5.26)/Diego Cordero (1-4, 4.17)

Peoria 1 at Wisconsin 4 (7) – Game 1       
Peoria 3 at Wisconsin 5 (7) – Game 2       

Peoria (13-31) was swept in a road double-header at Wisconsin (24-20), 4-1 and 5-3.

The Chiefs outhit the Timber Rattlers in the opener, seven to five, but went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left seven on base.  Delvin Perez was the only player with more than one hit, going 2-for-4 with a double and run scored.  The shortstop is hitting at a .357 clip, 15-for-42, over his most recent 10 games.

Starter Logan Gragg took the loss, his first in as many decisions, surrendering a two-run bomb that was one of three hits and two base-on-balls in four innings.  Sebastian Tabata went the final two frames, giving up two runs on two hits and a walk.

It was more of the same in the second game.  Peoria matched their hosts’ eight hits but had only one extra-base hit to the Timber Rattlers’ three.  That extra-base hit belonged to Leandro Cedeno who was a perfect 3-for-3 with a solo bomb.  Hot-hitting Delvin Perez, our Player of the Day, generated three hits as well, going 3-for-4 with a run scored.  Defensively, both players committed a miscue while left fielder Cedeno was credited with an outfield assist at third and shortstop Perez participated in a double play.

Connor Thomas (L, 2-1) went three innings, allowing four runs on four hits and a base-on-balls, including a two-run bomb.  Tony Locey was charged with a tally on three hits in two frames while Evan Sisk pitched a scoreless sixth.

Wednesday’s game:  at Beloit (19-25) (OAK), 6:30 pm CT, Dalton Roach (0-0, 3.60)

State College 1 at Auburn 5

State College (25-26) mustered just one run, falling to the Doubledays, 5-1.

That score belonged to shortstop Moises Castillo who led off the game with his first New York-Penn League home run.  Castillo added a single in four at bats, the only Spike with more than one of the team’s seven hits.  Defensively, he participated in two double plays.

Two of the three runs yielded by Enmanuel Solano (L, 1-7) over six frames came via one long ball that was one of the five hits and three walks allowed.  The right-hander struck out eight.  Connor Lunn gave up two runs on three hits and a base-on-balls in two innings.

Wednesday’s game:  at Auburn (20-30) (WSH), 7:00 pm ET, Andre Pallante (1-0, 1.57)

Burlington 10 at Johnson City 1

It was another long night for JC-Cards’ hurlers as they were pounded 10-1 by Burlington.

For the third straight game, Johnson City pitchers gave up double digit tallies, including the first two contests versus the Royals against whom they have been outscored by a combined 23-1.  Julio Puello (L, 3-3) allowed eight of the scores on 11 hits and two walks in five innings.

Walker Robbins was tagged for two runs on three hits and a base-on-balls in the sixth before giving way to Will Guay who struck out five over two scoreless frames.  Matt Pearce issued a free pass in the ninth.

Johnson City (25-21) managed just five hits, two of them by Chandler Redmond who singled and doubled in four at bats out of the five hole.  The only run belonged by William Jimenez who went 1-for-2 with a walk and run scored.  The left fielder was knocked in by center fielder Trejyn Fletcher, his only his in four at bats.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Burlington (27-20) (KC), 6:30 pm ET, Jake Sommers (1-2, 5.16)

GCL Cardinals 6 vs. GCL Astros 5 – Game 1
GCL Cardinals 3 at GCL Astros 6 – Game 2

The Gulf Cardinals (16-20) split a twin bill versus the Astros (16-18), claiming Game 1, 6-5, but dropping the second contest, 6-3.

The opener completed an August 1^st contest suspended due to rain with one gone in the home half of the sixth.  At that point the visitors had scored four tallies in the top of the frame to tie the game up 5-5.  Roy Garcia (W, 2-1) (BS, 1) got the victory despite yielding four runs on four hits and two walks in three innings.  Two of the four tallies came via one home run.

Anthony Green tossed the initial five frames on the 1st, permitting a run on seven hits and a base-on-balls.  The Jefferson College product struck out seven.  Connor Coward faced the minimum for his second save.

The Cardinals had two hits each:  Francisco Hernandez, Patrick Romeri and Tyler Reichenborn.  Hernandez and Romeri both went yard with one and two runners aboard, respectively while Reichenborn went 2-for-2 with a double after entering the game in the sixth as a pinch hitter/center fielder.  Romeri singled and scored the winning run, unearned, in the seventh.

Two of the three runs charged to Ludwin Jimenez in the nightcap were due to solo shots, part of the seven hits and two walks surrendered over six innings. The righty hit one batter and committed a balk.  Anthony Trompiz (L, 1-2) allowed three runs, two earned on five hits in three frames.

The Gulf Birds were held to just six hits with Pablo Gomez the only player with a multi-hit performance.  The second baseman doubled twice in four at bats with a run scored and RBI.  Defensively, Gomez took part in three double plays.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. GCL Marlins (19-14), 10:00 am ET, Francis Ventura (1-1, 4.75)

DSL Cardinals Blue 3 vs. DSL Angels 2 (10)

The Cardinals Blue (31-17) rallied for a 3-2 walk-off victory over the Angels (19-30) in 10 innings.

In the low-scoring affair, the home team put up a straight number in the first inning and then held that slim margin until their guests responded with a game-tying score in the eighth.  The Angels took their only lead of the game in the top of the 10^th to go up 2-1 but the C-Blue had the last word with two runs in the bottom of the frame, the winning run scoring on the second of two consecutive plunked batters.

Darlyn Del Villar and Brandon Hernandez both went 2-for-4, Del Villar driving in the 10^th’s tying run and scoring the winning tally after Leudy Pena was hit by a pitch.  Hernandez swiped a base and was plunked in the 10^th, jamming the sacks full and leaving nowhere to put Pena after he was hit.

Reinys Portillo fanned nine over the first five scoreless innings, giving up two hits and three base-on-balls.  Benjamin Arias issued two free passes and recorded two outs before giving way to Nelson Prada.

Prada (BS, 2) retired his first five batters faced, leaving Arias’ two runners aboard, but allowed a run on two hits and a wild pitch without recording an out in the eighth.  Allinson Benitez interspersed three free passes with three outs, escaping without being scored upon.  Victor Villanueva (W, 2-1) permitted the 10^th’s unearned run, giving up a single and wild pitch.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. DSL Yankees (23-27), 10:30 am ET, Engels Martinez (1-3, 5.49)

DSL Cardinals Red 3 vs. DSL Rangers2 2

The Cardinals Red (22-34) walked off with a 3-2 win over the Rangers2 (24-31), their fourth victory in their last five contests.

Catcher Roblin Heredia’s second single of the day drove in Sander Mora who opened the ninth with his second base-on-balls of the game.  Mora swiped his second bag of the game, his 21^st bag of 2019, advancing to third on a single by Luis Andujar.  That brought Heredia to the dish and he came through with his second RBI.

The C-Red banged out 10 hits, led by Andujar who went 3-for-5 with a run scored and two stolen bases.  Diego Velasquez joined Heredia with two hits apiece, Velasquez in four and Heredia in five at bats.

Edgar Manzo tossed six strong frames, permitted just one unearned run on five hits and two walks.  Oliver Lopez (BS, 4) was charged with a tally on four free passes plus a wild pitch against six outs recorded.  Luis Garcia pitched a one-two-three ninth for his second win in as many decisions.

Wednesday’s game:  at DSL Brewers (30-25), 10:30 am ET, Yonael Dominguez (1-1. 5.72)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Peoria Chiefs Notebook – 2019 Week 18

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photo: Griffin Roberts (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

On Sunday, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 4-3. Palm Beach won in a shutout behind Griffin Roberts’ best start as a professional – six scoreless innings. Four Memphis pitchers shut out El Paso and Martin Figueroa plated all four State College runs.

Results from games played Sunday, August 4^th.

Memphis 2 vs. El Paso 0  

A quartet of Redbirds hurlers combined on a one-hitter, resulting in a 2-0 victory over El Paso.  Memphis (50-63) leads the four-game set with the Pacific Southern Division leaders, two games to one and is tied for second with Omaha (KC) in the American Northern Division, with both teams trailing Iowa (CHC) by 10 games.

Daniel Ponce De Leon was first up, striking out eight in four frames with three free passes issued.  Seth Elledge (W, 2-1) yielded the only hit, a one-out single in the first of his two innings of work.  Chasen Shreve tossed two one-two-three frames but departed after walking one the next inning.  Junior Fernandez (S, 2) retired both batters faced, leaving Shreve’s runner aboard.

Two Redbirds each had two of the team’s seven hits – Randy Arozarena and Edmundo Sosa.  Arozarena singled twice in three at bats with a walk and run scored while Sosa went 2-for-3 with a double and RBI.  Yadier Molina’s third rehab appearance was his longest to date, one in which the veteran was hitless in three at bats while catching seven frames.

Monday’s game:  vs. El Paso (66-47) (SD), 6:35 pm CT, Chris Ellis (3-5, 7.44)

Springfield 2 at Arkansas 3      

By giving up an eighth-inning run, the S-Cards dropped a 3-2 decision at first-place Arkansas (23-19) in the series finale.  Springfield (21-21) won only one of the four-game set, with Sunday’s loss dropping them into third place in the North Division standings, two games behind the Travelers (SEA).

Tommy Parsons (L, 4-3) did not finish the fifth, permitting two runs on six hits and two base-on-balls with seven K’s over 4 2/3.  Mitchell Osnowitz recorded six outs, allowing a hit and walk.  Bryan Dobzanski gave up what proved to be the game’s difference on three hits against two outs.  Both relievers stranded two inherited runners.  Jacob Patterson retired both batters but not one out was a sac fly scoring one of Dobzanski’s three runners.

The Cards mounted a rally in the ninth, but could only close one of the two-run gap. On the day, Springfield mustered just four hits and two walks, the hits split evenly between Conner Capel and Irving Lopez.  Capel scored both runs and banged out his first triple of the season and Lopez singled twice.

Monday’s game:  at second-place Tulsa (22-20) (LAD), 7:05 pm CT, Evan Kruczynski (2-6. 5.79)

Palm Beach 6 at Charlotte 0   

The Beach Birds’ late offense transformed a tight affair into an easy 6-0 road victory over first-place Charlotte (31-13) (TB), for a split of the four-game series.  Palm Beach (15-30) remains in sixth/last place in the South Division standings, 16 ½ games behind the Stone Crabs.

The visitors held a slim 1-0 lead through seven but poured on another five runs, three earned, over the last two frames.  The PB-Cards did it all on six hits and seven walks with shortstop Michael Perri accounting for half of the tallies.  The shortstop went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and one knocked in while batting eighth.  Dennis Ortega was one of four Beach Birds with one hit. The catcher singled in five at bats, crossing home one time and driving in one.

Player of the Day Griffin Roberts’ 10^th start in 11 Florida State League appearances was his best by far.  The start was a six-inning gem in which the right-hander blanked the opposition on three hits and two walks for his first professional win against six losses.

Ramon Santos struck out three over the next two frames, giving up a hit.  Cole Aker faced the minimum in the ninth.

Monday’s game:   vs. fourth-place Jupiter (23-23) (MIA), 6:30 pm ET, TBA

Peoria 4 at Wisconsin 9       

A five-run sixth sent the Chiefs to a 9-4 road loss at Wisconsin, evening the series at one game apiece with two contests on tap.  Peoria (13-29) remains in eighth and last place in the West Division standings, 16 games in back of Kane County (ARI).

Michael Brettell (L, 4-8) retired just one batter in the sixth, surrendering five runs on seven hits and four free passes overall.  Franyel Casadilla recorded five outs, giving up two tallies on four hits, including a solo bomb, and a walk while permitting both inherited runners to touch home.  Leonardo Taveras was charged with two runs on two hits and a base-on-balls.

Four Chiefs each had two of the team’s 10 hits – Jonatan Machado, Delvin Perez, Imeldo Diaz and Leandro Cedeno.  All four doubled once with Perez and Cedeno both going yard, the former with a runner aboard.  Perez scored twice with two RBIs and Cedeno crossed home one time and drove in one.

Monday’s game:  at fifth-place Wisconsin (22-20), 6:35 pm CT, Logan Gragg (0-0, 3.38)

State College 4 at Lowell 2         

Martin Figueroa led the Spikes to a 4-2 triumph over the Spinners (30-18) (BOS) in the decisive third game of the road series.  State College (25-24) climbed into a second-place tie with West Virginia (PIT), four games behind Batavia (MIA).

Figueroa drove in all four Spikes’ scores, going 3-for-4 with a two-run bomb.  Pedro Pages was one of four State College players with one hit each. The designated hitter doubled in three at bats, touching home one time and reaching base on a hit-by-pitch.

Michael YaSenka (W, 1-0) tossed a strong effort in his maiden New York-Penn League performance, holding the Stedler Division leaders to two runs on three hits and three walks over 6 2/3 innings.  Cameron Dulle recorded the seventh’s last out, leaving a YaSenka runner on, but jammed the sacks full via two hits and a base-on-balls the next inning.  Jack Ralson retired five batters, giving up a hit and walk while stranding three inherited runners for his second save.

Monday’s game:  at sixth-place Auburn (18-30) (WSH), 7:00 pm ET, Junior Gonzalez (2-3, 6.67)

Bluefield 10 at Johnson City 7           

A blown save left the Appy Birds on the wrong end of a 10-7 home decision versus Bluefield (22-22) (TOR).  First-place Johnson City (25-19) claimed two of the three-game series and lead Elizabethton by two games in the West Division standings.

Enrique Perez (L, 2-2) (BS, 1) began the ninth with a 7-6 advantage but yielded four runs, three earned, on four hits, including two doubles and a hit batsman.  Hector Soto went the initial five frames, striking out six but giving up a three-run long ball that was one of three hits and a walk permitted.  It was the well-traveled righty’s first start in five appearances for Johnson City. Soto has also seen time at State College, Palm Beach and the GCL Cardinals this season.

Wilberto Rivera bridged the three-inning gap between Soto and Perez.  The righty allowed three runs on five hits and did not issue a free pass.

Liam Sabino, Victor Garcia and Carlos Soler had two hits each.  Sabino scored one and knocked in another with Garcia driving in two and Soler adding a walk and run scored.

Monday’s game:  vs. Burlington (25-20) (KC), 6:30 pm ET, Luis Ortiz (0-1, 7.00)

GCL Cardinals 5 vs. GCL Mets 2

The Gulf Birds topped the second-place Mets, 4-2, on Sunday.  The fifth/last place Cardinals (15-19) trail the Marlins (MIA) by five games in the East Division standings.

Pitching played a key role as the two squads combined for just six singles but Gulf Cardinals’ hurlers issued just three free passes to the Mets’ eight.  Pablo Gomez reached base three times, going 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored.  Freddy De Jesus and Cristhian Longa both went 1-for-3 with a run scored, with De Jesus also working a free pass.  William Jimenez also reached base three times on a 1-for-4 with two walks effort.

Four Cardinals pitchers took the mound, beginning with Blake Drake, who faced the minimum in the first.  Nathanael Heredia (W, 4-1) permitted two hits and three walks, resulting in two runs in 2 2/3 frames.

Wilman Madera retired all 10 batters faced, striking out seven and leaving two Heredia runners aboard.  Connor Coward tossed two one-two-three innings for his first professional save.

Monday’s game:  Off

DSL Cardinals Blue – off

The Cardinals Blue (30-17) begin the week in third place in the South Division standings, four games behind the Phillies Red.

Monday’s game:  Off

DSL Cardinals Red – off

The Cardinals Red (20-34) are in seventh place in the eight-team San Pedro Division, 13 games in back of the Cubs2.

Monday’s game:  at sixth-place DSL Rangers (24-29), 10:30 am ET, Hancel Rincon (1-4, 5.04)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Gulf Coast League Cardinals Notebook – 2019 Week 6

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photo: Brady Whalen (Allison Rhoades/Peoria Chiefs)

On Thursday, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 5-2 behind solid pitching. Quality starts came from Springfield’s Angel Rondon, Peoria’s Parker Kelly and DSL Blue’s Wilmer Ortega. Three State College hurlers combined for a two-hit shutout. Player of Day Brady Whalen’s four RBI powered the Chiefs’ win.

Results from games played Thursday, August 1^st.

Memphis 13 vs. Albuquerque 8

St. Louis rehabbers Marcel Ozuna and Matt Carpenter propelled the Redbirds’ rally over the Isotopes, 13-8, to cap off the home series sweep.  Memphis (48-62), which has gone 8-2 in the last 10 games, is in third place in the American Northern Division standings, and trails Iowa (CHC) by 10 games.

Ozuna spearheaded the team-s 16-hit onslaught, going 3-for-4 with a walk, double and three-run bomb comprising one of his two runs scored and three of his five knocked in.  Carpenter singled and doubled in three at bats with a base-on-balls, touched home once and drove in three before Jose Martinez ran for him in the sixth.  It was the first hits for the third baseman in 24 at bats between Memphis and Double-A Springfield in his rehab.

Martinez was one of four other Redbirds with two hits each, along with Randy Arozarena, Harrison Bader and Edmundo Sosa.  The third baseman went 2-for-2 and crossed home twice after replacing Carpenter while Arozarena went 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored, RBI on a sac fly and stolen base.  The right fielder reached base once on a hit-by-pitch as did Ozuna.  Bader was on base three times, going 2-for-5 with a base-on-balls and touched home two times.

Austin Warner was charged with five runs on seven hits, two walks and two plunked batters over 5 1/3 frames.  The southpaw finished two outs shy of being the pitcher of record when his teammates mounted a seven-run sixth, giving them a 10-6 lead.

Instead, Jesus Cruz (W, 3-6) recorded the sixth’s final two outs – but not before allowing a run on two hits.  Making his organizational debut, Zac Rosscup issued a free pass in his scoreless seventh before giving way to Junior Fernandez.  Fernandez had a rare poor outing, giving up two runs on three hits and four walks over 1 2/3 frames.  It was the first time the right-hander had allowed an earned run since June 29^th.  Chasen Shreve picked up his mates by retiring his only batter faced, leaving the bases jammed with Fernandez’ runners.

Friday’s game:  vs. El Paso (65-45) (SD), 7:05 pm CT, Jake Woodford (6-6, 4.11)

Springfield 1 at Arkansas 2

A low-scoring affair ended with the S-Cards absorbing a disappointing 2-1 walk-off loss at Arkansas in the road series opener.  Springfield (20-19) has lost three straight, slipping into second place in the North Division standings, a game behind the Travelers.

Ronnie Williams took the loss, his second against two wins, after permitting a one-out walk and RBI double that brought the game to a close.  It was the first hit and second walk yielded by the righty, who recorded six outs and left an inherited runner on base.

Starter Angel Rondon permitted a run on three hits and four walks. The 21-year-old exited after surrendering a double with one gone in the seventh and threw 54 of his 94 pitches for strikes.

Springfield outhit Arkansas, five to four, but worked only one free pass to the Travelers’ six, which provided the difference in the game.  The visitors’ sole tally came when Yariel Gonzalez doubled to open the fourth, advanced to third via Brian O’Keefe’s sacrifice bunt and scored on a single to left by Johan Mieses.  Mieses added another single in four at bats, as the only S-Card with more than one hit.

Friday’s game:  at Arkansas (21-18) (SEA), 7:10 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (5-4, 5.27)

Palm Beach at St. Lucie – cancelled

The series finale for the PB-Cards at second-place St. Lucie (27-15) could not be finished due to rain. The score was 1-1 in the fifth inning when play was halted.

Since this was the two teams’ last head-to-head game of the year, it will not be rescheduled.

Palm Beach (13-28) has a firm hold on sixth and last place in the South Division standings, 16 ½ games behind Charlotte (TB).

Friday’s games: at Charlotte (29-11).  Game one – 6:30 pm ET, TBA/TBA

Peoria 6 vs. Kane County 3

Brady Whalen’s bat led the Chiefs over the Cougars, 6-3.  Eighth-place Peoria (12-27) leads the home series over Kane County (26-13), two games to one with one remaining and trail both Kane County and Clinton (MIA) by 14 games in the West Division standings.

Whalen took part in five of his team’s six runs, going 2-for-3 with a base-on-balls, three-run home run, two runs scored and four driven in.  The first baseman/designated hitter is currently in the midst of a six-game hitting streak.

Third baseman Imeldo Diaz led the 10-hit effort, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.  The final Chief with a multi-hit performance was shortstop Delvin Perez, who singled and doubled in four at bats and took his 16^th stolen base of 2019.

Parker Kelly earned his third win in four decisions, tossing six strong frames while allowing two runs on five hits.  The righty has impressed in each of his three starts, which came after 12 relief appearances.

However, reliever Rodard Avelino did not impress, yielding a run on a hit and two walks while not retiring a batter.  Tony Locey got out of the two-on/none-out jam, permitting a hit over two clean frames.  Leonardo Taveras gave up a hit and base-on-balls before recording his second save.

Friday’s game:  vs. Kane County (26-13) (ARI), 6:35 pm CT, Dalton Roach (MWL debut)

State College 3 vs. Vermont 0

A trio of Spikes hurlers combined on a two-hit shutout over the Lake Monsters, 3-0, and salvaging the third and final game of the home series.  The win allows third-place State College (23-23) to keep pace with first-place Batavia (MIA) and second-place West Virginia (PIT), which they trail by five and one game, respectively.

The trio combined for 16 strikeouts, beginning with Andre Pallante, who fanned seven over three frames while issuing three free passes.  Jacob Schlesener (W, 2-3) tossed the next five innings, striking out eight while working around two hits, two walks and a hit batsman.  Jack Ralston tossed a one-two-three ninth, fanning one.  The righty, a seventh-round selection in the June 2019 First-Year Player Draft, is unscored upon in 15 2/3 frames covering nine appearances with 18 Ks notched against just two walks and four hits permitted.

The Spikes generated six hits. Terry Fuller and Stanley Espinal led the way with two each.  Fuller singled and doubled in four at bats, crossing home once, while Espinal went 2-for-3 with two driven in.

Friday’s game:  at Lowell (29-16) (BOS), 7:05 pm ET, Scott Politz (2-2, 5.59)

Johnson City 9 at Princeton 5

The JC-Cards banged out 14 hits as they flew past the Rays, 9-5, in the decisive third game of the road series.  Johnson City (23-18) sits atop the West Division standings, two games ahead of Elizabethton (MIN).

All nine starters garnered at least one hit, beginning with designated hitter Kyle Skeels, who went 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored.  First baseman Todd Lott, second baseman Liam Sabino and catcher Zach Jackson had two hits apiece.  Lott touched home twice with Jackson doubling once and knocking in two.  Sabino reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with a sac fly, two walks, two runs scored and two RBIs.  Defensively, right fielder Carlos Soler was credited with an outfield assist at home and catcher Jackson was charged with his fifth passed ball.

Julio Puello (W, 3-2) pitched five solid frames, striking out seven and permitting two runs on six hits, a free pass and hit batsman.  Walker Robbins was charged with three runs, two earned, on two hits and a walk in the sixth. Hector Soto retired six batters, yielding two hits.  Wilfredo Pereira navigated around two hits in the ninth.

Friday’s game:  vs. Bluefield (21-20) (TOR), 6:30 pm ET, TBA

GCL Astros 5 at GCL Cardinals 5 – suspended in the sixth inning

Thursday’s contest between the Astros (14-17) and Cardinals (13-18) was suspended due to rain with one gone in the home half of the sixth.  At that point the visitors had scored four tallies in the top of the frame to tie the score at five-all.  The game is scheduled to be completed on August 6^th when the two clubs meet again, in West Palm.

The GCL Cardinals are in sixth place in the six-team East Division standings, six games behind the GCL Marlins.

Friday’s game:  at first-place GCL Marlins (19-12), 12:00 pm ET, TBA

DSL Twins 5 at DSL Cardinals Blue 2

The C-Blue bullpen could not hold a late lead in a 5-2 loss to the Twins.  The Cardinals Blue (29-16) are in third place in the South Division standings, four games in back of the DSL Phillies Red, winner of seven straight.

Ronald Suarez (L, 1-1) (BS, 1) began the seventh charged with holding his squad’s 2-1 lead.  Instead, the right-hander allowed two runs on three hits and a free pass with two outs recorded.  Benjamin Arias stranded Suarez’ last two runners but was tagged for two tallies on two hits and two walks the next frame.  Nelson Prada retired four batters, giving up a hit and stranding an inherited runner.

That marred a fine effort by starter Wilmer Ortega, who scattered eight hits over six innings while yielding a single score.  The 18-year-old did not issue a free pass but did plunk a batter.

Designated hitter Jose Zapata was the only Cardinals Blue player with a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4 with a double out of the six hole.  Carlos Arcia reached base twice, singling once in two at bats with a walk and run scored.  The second baseman stole a bag, joining Darlin Moquete and Darlyn Del Villar.

Friday’s game:  at second-place DSL Rockies (31-16), 10:30 am ET, tandem – Yordy Richard (3-0, 5.35)/Eduar Pimentel (0-2, 6.46)

DSL Cardinals Red 4 at DSL Cubs2 2

Angel Cuenca tossed six impressive frames as the C-Red downed the Cubs2, 4-2.  The victory lifts Cardinals Red (19-33) into seventh-place in the eight-team San Pedro Division standings, 13 games behind the Cubs2 (32-20).

Cuenca allowed just three base runners over the first five frames, two walks and a single, before yielding a tally on a double-walk-RBI single stretch in his final inning of work.  The 18-year-old Venezuelan struck out eight.

Larimel Soriano permitted an unearned run on two hits and two walks over two innings.  Hector De Los Santos allowed a single and a free pas before collecting his third save.

Cuenca’s start was supported by the C-Red offense scoring three times in the first two frames on eight hits and four walks in all.  Left fielder Claudio Ramirez led the way, going 3-for-4 with a double and RBI while center fielder Smith Vargas singled and tripled in four at bats, touching home twice.

Friday’s game:  vs. sixth-place DSL Mets2 (24-28), 10:30 am ET, Diorys Guerrero (0-2, 7.20)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2019 Week 17

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Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system. Annual members may purchase the new 2019 Prospect Guide PDF for less than half price. In addition, our limited edition printed and bound Guides are $5 off, so get yours today!

© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

photo: Brady Whalen (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

On Tuesday, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 5-4. Players of the Day are Peoria first baseman Brady Whalen, with five RBI on a double and a grand slam, and Johnson City starter Michael YaSenka, who spun six scoreless innings.

Results from games played Tuesday, July 30^th.

Memphis 6 vs. Albuquerque 3

A six-run fifth inning was all the Redbirds (46-62) needed to fly past the Isotopes, 6-3, in the series opener at AutoZone Park.

The frame was highlighted by home runs from Joe Hudson and Edmundo Sosa.  The long balls came with one and two runners aboard, respectively, accounting for five of the six runs and two of the team’s five hits.

Harold Arauz (W, 7-2) gave up seven hits and four walks over five innings, resulting in two tallies.  Four relievers tossed one frame apiece, beginning with Jose Cruz and Chasen Shreve, who each faced the minimum, with the latter striking out the side.  However, Domenic Leone was touched for a long ball, one of his two hits permitted.  Junior Fernandez navigated around a hit and walk for his first Triple-A save.

In his first rehab outing, Marcell Ozuna went 1-for-3, an RBI single, before departing in the fifth inning.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Albuquerque (45-63) (COL), 6:35 pm CT, Ryan Helsley (2-3, 4.98)

Corpus Christi 11 at Springfield 4

A massive eighth-inning meltdown by the Springfield bullpen left the S-Cards (20-18) with an 11-4 loss to the Hooks (19-19) and a split of the four-game home set.

Springfield began the eighth after taking a fairly comfortable 4-1 advantage, but that flipped to an 11-4 crater three outs and three pitchers later.  Mitchell Osnowitz yielded three runs on three hits, with two of the runners scoring under Jacob Patterson’s watch.  Patterson (L, 6-5) (BS, 3) did not retire a batter, giving up a hit and two free passes. All three of his runs allowed scored with Connor Jones on the mound.  Two of the four hits and one walk permitted by Jones were home runs, leading to the righty being charged with four tallies.

Evan Kruczynski struck out seven over the first five innings, yielding a run on four hits and three walks.  Merandy Gonzalez retired all six batters faced.

The S-Cards mustered four runs on just five hits, with three of the tallies coming in the seventh.  Yariel Gonzalez was the only player with a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and two driven in.  Irving Lopez’ only hit in four at bats was his fourth triple of the season, and the second baseman crossed home twice.

Matt Carpenter continued to struggle in his rehab, going 0-for-2 with a walk. This stretched his minor league streak to 21 at-bats without a hit.

Wednesday’s game:  Off

Palm Beach 3 at St. Lucie 9

Palm Beach (13-27) opened a three-game series at St. Lucie with a 9-3 loss.

Edgar Gonzalez (L, 6-13) could not finish the fourth, permitting eight runs, seven earned, on nine hits, five walks and a plunked batter.  Ben Yokley inherited a bases-loaded/one-out jam and allowed two of three inherited runners to touch home.  The righty allowed a hit and walk in 1 2/3 innings.

Zach Prendergast tossed a scoreless sixth before handing the ball off to Ramon Santos.  Santos was tagged for a run on two hits and three free passes against five outs recorded. Infielder Zack Gahagan recorded the eighth’s final out, leaving Santos’ final two runners aboard.

Two of the visitors’ three scores were generated by solo shots off the bats of Scott Hurst and Ivan Herrera, the latter in his Palm Beach debut.  Hurst went 2-for-4 as did Nick Dunn while Herrera went 1-for-3 with a bomb and sac fly.  Palm Beach had eight hits in all.

Wednesday’s game:  at St. Lucie (26-15) (NYM), 6:30 pm ET, Diego Cordero (1-3, 3.00)

Peoria 11 vs. Kane County 7

Peoria (11-26) rode a 17-hit explosion to an 11-7 victory over the Cougars in the first of their four-game set at Dozer Park.

All nine starters got into the action, beginning with Jonatan Machado and Brendan Donovan, who had three hits each.  Machado went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, and Donovan singled three times in four at bats with a walk, run scored and two knocked in.

But the most productive performance came from co-Player of the Day Brady Whalen, who went 2-for-5 with a double and grand slam accounting for one of his two runs scored and all four of his RBIs.  Delvin Perez, Carlos Soto and Brandon Riley also had two hits apiece, with Diaz and Riley both doubling once.

That was more than enough offense for Michael Brettell (W, 4-7), who permitted five runs on nine hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.  Three of the five tallies were generated by a first-inning blast.

Evan Sisk retired seven batters but not before giving up two tallies on four hits and two hit batsmen.  Eli Kraus faced the minimum in the ninth.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Kane County (25-12) (ARI), 6:35 pm CT, Connor Thomas (2-0, 2.00)

Vermont 9 at State College 3

The Spikes (22-22) could not overcome their staff’s subpar pitching in their 9-3 defeat to the Lake Monsters in the home series opener.

Two of the three runs surrendered by Junior Gonzalez (L, 2-3) in 3 1/3 frames were produced by a long ball, one of the six hits and three walks yielded.  The righty also plunked a batter.

Jeremy Randolph fared even more poorly, permitting five runs on five hits and two walks, including a two-run bomb.  Hector Villalobos was charged with an unearned tally on a hit, base-on-balls and hit batsman while retiring five batters.

Eric Lex entered the eighth with Villalobos’ last runner on base and none out.  The right-hander could not work around a fielder’s choice/throwing error by first baseman Dariel Gomez, which allowed Villalobos’ runner to score.  Lex issued one free pass over the last two frames, retiring his last five batters.

The Spikes managed six hits, including two by catcher Pedro Pages, who singled and doubled in four at bats.  Right fielder Terry Fuller went 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored while Matt Duce’s double, his only hit on four at bats, knocked in Andrew Warner (single).

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Vermont (17-27) (OAK), 7:05 pm ET, Enmanuel Solano (1-5, 4.47)

Johnson City 10 at Princeton 0

Johnson City (22-17) scored early and late as they shellacked Princeton, 10-0, in the road series opener.

The JC-Cards led 3-0 after three then added another seven scores over the last four frames.  The offensive onslaught featured 13 hits, paced by Malcom Nunez and Kevin Vargas with three hits apiece.  Nunez went 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI while Vargas doubled once in four at bats and crossed home once.

Eight of the team’s 10 runs came via long balls by Chandler Redmond (two-run bomb), Aaron Antonini (solo shot), Zach Jackson (two-run blast) and Todd Lott (three-run home run),  Lott added a single to his home run in five at bats, touching home once and driving in four.

Co-Player of the Day Michael YaSenka (W, 2-1) tossed an impressive effort, blanking Princeton on five hits in six innings.  Wilberto Rivera struck out four in three frames, issuing one free pass, for his first save.

Wednesday’s game:  at Princeton (18-21) (TB), 6:30 pm ET, Luis Ortiz (0-0, 4.50)

GCL Cardinals 3 at GCL Mets 1

A ninth-inning meltdown by the GCL Mets (17-13) handed the Gulf Cardinals a 3-1 victory.

Trailing 1-0 with three outs to give, the Gulf Birds (13-18) scored three unearned runs, thanks to one of five Mets’ bobbles plus two wild pitches and a hit batsman.  Patrick Romeri reached on a throwing error by the Mets shortstop and raced to third on Diowill Burgos’ third GCL double.

An intentional free pass to Freddy De Jesus jammed the sacks full with two away and cued the entrance of a new Mets reliever.  The first tally scored after pinch hitter Luis Montano was plunked, forcing Romeri in.  Consecutive wild pitches then brought Burgos and Joerlin De Los Santos across home, with De Los Santos pinch running for De Jesus.

The final frame theatrics made a winner out of Connor Coward, who tossed three scoreless innings of one-hit ball.  Nathanael Heredia scattered six hits and three walks over the first six frames, yielding a run, hitting one batter and picking off another two.

The visitors managed just four hits overall, two by Romeri, who singled twice in four at bats.  Burgos added a walk to his double in three at bats but was unsuccessful in his only stolen base attempt.

Wednesday’s game:  Off

DSL Cardinals Blue 7 vs. DSL Mets1 1

Strong team-wide offense and pitching by the Cardinals Blue (29-15) resulted in a 7-1 win over the DSL Mets1 (23-22).

Eight of nine C-Blue starters garnered at least one of the squad’s 12 hits with six touching home a minimum of once.  Catcher Luis Rodriguez led the charge, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and another knocked in.  Designated hitter Jose Zapata and second baseman Elvin De Jesus had two hits apiece. Zapata singled and doubled in four at bats, scoring twice while De Jesus went 2-for-5 with a run scored and his 10^th stolen base of 2019.

The home team’s mound effort was spearheaded by Engels Martinez, who fanned five over 4 2/3 frames, permitting a run on three hits, two walks and a hit batsman.  A trio of relievers held the Mets1 scoreless the rest of the way:  Allinson Benitez (1 1/3 IP), William Miranda (2 IP) and Victor Villanueva (1 IP) with Benitez picking up his first win of the season.

Wednesday’s game:  at DSL Phillies Red (33-12), 10:30 am ET, Gustavo J Rodriguez (3-0, 1.13)

DSL Cardinals Red 6 at DSL Phillies White 7 (10)

Late stumbles by the Cardinals Reds bullpen and defense left them with a 7-6 walk-off loss in 10 innings to the Phillies White (29-21).

With the Red up 6-5 with three outs to go, Ramon Fernandez (L, 2-3) (BS,2) surrendered a double to his first batter followed by a run-scoring throwing error on catcher Jesus Orecchia that sent the game into extras.  It was déjà vu all over again in the home half of the 10^th after Fernandez allowed a single to his first batter that moved the initial runner to third.  A throwing error by third baseman Erik Pena enabled the run to score.

The Cardinals Red (18-32) generated nine hits with first baseman Luis Andujar going 3-for-4 including two doubles, a run scored and two knocked in.  Pena reached base three times, singling twice in four at bats with a free pass and touching home twice.  Designated hitter Roblin Heredia went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and joined Pena plus two of their teammates by stealing five bases in all.

Edgar Manzo pitched the first four innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits and two walks.  Hemerson Cordero and Luis Garcia both tossed two frames. Cordero permitted a run on two hits before Garcia worked around two hits and a base-on-balls.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. DSL Cubs2 (31-19), 10:30 am ET, Yonael Dominguez (1-0, 3.65) or Angel Cuenca (4-1, 1.65)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Three More Cardinals Minor Leaguers Released

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photo: Dylan Carlson (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

The St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-5 on Sunday with first-place clubs Springfield and Johnson City coming out on top. Player of the Day Dylan Carlson’s walkoff single was the difference-maker for the Double-A Cards.

Results from games played Sunday, July 28^th.

Memphis 2 at Oklahoma City 8

Redbirds hurlers were bitten by the bomb in their 8-2 road defeat at Oklahoma City (48-57) that halted their modest three-game winning binge.  Memphis (45-62) claimed the series, two games to one, but the defeat drops them into a third-place tie with Nashville (TEX), with both teams trailing Iowa (CHC) by 12 games in the American Northern Division standings.

The three runs allowed by Mike Hauschild (L, 1-3) during his six-inning stint were produced by two home runs that were two of the seven hits and six walks permitted.  Seth Elledge surrendered two more long balls in the seventh, accounting for five tallies, before Junior Fernandez faced the minimum in the eighth.

Memphis’ offense consisted of six hits divided evenly among the top three hitters in the batting order:  Randy Arozarena, Ramon Urias and Edmundo Sosa.  Arozarena singled and doubled in four at bats with a run scored while Urias went 2-for-3 with a base-on-balls, touching home once and driving in one and Sosa singled and doubled in three at bats with an RBI.

Monday’s game:  Off

Springfield 6 vs. Corpus Christi 5

Dylan Carlson’s ninth-inning single gave the S-Cards a 6-5 walk-off victory over the Hooks.  Springfield (20-16) has won the first two of the four-game home set and are tied for first with Arkansas (SEA) in the North Division standings.

Carlson’s second single of the night came with two gone, driving in Rayder Ascanio after the latter reached on a force.  Lars Nootbaar opened the ninth by singling on a pop up to the catcher, his third hit in five at bats.

But the most potent bat belonged to Yariel Gonzalez, who went yard twice in three at bats, knocking in three.  Justin Toerner’s only hit in four at bats was a two-run blast that, combined with Gonzalez’ two-run home run, gave the home team a 4-0 lead after one frame.  Springfield’s offense mustered 10 hits in all, none of them by struggling rehabber Matt Carpenter, who was again hitless in four at bats.

Alex FaGalde returned from his 12-day injured list stint with a solid, albeit brief effort.  The right-hander held Corpus Christi to a solo shot, one of five hits yielded in 4 2/3 innings.

Mitchell Osnowitz left FaGalde’s final runner aboard in the fifth but allowed a solo blast of his own the next frame.  Roel Ramirez recorded four outs but was charged with three runs on three hits and a wild pitch.  His last two runs scored with Connor Jones (W, 1-1) (BS, 2) on the mound via one of the two hits Jones gave up over the last 1 2/3 frames.

Monday’s game:  vs. Corpus Christi (17-19) (HOU), 6:30 pm CT, Tommy Parsons (4-2, 4.17)

Dunedin 10 at Palm Beach 6 (11)

The Beach Birds’ late rally was not enough to overcome a five-run 11^th yielded by the bullpen in their 10-6 loss to Dunedin (21-17) (TOR).  The defeat prevented a four-game series’ sweep by Palm Beach (13-26), who remain in sixth and last place in the South Division standings, 15 games behind Charlotte (TB).

Patrick Dayton took the loss, his first in three decisions, yielding five runs, four earned, in his third inning of work.  Cole Aker recorded the final out but not before serving up a bases-clearing double that scored three runs charged to Dayton.

Griffin Roberts tossed the first five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks.  Three of the tallies were generated by two long balls.  Zack Thompson (1 2/3) and Edgar Escobar (1 1/3) both faced the minimum during their time on the bump.

While Luken Baker and Julio Rodriguez each had three of the team’s 10 hits, Baker was the more productive of the two.  The first baseman went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run comprising one of his two runs scored and all three of his RBIs.  Rodriguez went 3-for-5 batting right behind Baker while Juan Yepez singled twice in four at bats, crossed home once and knocked in one.

Monday’s game:  Off

Burlington 15 at Peoria 5

The Chiefs could not withstand the Bees’ late offensive explosion as they were pounded 15-5, evening the series at one game each with one on tap.  Peoria (9-26) is in eighth and last place in the West Division standings, 15 games behind Kane County (ARI).

Peoria led 5-1 through five, thanks to a solid effort by starter Kyle Leahy.  The righty allowed a solo shot that was one of three hits and three walks he allowed.

But five Chiefs’ relievers were tagged for another 14 tallies.  Rodard Avelino (L, 0-3) yielded five runs on four walks plus a hit batsman in 1/3 of an inning.  Sebastian Tabata (BS, 1) served up a sixth-inning grand slam that scored three inherited runners plus one of the two tallies permitted in 1 2/3 frames.

Tony Locey surrendered his own grand slam in the eighth comprising four of the five runs permitted against just two batters retired.  Freddy Pacheco walked the bases full before recording the eighth’s last out but was not scored upon.  Edwin Figuera gave up two runs on three hits and two free passes.

Brandon Riley provided most of his squad’s production, going 2-for-3 with a walk and three-run home run.  Two Chiefs had one hit each.

Monday’s game:  vs. Burlington (15-20) (LAA), 6:35 pm CT, Colin Schmid (3-5, 5.02)

West Virginia 5 at State College 2

The Spikes fell to the Black Bears, 5-2, in the home series finale.  State College (22-21) took the set, two games to one, and are tied for third with Mahoning Valley (CLE), three games in back of Batavia (MIA) and a game behind West Virginia (22-19) (PIT),

Starter Adrian Mardueno (L, 2-2) did not finish the third, yielding four runs on two hits and five free passes over 2 1/3 frames.  Two of the tallies came via one long ball.

Connor Lunn retired all five batters faced but Jacob Schlesener was charged with a run on two hits and three walks in three innings.  Jack Ralston issued one free pass over two innings of scoreless work.

The Spikes’ scoring came via a two-run home run by Martin Figueroa, his only hit in four at bats.  David Vinsky was the only State College player with a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4 at the top of the order.

Monday’s game:  Off

Johnson City 6 vs. Greeneville 2

A five-run second propelled the JC-Cards over the Reds, 6-2, for a three-game series sweep.  The victory keeps Johnson City (21-17) tied for first with Elizabethton (MIN) in the West Division standings.

The home team was outhit by Greeneville (16-22), 12 to seven, but translated five of those hits plus a plunked batter and two errors into five runs.  The big hits in the second inning were Diomedes Del Rio’s bases-loaded single, scoring Kyle Skeels (error) and Zach Jackson (single), plus a two-run double by Raffy Ozuna, plating Kevin Vargas (hit-by-pitch) and Del Rio.  Ozuna subsequently advanced to third on Malcom Nunez’ single and scored when an attempted pickoff pitch went awry.

Jose Moreno scattered nine hits and a walk over five innings, permitting two runs, for his third win against three losses.  Walker Robbins tossed a clean sixth, then handed the ball off to John Witkowski, who worked around a hit and walk against six outs recorded.  Wilfredo Pereira gave up a hit in the ninth.

Monday’s game:  Off

GCL Marlins 6 at GCL Cardinals 4

The Gulf Birds bullpen again could not hold an early lead, as the Cards fell to the Marlins, 6-4.  The Cardinals (12-17) are tied for fourth/last with the Nationals, six games behind the Marlins (18-11).

The Cardinals led 4-0 through three, but Martin Cordova could not finish the fourth, permitting four runs on four hits, two walks and a balk in 3 1/3 innings.  It was the 20-year-old’s first start in 10 appearances for the Cardinals.

Anthony Trompiz (L, 0-1) yielded three hits and a base-on-balls in 3 2/3 frames, resulting in one run while allowing one of two inherited runners to score.  Luis Tena permitted a run on four hits and a walk over two innings.

The home team banged out 12 hits with five players having two hits apiece:  Tyler Reichenborn, Franklin Soto, Luis Montano, William Jimenez and Diowill Burgos.  A double by Burgos was one of only two hits to go for extra bases. The designated hitter scored once and drove in two in four at bats and Jimenez touched home twice.

Monday’s game:  at GCL Nationals (12-17), 12:00 pm ET, TBA

DSL Cardinals Blue – off

The DSL Cardinals Blue (28-14) head into August in third place in the tight South Division standings, 2 ½ games in back of the Phillies Red.

Monday’s game:  vs. ninth-place DSL Nationals (11-32), 10:30 am ET, Reinys Portillo (2-3, 3.38)

DSL Cardinals Red – off

The eighth-place Cardinals Red (17-31) are mired in an eight-game losing skid and trail the first-place Cubs2 by 13 games in the San Pedro Division standings.

Monday’s game:  vs. third-place DSL Phillies White (28-20), 10:30 am ET, Edgar Manzo (1-3, 3.52)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Gulf Coast League Cardinals Notebook – 2019 Week 5

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photo: Adolis Garcia (Frank Ramirez/The Cardinal Nation)

On Thursday, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-6 as strong starting work was done in by limited offense and leaky relief. Player of the Day Adolis Garcia turned a deficit into a lead with a three-run home run in the eighth to pull Memphis to a series win.

Results from games played Thursday, July 25^th.

Memphis 3 vs. New Orleans 1

The Redbirds’ offense broke through late as Memphis (43-61) flew past the Baby Cakes, 3-1, in the rubber game of the three-game series.

The home team trailed New Orleans (54-49) 1-0 at the eighth’s mid-point but flipped the script with three runs in the bottom of the frame.  The rally started on Randy Arozarena’s third single of the day, followed by Max Schrock’s walk.  Player of the Day Adolis Garcia came to the plate with two gone and the red-hot outfielder launched a long ball over the left center wall, his 23^rd of 2019.  Arozarena had half of his team’s six hits with no other Redbird garnering more than one.

A quartet of Memphis pitchers joined forces to limit their opponents to a single run on eight hits.  Ryan Helsley went the initial 2 1/3 innings, yielding a run on three hits and two walks.  Chris Ellis scattered four hits over 3 2/3 frames, stranding two inherited runners.

Junior Fernandez (W, 1-0) issued two free passes in two scoreless innings for his first Triple-A victory.  Chris Beck allowed a hit in the ninth, picking up his sixth save.

Friday’s game:  at Oklahoma City (48-55) (LAD), 7:05 pm CT, Jake Woodford (6-6, 3.47)

Amarillo 3 at Springfield 1

Springfield (18-15) fell to Amarillo on Thursday, 3-1, evening the home series at one game each with one game yet to play.

Both tallies yielded by Evan Kruczynski (L, 2-6) in five innings resulted from a home run, one of three hits and three walks given up by the southpaw.  Roel Ramirez was charged with a run on three hits and two walks over two innings before Mitchell Osnowitz and Jacob Patterson each tossed a one-two-three frame.

Dylan Carlson accounted for his team’s only run, blasting his Texas League-leading 17^th home run of the season and going 1-for-3 with a walk.  The squad’s remaining four hits were split evenly between Chris Chinea and Conner Capel.  Chinea doubled twice in four at bats and Capel went 2-for-3 with a double, the latter’s second multi-hit performance in as many games since his return from the IL.

Friday’s game:  vs. Amarillo (18-15) (SD), 7:10 pm CT, Angel Rondon (4-2, 3.10)

Palm Beach 4 vs. Dunedin 2

Palm Beach (11-25) opened a four-game home set versus the Blue Jays with a 4-2 victory, snapping a five-game losing streak.

The offense banged out 11 hits with four Cards gathering two hits apiece:  Dennis Ortega, Nolan Gorman, Julio Rodriguez and Nick Dunn – the first three in four at bats and Dunn in three with a sac fly.  Gorman and Rodriguez both doubled and Gorman and Ortega scored a run each.  Rodriguez joined Dunn with an RBI.

Edgar Gonzalez (W, 6-12) minimized the damage of six hits and five walks given up, holding Dunedin to two runs in five innings.  Ramon Santos and Patrick Dayton both fanned four in two scoreless frames, with Dayton earning his third save.

Friday’s game: vs. Dunedin (20-15) (TOR), 6:30 pm ET, TBA

Peoria 0 at Quad Cities 3

The Chiefs (7-15) were blanked at Quad Cities, 3-0, evening the series at one game apiece with one on tap.

Michael Brettell (L, 3-7) was touched for three runs on five hits over seven innings, with one of the five hits a home run with the bases empty.  Rodard Avelino gave up a hit and two walks.

Imeldo Diaz and Brandon Benson each went 2-for-4, with Diaz doubling twice.  The designated hitter has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games for a .424 batting average, the most recent two contests for Peoria with the balance coming for Palm Beach.  Two Chiefs had one hit apiece.

Friday’s game:  at Quad Cities (18-13) (HOU), 6:35 pm CT, Connor Thomas (1-0, 1.80)

State College 5 at Mahoning Valley 2

The Spikes (20-20) rallied for a 5-2 road victory over the Scrappers (20-20), salvaging the third and final game of the series.

Down 2-0, State College tied it up in the fifth and added two more seventh-inning scores before finishing with one in the ninth.  Catcher Matt Duce led the offense, going 3-for-4 with a two-run long ball that was two of his three knocked in.  Four other Spikes had one hit apiece and joined Duce by crossing home once.

Dylan Roach struck out 10 in five innings but surrendered two solo bombs comprising two of the five hits and three walks yielded.  Fabian Blanco (W, 1-0) shut down Mahoning Valley on one hit over three frames before Eric Lex tossed a one-two-three ninth for his second save.

Friday’s game:  vs. West Virginia (20-17) (PIT), 7:05 pm ET, Andre Pallante (1-0, 2.35)

Johnson City 2 at Kingsport 7

Johnson City (18-17) tied it late only to hit relief trouble while falling to the Mets, 7-2.  The JC-Cards took two of the three-game road series at Kingsport (16-19).

Francisco Justo took the loss, his second against two wins, despite a strong seven-inning effort in which the right-hander permitted three runs, two earned, on six hits and a walk.  Justo struck out eight.  Alex Gallegos served up a grand slam in the eighth that put the game out of reach.

Malcom Nunez had a perfect night at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a walk, two doubles and an RBI.  The only other Cardinals with more than one of the team’s seven hits was Chandler Redmond, who singled and doubled in four at bats, touched home once and knocked in one. Defensively, right fielder Carlos Soler was credited with an outfield assist at second.

Friday’s game:  vs. Greeneville (16-19) (CIN), 6:30 pm ET, Julio Puello (2-2, 4.64)

GCL Mets 6 at GCL Cardinals 1

Six runs yielded by the Gulf Birds’ bullpen resulted in a 6-1 defeat to the Mets.

Anthony Green held the opposition scoreless during his five innings on the bump, giving up two hits against no bases-on-balls.  It was the Jefferson College product’s second start in five appearances.

But the combination of Thomas Hart (L, 2-1) and Roy Garcia surrendered three tallies each over the next two frames.  Hart was charged with three runs on a hit, five walks plus a hit batsman with one out recorded.  Garcia left the bases full of Hart’s runners but allowed three runs on three hits and two walks over 2 2/3.   Luis Tena worked around two hits for a clean ninth.

The Gulf Cardinals (12-15) did not get on the board until the eighth when Tyler Reichenborn launched his second home run, his only hit in four at bats and one of only three hits for the team in all.  Elehuris Montero’s rehab continued with an 0-for-3 effort although the third baseman did reach base on a hit-by-pitch.

Friday’s game:  Off

DSL Cardinals Blue – off

The Dominican Summer League Cardinals Blue are 26-14, 2 ½ games behind the Phillies Red in the South Division.

Friday’s game:  vs. DSL Angels (17-24), 10:30 am ET, Yordy Richard (2-0), 6.26)/Eduar Pimentel (0-2, 9.58)

DSL Tigers1 2 at DSL Cardinals Red 1 (10)

The Cardinals Red (17-29) lost their sixth consecutive game, this one a 2-1 decision in 10 frames to the Tigers1 (17-29).

Ramon Fernandez (L, 2-2) yielded the unearned tally in his third inning of work, allowing a hit and walk overall.  The only blemish on DSL All-Star Angel Cuenca’s stellar line over seven frames was a second-inning solo shot, one of four hits permitted.  The righty did not issue a free pass.

The home team was limited to just four singles with their sole score unearned.  Third baseman Albert Inoa went 2-for-3 while second baseman Sander Mora went 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Friday’s game:  at DSL D-backs2 (25-21), 10:30 am ET, Henry Gomez (0-0, 3.43)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2019 Week 16

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photo: John Nogowski (Frank Ramirez/The Cardinal Nation)

In a light Tuesday schedule, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-4. Memphis and the DSL Blue won, the latter on a shutout shared by three pitchers and the former powered by Player of Day John Nogowski’s grand slam.

Results from games played Tuesday, July 23^rd.

Memphis 6 vs. New Orleans 4

The Redbirds (42-60) kicked off a brief three-game home stand with a 6-4 victory over the Baby Cakes.

All six Memphis tallies came in the second, capped by Player of the Day John Nogowski’s grand slam scoring Mike Hauschild (RBI single), Randy Arozarena (hit-by-pitch) and Matt Carpenter (walk).  Seven Redbirds each had one of the team’s seven hits with Adolis Garcia doubling once in four at bats and Max Schrock going 1-for-3 with a triple, run scored and one driven in.

Carpenter began his rehab assignment from St. Louis by going hitless in two at bats with a strikeout and the aforementioned walk plus run scored.  The third baseman was pinch hit for by Jose Martinez in the home half of the seventh and is expected to play for the Redbirds for two more games before returning to St. Louis this coming weekend.

Three of the four tallies charged to Hauschild (W, 1-2) over 6 2/3 innings were generated by a home run in his final inning of work.  The long ball was one of four hits and a walk permitted by the righty who fanned seven.

Domenic Leone retired four batters, giving up a hit and leaving an inherited runner aboard.  Hunter Cervenka faced the minimum in the ninth for his third save.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. New Orleans (53-48) (MIA), 6:35 pm CT, Austin Warner (1-0, 6.75)

Springfield – off

Springfield (17-14), co-leaders of the Texas League’s North Division, are fresh off a seven-game road trip through Amarillo and Corpus Christi (HOU) in which they went 5-2.  The S-Cards open a seven-game home stand against the same two teams on Wednesday.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Amarillo (17-14) (SD), 6:30 pm CT, Tommy Parsons (3-2, 4.75)

St. Lucie 3 at Palm Beach 0

The Beach Birds were shut out by the Mets on Tuesday, 3-0. Having trouble scoring runs, Palm Beach (10-24) has lost four straight and six of their last seven.

The third inning was the downfall for Griffin Roberts (L, 0-6) who jammed the sacks full on a hit batsman, walk and single before wild pitching in his first run.  The situation was exacerbated by third baseman Nolan Gorman’s fielding error, which allowed a second runner to touch home.  After a single reloaded the bases, the right-hander issued a free pass, forcing in his third run.  Roberts permitted two hits and three walks over six innings.  Edgar Escobar recorded nine outs, yielding one hit.

The PB-Cards were held to three hits and one walk, with a double by Nick Dunn the only extra base hit.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. St. Lucie (23-12) (NYM), 6:30 pm ET, Diego Cordero (1-2, 2.25)

Peoria – off

Eighth-place Peoria (6-24) finishes up its nine-game road trip with a three-game series at fourth-place Quad Cities.  The Chiefs have won two of the six completed road contests.

Wednesday’s game:  at Quad Cities (17-12) (HOU), 6:35 pm CT, Colin Schmid (3-5, 5.28)

State College 1 at Mahoning Valley 4

Three Spikes’ miscues resulted in a 4-1 road loss to Mahoning Valley in the road series opener.  The loss drops State College (19-19) into a third-place tie with the Scrappers, five games behind Batavia (MIA).

Three of the four tallies allowed by Spikes pitchers were unearned, beginning with Junior Gonzalez who made his first start after 10 relief appearances.  The 22-year-old yielded two unearned runs in the fourth and gave up three hits while hitting one batter and throwing two wild pitches in 3 2/3 frames.

Jacob Schlesener followed Gonzalez to the mound and permitted two tallies, one earned, on three hits and three walks over 3 1/3 innings.  The lefty allowed his only inherited runner to score but did pick off a runner at first.  Cameron Dulle tossed a one-two-three eighth.

State College took an early lead after David Vinsky opened the game with a single and eventually scored on Carlos Soto’s sac fly.  The Spikes managed just five hits in total, all singles, with Andrew Warner accumulating two.  Shortstop Moises Castillo committed two fielding errors and second baseman Donivan Williams was charged with a throwing bobble.

Wednesday’s game:  at Mahoning Valley (19-19) (CLE), 7:05 pm ET, Enmanuel Solano (1-4, 4.74)

Johnson City at Kingsport – postponed

The series opener for Johnson City (16-16) at division rival Kingsport was postponed due to inclement weather.  The game has been rescheduled as part of a doubleheader on Wednesday, July 24^th.

Wednesday’s games:  at Kingsport (15-17) (NYM).  Game one – 4:00 pm ET, (Michael YaSenka (0-1, 0.47)/Luis Ortiz (1-4, 2.87)

GCL Cardinals 7 at GCL Marlins 9

The fifth-place Gulf Cardinals (11-14) led through six frames only to fall to the first-place Marlins, 9-7.

In the seventh, reliever Tyler Statler (L, 0-1) (BS, 1) permitted three runs on two hits and a walk but only one tally was earned due to a fielding error by first baseman Freddy De Jesus allowing one run to score and Statler’s wild pitch that brought the other one across home.  By the time the righty has recorded three outs, the score had switched from a 7-6 lead into a 9-7 deficit.

Francis Ventura had a short start consisting of four runs given up on five hits in the first.  Martin Cordova tossed three innings, yielding two runs, one earned, on five hits, a walk and two wild pitches.

Merendy Gonzalez struck out the side while walking one in his fifth rehab appearance for the Gulf Birds. Connor Coward worked around a two-out fielding bobble by shortstop Yowelfy Rosario for a clean sixth.  Luis Tena navigated around a lead-off walk and two-out single in the ninth in his Gulf Coast League debut.

Rehabbing Elehuris Montero was one of five players with two hits each.  The designated hitter singled twice in four at bats with a base-on-balls in his second rehab game.  Francisco Hernandez also went 2-for-4, with one of his hits a two-run bomb.

William Jimenez launched a three-run rocket, one of his two hits in five at bats.  But the home run king of the day for the Gulf Cardinals was Freddy de Jesus, who blasted two solo long balls in three at bats.  The final player with two hits was Joyser Garcia, who singled twice in five at bats with a run scored.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. co-third-place GCL Nationals (11-14), 12:00 pm ET, Nathanael Heredia (2-1, 3.50)

DSL Cardinals Blue 8 vs. DSL Rockies 0

The third-place Cardinals Blue (25-14) opened a six-game home stand by pasting the second-place Rockies, 8-0. (This long home stretch, which includes an open day, was unheard of in recent years, when an even number of teams made home and away two-game sets the norm. This year, however, the Blue play in a nine-team division, the Boca Chica South, making for an unpredictable schedule.

Third baseman Brandon Hernandez paced his team’s 14-hit onslaught, going 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and one knocked in.  Four players had two hits each:  Darlin Moquete, Gustavo A Rodriguez, Leudy Pena and Fernando Diaz.  Three of the four generated an extra-base hit, with Pena and Diaz both going yard, Moquete tripling and Rodriguez doubling for the 11^th time this season.  Right fielder Moquete was credited with an assist at home to preserve the shutout.

Gustavo J Rodriguez pitched the initial four innings, giving up five hits and a base-on-balls.  William Miranda (W, 3-0) fanned three Rockies (16-14) in three frames, permitting three hits and a walk but Dionys Rodriguez topped both of them in efficiency.  The 18-year-old retired all six batters faced.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. fifth-place DSL Orioles2 (19-20), 10:30 am ET, Engels Martinez (1-3, 6.37)

DSL Cardinals Red 9 at DSL Brewers 10

A late rally fell just short as the seventh-place Cardinals Red (17-26) were clipped by the third-place Brewers, 10-9.

The combined pitching of Hancel Rincon (L, 1-4) and Oliver Lopez resulted in an 8-0 crater for the visitors after five innings.  Rincon yielded a tally in each of his three innings pitched on five hits and two free passes.  Lopez was tagged for a five-run fifth, his second and final inning of work.  Both hurlers plus Hector De Los Santos, the final pitcher, surrendered solo bombs – Rincon and Lopez one each and De Los Santos two.

The Cardinals Red offense mounted their rally with a two-run sixth before adding six more in the eighth but fell just short with a one-run ninth.  First baseman Luis Andujar had four of his team’s 13 hits, singling four times in six at bats with a run scored and two RBIs out of the clean-up spot.

Albert Inoa, Fernando Brazoban and Claudio Ramirez had two hits apiece, with Inoa doubling and crossing home once while Brazoban scored twice and Ramirez once.  Centerfielder Smith Vargas reached base three times, going 1-for-4 with a double and two walks while crossing home twice.

Wednesday’s games:  at eighth-place DSL Tigers1 (14-29), 10:00 am ET, Yonael Dominguez (1-0, 3.92)/TBA (The second game is a make up for the July 8 postponement.)

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photo: Adolis Garcia (Memphis Redbirds)

The St. Louis Cardinals system went 3-3 on Sunday. Memphis scored 13, eight driven in by Player of the Day Adolis Garcia, his second honor in the last three days. Jake Woodford tossed seven scoreless innings. Springfield rallied in the ninth to win and State College mounted its comeback in the eighth.

Results from games played Sunday, July 21^st.

Memphis 13 at Omaha 2

Adolis Garcia’s multi-bomb performance led Memphis (41-60) to a 13-2 trouncing of Omaha in the rubber game of the three-game road series.

Player of the Day Garcia accounted for eight tallies, going 3-for-6 with a grand slam plus a three-run blast for two runs scored and eight knocked in.  Edmundo Sosa also had three hits in six at bats, touching home twice and driving in two.

Both of Lane Thomas’ two hits in five at bats went for extra bases, a double and solo shot while Jose Martinez went 2-for-4 with a base-on-balls, double and run scored.  Kramer Robertson reached base five times, going 1-for-2 with three walks and a solo blast representing one of his two times touching home.

Meanwhile on the mound, Jake Woodford (W, 6-6) shut out the Storm Chasers (46-55) on six hits and three walks with seven strikeouts through seven.   Two of the three outs recorded by Kodi Whitley were K’s but the North Carolina native yielded a run on a triple and sac fly in his Triple-A debut.  Junior Fernandez gave up an unearned run on his own throwing error plus a wild pitch.

Monday’s game:  Off

Springfield 3 at Corpus Christi 2

The S-Cards’ ninth-inning rally lifted them past the Hooks, 3-2, for a two-games-to-one lead of the four-game road set.  The victory moves Springfield (16-14) into a second-place tie with Tulsa (LAD), a game behind Arkansas (SEA) in the North Division standings.

The two-run ninth was powered by solo bombs off the bats of Rayder Ascanio and Justin Toerner.  The home run was the only hit in four at bats for Ascanio while Toerner added a single in five at bats.  The final Springfield player with more than one of the team’s eight hits was Alberto Triunfel, who singled twice in four at bats with an RBI.

Angel Rondon limited the opposition to a run on six hits and two walks over 5 2/3 frames.  Ronnie Williams (W, 2-1) escaped Rondon’s bases-loaded jam but surrendered a solo shot during his 2 1/3 innings on the bump.  Mitchell Osnowitz worked around a two-out single for his first Double-A save.

Monday’s game:  at Corpus Christi (14-16) (HOU), 6:15 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (3-4, 5.78)

Palm Beach 2 “at” Jupiter 4

Palm Beach’s (10-22) offense mustered just four hits in their 4-2 loss to Jupiter in the decisive third game of the series, in which the Cardinals were the away team at Roger Dean Stadium.

The Beach Birds generated few opportunities, with just three players reaching scoring position and only three left on base.  Imeldo Diaz doubled twice in three at bats, with his second double knocking in Nick Dunn, who worked his team’s only base-on-balls.  Juan Yepez sent one over the left field wall, his third Florida State League home run and only hit in four at bats.

Alvaro Seijas (L, 0-1) yielded four runs, three earned, on seven hits and two walks over five innings.  The 20-year-old fanned six.  Ramon Santos (2 IP) and Cole Aker (1 IP) finished, with Santos allowing two hits and Aker issuing a free pass.

Monday’s game:  vs. St. Lucie (21-12) (NYM), 6:30 pm ET, Perry DellaValle (5-5, 3.25)

Peoria 0 at Lake County 7

Peoria (6-23) was unable to convert numerous scoring opportunities as they were blanked by Lake County, 7-0, evening the series at one game apiece with one on tap.

The Chiefs outhit the Captains, seven to six, but were a dismal 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, stranding nine base runners.  Unfortunately for Peoria, the three players had two hits each did not bat next to each other.  Lead-off hitter Brendan Donovan went 2-for-4 with two doubles but the two through five hitters went a combined 1-for-13 and left a total of 10 on base.  Alexis Wilson and Brandon Riley, both went 2-for-3 with a walk, batting sixth and eighth, respectively.

Parker Kelly did a tremendous job in his first start after 12 relief appearances, shutting down the Captains on two hits and a base-on-balls with five strikeouts in five frames.  Neither Rodard Avelino nor Eli Kraus could duplicate Kelly’s effort, though.  Avelino (L, 0-2) surrendered five runs on a hit and four walks with one out recorded.  Kraus inherited a bases-loaded jam and allowed all three to score plus two of his own via a two-run bomb during his 2 2/3-inning stint.

Monday’s game:  at Lake County (16-13) (CLE), 6:00 pm CT, Kyle Leahy (4-8, 3.30)

State College 5 vs. Williamsport 2

A three-run eighth propelled the Spikes over the Crosscutters, 5-2, evening the series at one game each with one yet to play.  State College (18-18) remains tied for third with Mahoning Valley (CLE), both teams trailing Batavia (MIA) by four games in the Pinckney Division standings.

The eighth’s offense was built on their opponent’s inability to find the plate and featured four walks, one intentional.  A run scored on that fourth free pass, another on an RBI single by Dariel Gomez and the third via a wild pitch.

Seven of nine starters accumulated at least one of the squad’s nine hits with Gomez and Terry Fuller having two hits apiece.  The former singled twice in four at bats and the latter went 2-for-3 with a base-on-balls and solo shot that was part of his two runs scored and one RBI.  Catcher Pedro Pages reached base three times, going 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored.

Jeremy Randolph (W, 1-2) blanked Williamsport on two hits and two walks over 3 2/3 frames, stranding two inherited runners and earning his first professional win.  The righty pitched in relief of Scott Politz, who allowed two runs on five hits and two free passes in 5 2/3 innings.  One of the five hits was a solo bomb in his last inning of work.

Monday’s game:  vs. sixth-place Williamsport (10-25) (PHI), 7:05 pm ET, Adrian Mardueno (1-1, 2.70)

Danville 9 at Johnson City 1

The JC-Cards’ losing skid reached four games with Sunday’s 9-1 drubbing by the Braves.  Second-place Johnson City (15-16) has one game remaining of their three-game home series versus Danville and trails Elizabethton (MIN) by 2 ½ games in the West Division standings.

Jake Sommers (L, 1-2) tossed just three innings, giving up five runs on five hits and three walks, including a three-run home run.  Hector Soto yielded a long ball of his own, a two-run blast comprising part of the four unearned runs permitted in the fourth.  The righty allowed three hits and plunked one batter during his 3 2/3-inning stint.

Enrique Perez retired four batters, successfully navigating around two hits and a base-on-balls.  Will Guay walked one in the ninth.

Trejyn Fletcher singled twice in five at bats, driving in his team’s only run. He also stole his second base since joining JC.  The center fielder was credited with an outfield assist at first.  Four Appy Birds had one hit each, including catcher Brandon Purcell who opened the seventh with a double and eventually scored on Fletcher’s ground out.

Monday’s game: vs. Danville (14-18) (ATL), 6:30 pm ET, Jose Moreno (1-3, 11.57)

GCL Cardinals – off

The GCL Cardinals (11-12) have heated up with a four-game winning streak and a 7-3 record over the most recent 10 contests.  That is good for a third-place tie with the Gulf Nationals in the East Division standings, with both squads trailing the GCL Mets by 2 ½ games.

Monday’s game:  vs. fifth-place GCL Astros (9-13), noon ET, Inohan Paniagua (1-2, 6.98)

DSL Cardinals Blue – off

The Dominican Summer League does not play on Sundays. The Blue are in third place in the nine-team South Division, just 1 ½ games behind the first-place Phillies Red.

Monday’s game:  DSL Cardinals Blue (24-13) at DSL Twins (11-27), 10:30 am ET, Reinys Portillo (2-3, 3.34)

DSL Cardinals Red – off

The Red are seventh in the eight-team San Pedro Division, 8 ½ games behind the first-place Cubs.

Monday’s game:  DSL Cardinals Red (17-24) vs. DSL Brewers (23-19), 10:30 am ET, Edgar Manzo (1-2, 2.10)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Johnson City Cardinals Notebook – 2019 Week 5

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photo: John Nogowski (Frank Ramirez/The Cardinal Nation)

St. Louis’ minors went 5-4 on Thursday. Three of the four full season teams scored at least 10 runs, but only two won, as Peoria’s pitching woes continue. Player of the Day John Nogowski homered twice in Memphis’ road win.

Results from games played Thursday, July 18^th.

Memphis 10 at Round Rock 5

The Redbirds stymied the Express on Thursday, 10-5, gaining a split of the four-game set.  Memphis (39-59) remains in fourth and last place in the American Northern Division standings, 16 games in back of Iowa (CHC).

Player of the Day John Nogowski went yard twice to pace his team’s 14-hit attack.  The first baseman added a single, crossed home twice and drove in three.

Four Redbirds gathered two hits each:  Randy Arozarena, Lane Thomas, Joe Hudson and Jose Martinez.  Arozarena, Thomas and Martinez all doubled once. Arozarena worked a free pass, scored three times in four at bats and joined Thomas with a stolen base.  Thomas went 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored.  Johan Mieses’ only hit in five at bats was a solo blast.

Austin Warner tossed six frames, permitting four runs on seven hits, including a two-run home run, and four walks for his first Triple-A win of 2019.  Junior Fernandez and Chris Ellis each tossed a clean frame but Chris Beck was touched for a run on two hits and a base-on-balls in the ninth.

Friday’s game:  at second-place Omaha (45-53) (KC), 7:05 pm CT, Harold Arauz (5-2, 6.13)

Springfield 10 at Amarillo 9

The S-Cards’ bats overcame sub-par pitching to take the rubber game of their road series at Amarillo, 10-9.  Springfield (14-13) climbs into a second-place tie with Tulsa (LAD) with the victory, two games behind Arkansas (SEA).

The outcome hinged on Zach Kirtley’s lead-off homer in the ninth that broke a 9-9 tie.  It was the first baseman’s fifth Double-A bomb and one of his two hits in five at bats.

Kirtley was one of five Springfield players with two hits apiece, along with Yariel Gonzalez, Irving Lopez, Brian O’Keefe and Justin Toerner.  Gonzalez, who was named the Texas League Player of the Week on Monday, launched one out of the park with two aboard, his fifth Texas League home run.  Gonzalez, Lopez and Toerner joined Dylan Carlson by touching home twice. Carlson reached base three times on a 1-for-3 effort that included two walks.

Tommy Parsons held the Sod Poodles (14-13) scoreless in the first, second and sixth innings but allowed five runs in all on seven hits.  Three runs were generated by two long balls.

Parsons turned over a 9-5 lead to the pen, but the gap closed considerably in the home seventh when Jacob Patterson was tagged for three runs on three hits without retiring a batter.  Two of the three tallies scored under Connor Jones’ watch, who finished the inning without inflicting damage on himself.

Bryan Dobzanski (W, 1-0) (BS, 1) surrendered a solo shot in his inning of work, knotting the game at nine all.  Kodi Whitley tiptoed around a one-out single for his seventh save.

Friday’s game:  at Corpus Christi (13-14) (HOU), 7:10 pm CT, Evan Kruczynski (2-5, 6.64)

Florida 4 at Palm Beach 2

The Palm Beach Cardinals were downed by the Fire Frogs, 4-2, in the decisive third game of the series at Roger Dean.  Palm Beach (9-20) has a firm grip on last place in the six-team South Division standings and trail Charlotte (TB) by 13 ½ games.

Diego Cordero took the hard luck loss, his second against one win, despite holding the opposition to an unearned run on three hits and two free passes over 6 2/3.  Cole Aker recorded the seventh’s last out, stranding two inherited runners but yielded three scores of his own, two earned, on three hits the next frame.  Edgar Escobar held Florida (10-19) scoreless in the eighth.

The home squad was held scoreless on just three hits through the first eight innings before pushing across two runs on four ninth-inning hits.  Catcher Dennis Ortega was the only PB-Card with a multi-hit effort, going 3-for-4 with a double and run scored.  Zack Gahagan and Nolan Gorman doubled, with Gorman driving in one.

Defensively, Ortega was one of four Palm Beach players committing bobbles, his on an errant pickoff throw.  Shortstop Imeldo Diaz could not pick one ball cleanly and neither could center fielder Wadye Infante.  One of third baseman Gorman’s throws went awry, and starter Cordero threw off line when trying to pick off a runner at first.

Friday’s game:  at fourth-place Jupiter (14-15) (MIA), 6:30 pm ET, TBA

Peoria 11 at Fort Wayne 12

The Chiefs’ bullpen could not hold an eighth-inning lead, as Peoria fell to the Wizards, 12-11.  Peoria (4-22) will try to salvage the third and final game of the series when the two last-place teams in their respective divisions meet again on Friday.

The visitors held an 11-7 advantage with six outs to go but that lead evaporated with five runs scored against the combination of Freddy Pacheco and Eli Kraus.  Pacheco tossed a one-two-three seventh but got the hook after sandwiching two one-out walks around a balk.  Kraus (L, 1-2) (BS, 2) allowed the first runner to score before coughing up a crushing grand slam.

Home runs had bitten Peoria earlier in the game when starter Colin Schmid served up two of his own, including one to the batter who later went yard against Kraus.  Those two blasts represented three of the six tallies on eight hits the lefty yielded in five innings.  Sebastian Tabata allowed two hits and a walk, resulting in a sixth-inning run.

Brendan Donovan and Brandon Benson each had three of the team’s 14 hits. Donovan tripled, crossing home three times and driving in two.  Benson doubled with two runs scored.

Ivan Herrera, like Donovan, also accounted for five tallies.  The Chiefs’ clean-up hitter blasted his seventh home run of 2019 that was one of his two hits.  It came with two aboard and accounted for three of his four RBIs.

Friday’s game:  at Fort Wayne (9-17) (SD), 6:05 pm CT, Michael Brettell (2-6, 5.50)

State College 1 at West Virginia 6

Starter Enmanuel Solano lasted just four innings as the Spikes fell to the Black Bears, 6-1.  State College (16-17) has lost the first two of the three-game series, dropping into a third-place tie with Mahoning Valley (CLE), 3 ½ behind Batavia (MIA).

All five runs charged to Solano (L, 1-4) came in the third, with three via a home run.  The bomb was one of seven hits and three walks yielded by the righty.  Solano was called for two balks.  Junior Gonzalez permitted a tally on three hits and a walk in four frames.

Carlos Soto singled and doubled, scoring his team’s only run on Terry Fuller’s RBI single in the fourth.  Overall, State College had just five hits.

Friday’s game:  at second-place West Virginia (17-15) (PIT), 7:05 pm ET, Dalton Roach (league debut)

Bristol 4 at Johnson City 3

The JC-Cards’ porous defense led to a 4-3 loss to the Pirates, evening the series at one game each with one to go.  Johnson City (15-13) remains in second in the West Division standings, 1 ½ games behind Elizabethton (MIN).

The four runs charged to Michael YaSenka (L, 0-1), the reigning Appalachian League Pitcher of the Week, occurred in four separate innings and all were unearned due to six Johnson City errors. The righty fanned seven in six plus frames, allowing four hits and walking his last batter faced to open the seventh.

Dylan Pearce permitted a hit in his inning on the bump.  Hector Soto retired all six batters faced.

Johnson City’s five hits were generated by five players and four went for extra bases.  Liam Sabino had a walk and a solo shot while Todd Lott, Zach Jackson and Jhon Torres each doubled. Lott and Jackson scored and Torres drove in one.

Friday’s game:  vs. fourth-place Bristol (13-16) (PIT), 6:30 pm ET, Francisco Justo (2-1, 3.95)

GCL Cardinals 9 vs. GCL Marlins 1

A meltdown by the visitors’ bullpen launched the Gulf Birds over the third-place (11-10) Marlins, 9-1.  The Cardinals (9-12) moved into fourth place in the East Division standings, four games in back of the Mets.

The teams battled evenly through seven frames with each squad breaking through for a fifth-inning run.  But the Cardinals put the game away with an eight-run eighth.

What makes the eighth’s scoring most interesting is that it was accomplished with only one hit and one Marlins’ miscue.  The first seven Gulf Birds to come to the plate all reached, six via free passes and one by the plunked route.  Luis Montano then lined a bases-loaded double to right for three more tallies.  The next batter reached on a throwing error by the Marlins’ shortstop before the visitor’s third pitcher of the inning issued two more free passes, forcing Montano across home for the final run.

The home team only mustered four hits to go with the nine walks.  Second baseman Ramon Mendoza got his team on the scoreboard with his first long ball of 2019 and was one of those who walked and scored in the eighth.  Eight of nine starters touched home at least once.

Nathanael Heredia worked just one frame, giving up a hit and base-on-balls.  Anthony Green maneuvered around five hits and a free pass for 2 1/3 clean innings.  Martin Cordova left Green’s last runner aboard but was touched for a run on three hits and two walks in 2 2/3.  Roy Garcia (W, 1-1) issued two free passes over the final three innings.

Friday’s game:  at second-place GCL Nationals (10-9), 12:00 pm ET, Luis Ortiz (1-3, 3.79)

DSL Cardinals Blue 7 vs. DSL Nationals 4

The C-Blue rallied from a 3-0 deficit to top the Nationals, 7-4.  The Cardinals Blue (22-13) are in third place in the South Division standings, 2 ½ games behind the Phillies Red.

Down 3-0 through four, the Blue’s four-spot in the fifth gave them their first lead.  The Nationals (9-27) tied the score at four-all in the sixth but the Blue responded with a seventh-inning tally before adding two more the next frame.

Shortstop Darlyn Del Villar accounted for three runs, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and two knocked in.  Second baseman Elvin De Jesus took part in three tallies as well, doubling with three walks, an RBI and two runs scored. Designated hitter Fernando Diaz’s first professional home run led off the fifth and was one of his two hits.

The C-Blue committed six errors, led by catcher Jose Zapata with four, giving him a year-to-date total of 12 .  Third baseman Brandon Hernandez was charged with his seventh miscue and starting pitcher Engels Martinez made an errant pickoff throw.

Martinez went the initial four innings, yielding three runs, one earned, on four hits, a walk, one hit batsman and two wild pitches.  Hansel Marcelino tossed a clean fifth but Benjamin Arias (BS, 3) was tagged for an unearned run in his inning on the bump.

Dionys Rodriguez (W, 1-1) allowed a hit and two walks in two frames.  16-year-old Juan Peralta, a Texas native, worked around a one-out single for his first professional save.

Friday’s game:  at fourth-place DSL Mets1 (20-16), 10:30 am ET, Yordy Richard (1-0, 6.75) or Eduar Pimentel (0-2, 8.64)

DSL Cardinals Red 6 at DSL Mets2 5

The C-Red mustered 12 hits in their 6-5 road victory over the DSL Mets2 (17-23).  The seventh-place Cardinals Red (16-23) move within a half of a game of the Mets2 with the win but are still trail co-leaders Cubs2 and Phillies White by 7 1/2 in the San Pedro Division standings.

Center fielder Smith Vargas and shortstop Sander Mora, the one and two batters, each garnered three hits with a run scored, RBI and stolen base.  The latter added a free pass.

Third baseman Erick Thomas singled twice, crossed home once and drove in one.  The final C-Red with a multi-hit performance was second baseman Albert Inoa who went 2-for-5 with an RBI and stolen base.

Staff ace and DSL All-Star Angel Cuenca picked up the win, his fourth in five decisions, despite one of his less effective efforts.  The rookie right-hander permitted four runs, three earned, on five hits and a base-on-balls in six frames.  Cuenca has gone six innings in six of his eight starts to date and has permitted just eight earned runs in 42 total innings.

Miguel Yedis took over in the seventh and gave up a run on two hits and a free pass.  Hector De Los Santos fanned four over the last two innings for his second save.

Friday’s game:  vs. fifth-place DSL Rangers2 (20-20), 10:30 am ET, Henry Gomez (0-0, 2.81)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2019 Week 15

Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system. Annual members may purchase the new 2019 Prospect Guide PDF for less than half price. In addition, our limited edition printed and bound Guides are $5 off, so get yours today!

© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

photo: Nick Dunn (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Palm Beach provided the bright spot in St. Louis’ minors 1-5 Tuesday. The big bats of Nick Dunn and Nolan Gorman led the way with three hits and three RBI each.

Results from games played Tuesday, July 16^th.

Memphis 1 at Round Rock 4

Memphis (38-58) fell at Round Rock, 4-1, evening the series at one game each with two yet to play.

All four of the Express’ tallies came against Jake Woodford (L, 5-6), who surrendered six hits and four walks in six innings, including two bombs accounting for three runs.  The righty hit two batters.  Chris Ellis and Chris Beck each tossed a scoreless frame.

The Redbirds mustered seven hits but placed only three players in scoring position and went hitless in all three opportunities.  Johan Mieses went 3-for-4 and Lane Thomas singled twice in four at bats.  The team’s sole score came via John Nogowski’s solo blast in the ninth.

Wednesday’s game:  at Round Rock (56-40) (HOU), 7:05 pm CT, Mike Hauschild (0-2, 8.22)

Springfield 4 at Amarillo 10

Springfield (12-13) opened a three-game road series at Amarillo with a 10-4 loss.

Three of six runs, five earned, given up by Jorge Rondon (L, 4-2) were generated by two home runs comprising two of the nine hits and one base-on-balls allowed in six innings.  The right-hander fanned eight.

Will Latcham surrendered a long ball of his own, a seventh-inning grand slam which put the game out of reach.  Roel Ramirez recorded the final four outs, yielding two hits.

The S-Cards’ eight hits were distributed among seven players.  Zach Kirtley singled and doubled in four at bats, crossing home once.  Lars Nootbaar tripled for the first time since joining Springfield, his only hit in four at bats to go with a run scored and RBI.

Wednesday’s game:  at Amarillo (14-11) (SD), 7:05 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (2-4, 6.03)

Palm Beach 11 vs. Florida 7

Big offensive nights by Nolan Gorman and Nick Dunn led Palm Beach (9-18) to an 11-7 victory over Florida in the home series opener.

Both players took part in five tallies while garnering three hits apiece.  Co-Players of the Day Gorman and Dunn both doubled twice with two runs scored and three driven in, Gorman in five at bats and Dunn in four at bats with a base-on-balls.

The final Beach Bird with a multi-hit performance was Imeldo Diaz, who singled twice in three at bats, worked a free pass and touched home three times.  Three players had one hit each.  Defensively, third baseman Gorman and shortstop Diaz accounted for two of their team’s four miscues, along with catcher Julio Rodriguez and right fielder Juan Yepez.

Those bobbles resulted in three unearned runs, all absorbed by starter Alvaro Seijas.  Seijas allowed four runs, one earned, on nine hits and two walks with six strikeouts in five frames.  The righty plunked one.

Zack Thompson also hit a batter during his inning on the bump, yielding a tally on one hit plus a strategic stolen base against him.  Ben Yokley (W, 1-3) was charged with two runs on four hits and three walks in two frames but was the pitcher of record when his teammates exploded for a six-run eighth, giving then their first and final lead.  Patrick Dayton tossed a clean ninth.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Florida (8-19) (ATL), 6:30 pm ET, Perry DellaValle (5-4, 3.00)

Peoria – off

Peoria (4-20) heads out on a nine-game road trip with Eastern Division rivals Fort Wayne and Lake County (CLE) before facing Quad Cities (HOU) in a Western Division match up.

Wednesday’s game:  at Fort Wayne (7-17) (SD), 6:05 pm CT, Kyle Leahy (4-7, 2.91)

State College – off

The Spikes (16-14), who have gone 3-7 in their last 10 games, look for a return to their winning ways during a three-game road series at division rival West Virginia.

Wednesday’s game:  at West Virginia (15-15) (PIT), 6:35 pm ET, Jeremy Randolph (0-2, 4.15)

Johnson City 5 at Elizabethton 7

A five-run third dug a hole from which the Appy Birds could not recover, resulting in a 7-5 road loss at Elizabethton (16-11) (MIN).  Johnson City (14-12) won one of the four-game set.

Jake Sommers (L, 1-1) struck out six in four innings but was tagged for six runs, four earned, on seven hits, a base-on-balls and a hit batsman.  John Witkowski held the Twins scoreless on two hits and a walk over two frames.  Wilberto Rivera also pitched two innings but yielded a run on four hits.

The Appy Birds managed five runs but needed the aid of three Elizabethton miscues, as only two of the five were earned.  Zach Jackson was the only Cardinal with more than one of the team’s six hits, singling twice in four at bats with two runs scored and an RBI.  Victor Garcia went yard for the first time this season, a solo shot that was his only hit in four at bats.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Bristol (12-15) (PIT), 6:30 pm ET, Jose Moreno (1-3, 10.98)

GCL Cardinals – off

After a five-game winning streak, the Gulf Cardinals (7-12) have lost three straight contests.

Wednesday’s game:  at GCL Astros (8-11), 12:00 pm ET, Francis Ventura (0-0, 4.50)

DSL Cardinals Blue 3 at DSL Angels 8

The Cardinals Blue (21-12) never led, falling to the Angels, 8-3.

The offense managed just five hits, two by second baseman and lead-off batter Elvin De Jesus.  Shortstop Darlyn Del Villar was productive both times he reached base, singling once in two at bats with a base-on-balls, stolen base and two runs scored.

Making his first start in eight days due to the Dominican Summer League All-Star Game, Reinys Portillo (L, 2-3) allowed five runs on seven hits and a walk in four innings.  Victor Villanueva and William Miranda each tossed two frames, with Villanueva permitting two scores on five hits and a plunked batter while Miranda yielded a run on two hits and a base-on-balls.

Wednesday’s game:  at DSL Yankees (16-17), 10:30 am ET, Gustavo J Rodriguez (3-0, 1.45)

DSL Cubs2 5 at DSL Cardinals Red 3

The Cardinals Red (14-23) dropped a 5-3 decision to the Cubs2 (24-14), the sixth loss in their last eight games.

Hancel Rincon (L, 1-3) allowed a run in his first and last inning of work, yielding four hits and two walks through four.  Luis Garcia and Larimel Soriano both pitched two frames, with Garcia giving up a run on five hits and two walks and Soriano permitting two unearned tallies on two free passes and a hit batsman.  Miguel Maiz tossed a scoreless ninth.

The C-Red generated 10 hits with three players having two hits apiece:  All-Star Diowill Burgos, Sander Mora and Albert Inoa.  Burgos reached base three times, singling and doubling in four at bats with a walk while both Mora and Inoa went 2-for-5 with an RBI, with Inoa doubling once.  On the base paths, both Burgos and Mora swiped a bag.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. DSL Mets2 (17-20), 10:30 am ET, Yonael Dominguez (1-0, 4.96) or Angel Cuenca (3-1, 1.25)

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photo: Jacob Patterson (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

The St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-4 on Sunday. Jacob Patterson pitched well in an unexpected bullpen game and win for Springfield but Ivan Herrera’s five hits were not enough for Peoria to avoid a one-run defeat.

Results from games played Sunday, July 14^th.

Memphis – off

Due to a schedule change initiated by the approach of Tropical Storm Barry, the Redbirds (37-57) played two on Saturday, which gave them a rare Sunday off.  Memphis begins a seven-game road trip through Round Rock and Omaha (KC) on Monday.

Monday’s game:  at Round Rock (55-39) (HOU), 7:05 pm CT, Genesis Cabrera (3-4, 5.83)

Springfield 3 vs. Arkansas 2

The S-Cards halted the Travelers, 3-2, on Sunday, giving third-place Springfield (12-12) three-games-to-one series win over first-place Arkansas (15-9) (SEA).

The home team was rushed into a bullpen start when regular starter Alex FaGalde was a late scratch after throwing pre-game warmup pitches in the bullpen, per TCN Springfield reporter Derek Shore.  Bryan Dobzanski, pressed into service for the initial eight outs, gave up a solo shot that was one of his four hits plus one base-on-balls allowed.

Co-Player of the Day Jacob Patterson (W, 5-4) limited the opposition to another solo blast, the only hit yielded in 3 1/3 frames.  The lefty struck out seven and joined Dobzanski by not issuing a free pass.

Connor Jones worked around two hits and two walks with four batters retired before Kodi Whitley struck out two over the last 1 2/3 innings for his fifth save.  Patterson and Whitley stranded two inherited runners each.

Yariel Gonzalez led his squad’s eight-hit effort, going 3-for-4 with a run scored.  Ramon Urias singled twice in four at bats, touching home once for the deciding tally, which was unearned.

Monday’s game:  Off

Jupiter 11 at Palm Beach 6

Crooked numbers allowed in four consecutive innings resulted in an 11-6 Cardinals loss to the Hammerheads (12-14).  Palm Beach (8-14) dropped three of four in the now-completed series.

Edgar Gonzalez (L, 4-12) was tagged for eight runs on 10 hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.  Hector Soto surrendered three more tallies on three hits, including a two-run long ball, and a base-on-balls while allowing Gonzalez’ last two base runners to score.  Edgar Escobar tossed a clean ninth with two hits yielded.

Palm Beach generated nine hits with three players garnering two hits each:  Nick Plummer, Nolan Gorman and Nick Dunn.  Plummer went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI and Dunn singled twice in four at bats, crossed home once and knocked in one.  Zack Gahagan’s only hit in four at bats was a two-run bomb, his first of the season.

Monday’s game:  Off

Great Lakes 9 at Peoria 8

Ivan Herrera’s five-hit effort was not enough to prevent the Chiefs’ 9-8 defeat to the Loons.  Peoria (4-19) has split the first two games of the home set with one yet to play.

Herrera, our co-Player of the Day, went 5-for-5 with a double, run scored and two driven in out of the clean-up slot.  The catcher’s big game was part of the team’s 15-hit explosion in which eight of nine starters accounted for at least one.

Three Chiefs had two hits each:  Delvin Perez, Edwin Figuera and Brandon Riley.  All three doubled with Perez and Figuera scoring twice and once, respectively, while Riley drove in two.

Franyel Casadilla (L, 3-4) was more than a tad homer prone, surrendering four home runs, accounting for all seven runs charged to him in four frames.  The righty allowed five hits in all with two free passes issued and one batter plunked.

Rodard Avelino retired six batters, giving up a run on two hits and a base-on-balls.  Sebastian Tabata tossed two scoreless innings but Freddy Pacheco allowed what proved to be the game’s difference in his inning of work.

Monday’s game:  vs. Great Lakes (12-11) (LAD), 11:05 am CT, Michael Baird (0-1, 2.35)

State College 3 vs. Staten Island 2 (10)

State College (13-15) mounted a late rally to walk off with a 3-2 victory over Staten Island in 10 innings.  Each team has won one of the series’ first two contests with one on tap.

Unable to do any damage against the Yankees’ starter over seven innings, the Spikes offense broke through with single scores against the bullpen in each of the last two frames.  Designated hitter Carlos Soto’s third home run of 2019 sent the game into extras whereupon David Vinsky’s infield single to the pitcher scored Luis Flores from third for the winning margin.  Vinsky went 2-for-5, the only Spike with more than one of the team’s six hits.

Andre Pallante, St. Louis’ fourth-round selection in the June 2019 First-Year Player Draft, held Staten Island scoreless on three hits and a walk over four innings.  Connor Thomas maintained the shutout through six before allowing two unearned tallies.  Junior Gonzalez (W, 2-1) recorded the seventh’s last out, but not before permitting one of two inherited runners to touch home.  Gonzalez permitted three hits and a walk during his 3 1/3 innings on the mound.

Monday’s game:  vs. Staten Island (16-14) (NYY), 12:00 pm ET, Scott Politz (1-2, 8.69)

Johnson City 12 at Elizabethton 13 (10)

A bullpen failure led to the JC-Cards being clipped by the Twins, 13-12, in 10 innings.  Johnson City’s (13-11) third straight loss covers the first two of their four-game road set with Elizabethton.

The Appy Birds held the upper hand for most of the contest, thanks to an eight-run fourth, and led 12-7 with three outs to go.  Alex Gallegos (0 IP) and Wilfredo Pereira combined to surrender five tallies, the big blow being a grand slam off the latter.  Pereira (L, 1-1) (BS, 1) did not retire either of two faced the next frame, issuing a walk and RBI double scoring the runner who began the inning at second.

Starter Francisco Justo yielded seven runs, six earned, on nine hits, including a three-run bomb, over six frames.  Enrique Perez maneuvered around three hits for two innings of shutout ball.

The offense banged out 11 hits with four Cardinals having two hits apiece:  Mateo Gil, Todd Lott, Trejyn Fletcher and Liam Sabino.  Gil (two) and Fletcher (one) both went yard with runners aboard.

Monday’s game:  at Elizabethton (15-10) (MIN), 6:30 pm ET, Julio Puello (1-1, 5.23)

GCL Nationals 6 at GCL Cardinals 1

The GCL Cardinals (7-11) could not hold a slim early advantage, falling to the Gulf Nationals, 6-1.

The Gulf Birds’ sole tally occurred in the first after Francisco Hernandez lined a double to left.  The third baseman advanced to third on Luis Montano’s bunt single then swiped home as the front end of a double steal.

But the offense was unable to convert any of their subsequent six hits.  Joerlin De Los Santos and Hernandez both went 2-for-4, while Hernandez’ two-bagger was the only hit to go for extra bases.

Ludwin Jimenez (L, 1-3) made that lead hold up until yielding the tying run in the fourth.  The righty permitted three more scores in his fifth and final inning of work, two produced by one long ball.  Jimenez struck out eight Nationals (10-7) with eight hits and a walk allowed.

Two GCL Cardinals relievers shared pitching duties the rest of the way.  Merendy Gonzalez issued one free pass in a clean sixth but Wilman Madera yielded two runs on five hits and a base-on-balls despite fanning five in three frames.

Monday’s game:  vs. GCL Mets (9-7), 12:00 pm ET, Inohan Paniagua (1-1, 6.60)

DSL NL All-Stars 4 at DSL AL All-Stars 5  (7)

The 2019 Dominican Summer League All-Star Game took place on Sunday with the American League All-Stars prevailing over their National League counterparts, 5-4.  The contest was called one out shy of seven complete frames due to rain.

St. Louis’ representatives were starting pitcher Angel Cuenca and outfielder Diowill Burgos of the Cardinals Red plus outfielder Gustavo A Rodriguez of the Cardinals Blue.  Manager Fray Peniche of the Cardinals Blue was a member of the National League coaching staff.

Following the pattern set by the NL’s manager, Cuenca began the fourth inning as his squad’s fourth hurler to take the mound.  Unlike his three predecessors who each yielded a run, the recently turned 18-year-old shut down his opponents while facing the AL’s five, six and seven batters.  Cuenca worked three flyball outs – fly outs to right and left with a pop out to third sandwiched in between.

Burgos was the starting right fielder and number four batter.  He struck out swinging with runners on first and second for the first’s second out, his only at bat.  Rodriguez pinch hit for Burgos to open the fourth, worked the first of his two free passes and scored his team’s first run.  He then took over in right before being pinch hit for in the top of the seventh.

Monday’s game:  DSL Blue off.  DSL Red (14-21) at DSL Cubs2 (22-14), 10:30 am ET, Diorys Guerrero (0-1, 4.82)

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Gulf Coast League Cardinals Notebook – 2019 Week 3

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photo: Dylan Carlson (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

St. Louis’ minors went 4-5 on Thursday with Player of the Day Dylan Carlson helping Springfield out of the division cellar. Palm Beach split a pair while Johnson City won its third straight. A strong pitching effort by 18-year old Angel Cuenca helped the DSL Red put one in the win column as well.

Results from games played Thursday, July 11^th.

Oklahoma City 8 at Memphis 6

The Redbirds’ shaky defense and bullpen resulted in an 8-6 defeat to the Dodgers in the home series opener.  Memphis (36-55) has a firm hold on fourth and last place in the American Northern Division standings, trailing first-place Iowa (CHC) by 16 games.

Starter Mike Hauschild and the Redbirds held a 4-3 lead after five, as the right-hander permitted three runs on six hits and three free passes.  That lead evaporated the next inning after Mike Mayers (BS, 1) was tagged for three unearned runs on a fielding error by shortstop Edmundo Sosa that put two on with one out.  Mayers could not pitch around the miscue, jamming the sacks full before surrendering a two-out, bases-clearing double.

Junior Fernandez retired his only batter via a 5-3 ground out, leaving Mayers’ last runner aboard.  After Hunter Cervenka tossed a one-two-three seventh, Ryan Helsley worked out of a bases-loaded jam for a clean eighth.  A two-run home-half of the seventh tied the game at 6-6, but Helsley (L, 1-3) surrendered a lead-off home run and subsequent sacrifice double play the next inning.

Memphis generated eight hits as three Redbirds had two hits apiece:  John Nogowski, Lane Thomas and Edmundo Sosa.  Nogowski and Thomas both doubled once, the former touching home one time while Thomas scored twice with two driven in.

Friday’s game:  vs. Oklahoma City (39-51) (LAD), 7:05 pm CT, Austin Warner (0-0, 9.28)

Springfield 6 vs. Arkansas 4

The S-Cards opened their four-game home set versus first-place Arkansas with a 6-4 win.  Springfield’s fourth win in their last five games elevates the S-Cards (10-11) into third place in the North Division standings, three games in back of the Travelers.

Springfield banged out 10 hits, paced by three players with two hits each:  Dylan Carlson, Rayder Ascanio and Alberto Triunfel.  Player of the Day Carlson did the most damage, going 3-for-5 with a solo long ball, run scored and three RBIs while Ascanio and Triunfel each went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Triunfel knocked in one.  Brian O’Keefe reached base four times, going 1-for-2 with two walks and a home run with the bases empty.

Johan Oviedo (W, 2-4) fanned eight in five frames, permitting three hits and two walks, resulting in three runs.  Two of those three tallies were generated by one blast.

Bryan Dobzanski was tagged for an unearned score in his four-hit sixth before Jacob Patterson tossed a one-two-three seventh.  Connor Jones struck out three in two innings for his second save.

Friday’s game:  vs. first-place Arkansas (14-7) (SEA), 7:10 pm CT, Tommy Parsons (3-2, 4.25)

Palm Beach 2 at Clearwater 7 – Game 1   
Palm Beach 12 at Clearwater 8 (7) – Game 2

The Beach Cardinals split a pair at Clearwater (14-10), losing Game 1, 7-2, but taking the second contest, 12-8, for a split of the four-game set.  Palm Beach (7-15) is in sixth and last place in the South Division standings, trailing Charlotte (TB) by 11 games.

The opener completed Wednesday’s contest suspended in the visitors half of the fourth with Palm Beach trailing 3-1.  The PB-Cards’ fortunes did not improve when play resumed as a trio of hurlers permitted another four scores.

Griffin Roberts, the July 10^th starter, took his fifth loss in as many decisions, surrendering three runs on five hits and two hit batsman in three frames.  Ramon Santos took the mound when play reignited and worked around two hits for a clean fourth, but Ben Yokley and CJ Saylor allowed two runs each in their two innings on the bump.

Palm Beach managed just three hits, with runs coming on solo shots by Juan Yepez and Ramon Urias.

In the finale, the PB-Cards came back twice from deficits, exploding for 10 runs against the Threshers bullpen.  Julio Rodriguez and Imeldo Diaz each had three of the team’s 11 hits. Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with a double and solo blast comprising one of his two runs scored and two RBIs.  Diaz was 3-for-4 with a double, crossed home once and knocked in two.  Nolan Gorman, who got tossed in the ninth inning of Game 1 after going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts, singled and tripled in five at bats, touched home once and drove in five.

Alvaro Seijas made his second Florida State League start, looking for his first win but to no avail.  The righty allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits and two free passes before departing after 4 2/3 with his team down 5-2.

Cole Aker retired his only batter, leaving Seijas’ last base runner aboard.  A five-run sixth gave Zack Thompson (BS, 1) an 8-7 lead but the first-round southpaw yielded three runs against two outs recorded, placing his squad at an 8-7 disadvantage after eight.  However, Patrick Dayton retired four batters, giving up a hit and stranding an inherited runner then picked up his second win when his team scored five more times in the seventh.

Friday’s game:  vs. fifth-place Jupiter (9-13) (MIA), 6:30 pm ET, TBA

Lansing 3 at Peoria 2

The Chiefs’ losing skid reached 11 straight games with a 3-2 defeat to the Lugnuts, the second of three home games versus Lansing.  Peoria (3-17) sits in eighth and last place in the Western Division standings, 11 ½ games behind Clinton (MIA).

While Kyle Leahy (L, 4-7) was charged with the loss after permitting two runs on four hits and a walk despite striking out 10 over seven innings, the margin of defeat came on an unearned tally in the eighth.  The inning’s second batter to face Freddy Pacheco reached on a two-base throwing error by shortstop Delvin Perez, advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a swinging K/wild pitch.  Pacheco fanned three in two frames.

The home team outhit their guests, eight to five, but went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left seven on base.  The only Chief with more than one hit was catcher Alexis Wilson, who singled twice in four at bats.  Second baseman Brendan Donovan’s only hit in three at bats was a home run with the bases empty that got his team on the scoreboard in the seventh.  Donovan worked a free pass and scored a ninth-inning tally that brought Peoria within one.

Friday’s game:  vs. Lansing (11-9) (TOR), 6:35 pm CT, Colin Schmid (3-4, 4.83)

State College 3 at Tri-City 4

The Spikes dropped a close 4-3 road decision to the ValleyCats and have lost the first two of the three-game series.  State College (14-13) is in third place in the Pinckney Division standings, 3 ½ games behind Batavia (MIA).

State College’s defense proved to be the difference in the game as three of the four runs yielded by the pitching staff were unearned due to errors by infielders Brylie Ware, Donivan Williams and Luis Flores.  The only mark on Adrian Mardueno in the first four frames was a solo home run, one of two hits and two walks allowed.

And all three tallies charged to Jeremy Randolph (L, 0-2) in 3 2/3 innings were unearned.  Two of the three scores were generated by one long ball, one of four hits and two walks yielded.  Logan Gragg retired his only batter, stranding two inherited runners.

State College mustered seven hits, including two Spikes with two hits apiece:  David Vinsky and Ware.  Vinsky went 2-for-4 with a walk, run scored and stolen base while Ware singled twice in three at bats, worked two free passes and drove in one.

Friday’s game:  at Tri-City (11-14) (HOU), 7:00 pm ET, Enmanuel Solano (1-3, 4.08)

Johnson City 4 at Bristol 2

A steady offensive effort led Johnson City to a 4-2 road victory at Bristol, as the Cards clinched the three-game series with one contest yet to play.  Johnson City (13-8) has won three straight and leads second-place Elizabethton (MIN) by 1 ½ games in the West Division standings.

The Appy Birds scored in four different innings, beginning in the second and finishing in the eighth.  Three players had two hits apiece:  Chandler Redmond, Liam Sabino and Brandon Purcell.  Redmond went 2-for-3 with a walk, double and solo bomb that was one of his two runs scored while both Sabino and Purcell went 2-for-4 with a double. Sabino knocked in two and Purcell stole a base.

Jake Sommers went the initial four innings, holding the Pirates to a run on four hits, two walks and a hit batsman.  Will Guay (W, 1-0) yielded a tally on a hit and plunked batter in his inning of work before Wilfredo Pereira retired all six batters faced.  Dylan Pearce allowed a hit over two scoreless innings for his first save.

Friday’s game:  at third-place Bristol (11-11) (PIT), 6:30 pm ET, Jose Moreno (1-2, 9.77)

GCL Cardinals – off

The fifth-place GCL Cardinals (5-9) take their season-high three-game winning streak to the home of the fourth-place Gulf Astros, a team they trail by just one game.  Overall, the Gulf Birds are 3 ½ games behind co-leaders Marlins and Nationals in the tight East Division standings.

Friday’s game:  at GCL Astros (6-8), 12:00 pm ET, Nathanael Heredia (1-1, 3.75)

DSL Cardinals Blue 1 at DSL Rockies 8

The C-Blue were trounced by the Dominican Rockies, 8-1, on Thursday.  It was the third loss in the last four games for the Cardinals Blue (20-11), dropping them into second place in the South Division standings, a game in back of the Phillies Red.

Making his second start in seven appearances, Eduar Pimentel (L, 0-2) lasted just two innings.  The San Cristobal native gave up four runs, three earned, on three hits, a base-on-balls and two wild pitches.

Yordy Richard came out of the pen for the first time in six games and shut down the third-place Rockies (20-12) on two hits and a walk over four innings.  The righty plunked one.  But Juan Peralta was pummeled for four tallies on five hits, including a three-run blast.  Dionys Rodriguez tossed a one-two-three eighth.

The visitors’ offense was held to six hits with Darlin Moquete and Brandon Hernandez both going 2-for-4.  Moquete stole his 13^th base of 2019 and Hernandez doubled in Gustavo A Rodriguez after the latter walked to begin the seventh.

Friday’s game:  vs. fifth-place DSL Orioles2 (15-16), 10:30 am ET, Wilmer Ortega (2-0, 2.42)

DSL Cardinals Red 5 vs. DSL Phillies White 1

Angel Cuenca tossed six strong frames as the Cardinals Red flew past the Phillies White, 5-1.  The seventh-place C-Red (13-21) are 8 ½ games behind the Cubs2 in the San Pedro Division standings.

Cuenca (W, 3-1) held his opponents to just three hits and a base-on-balls, yielding a solo shot in his final inning of work.  The 18-year-old struck out five with six ground- and three fly- ball outs.

The bullpen duo of Luis Garcia and Augusto Calderon kept the pressure on the Phillies White.  Garcia fanned three during his two innings on the mound, permitting two hits before Calderon faced the minimum in the ninth.

The offense was led by Diowill Burgos, who followed up hitting for the cycle on July 9^th by nearly accomplishing the same feat again, lacking just a single.  The designated hitter went 3-for-4 with a double, triple and two-run home run comprising two of his three RBIs.

The only other Cardinals Red player with more than one of the team’s nine hits was right fielder Fernando Brazoban, who singled and tripled in four at bats, touched home twice and drove in two.  The 17-year-old rookie swiped his fourth bag.

Friday’s game:  at second-place DSL Phillies White (21-14), 10:30 am ET, Henry Gomez (0-0, 3.00)

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Springfield’s Angel Rondon Improves Pitching and Prospect Status

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The St. Louis Cardinals system went 4-2 on Tuesday, backed by strong performances by starter Alex FaGalde and center fielder Dylan Carlson for Springfield, center fielder Jonatan Machado for State College and starter Gustavo J Rodriguez for the DSLBlue.  But Player of the Day Diowill Burgos of the DSL Red stands tallest by hitting for the cycle.

Results from games played Tuesday, July 9^th.

Memphis – off for the Triple-A All-Star Game

The 2019 Triple-A All-Star Game will take place on Wednesday, July 10^th, at Southwest University Park, home of the El Paso Chihuahuas (SD).

Memphis starter Jake Woodford was the top vote getter among all pitchers, therefore is slated to take the ball for the Pacific Coast League team against the International League.  Woodford will be joined by infielder Rangel Ravelo and catcher Andrew Knizner, the latter a late addition to the squad.

Wednesday’s game: Off

Springfield 7 at Tulsa 2

Springfield (8-11) scored five times in the final two frames to upend Tulsa, 7-2.  Each team has taken one of the series’ first two games with one to go.

The contest was knotted at 2-2 through seven but the S-Cards unraveled the knot on Yariel Gonzalez’ RBI single, which scored Dylan Carlson, who led off with a double.  The team capitalized on one of three Driller miscues to generate four more runs, one earned, the next frame.

Fresh off his MLB All-Star Futures Game appearance, Carlson paced his team’s 10-hit attack, going 3-for-5 with a double and three runs scored.  Three S-Cards had two hits each:  Jose Godoy, Michael Perri and Gonzalez.  Godoy doubled once in four at bats, touched home twice with two RBIs, Perri scored once and Gonzalez drove in three.

The offense backed yet another fine performance by starter Alex FaGalde (W, 2-1) who held the opposition to two runs on four hits and a base-on-balls through seven.  One of the four hits was a solo home run.  FaGalde struck out six.  Kodi Whitley fanned three in two innings for his fourth save.

Wednesday’s game:  at Tulsa (10-9) (LAD), 7:05 pm CT, Angel Rondon (3-1, 2.98)

Palm Beach 3 at Clearwater 7

Palm Beach (6-14) fell to the Threshers, 7-3, evening the road series at one game each with two on tap.

The home team scored in each of the first four innings and five of the first six, handing Edgar Gonzalez his 11^th loss in 15 decisions.  The right-hander permitted five runs on five hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings.  Gonzalez threw two wild pitches.

C J Saylor allowed all three inherited runners plus one of his own to touch home on two hits and a balk with four outs recorded.  Zach Prendergast struck out five in three frames, allowing a solo shot that was one of two hits and two free passes issued.  Edgar Escobar fanned the side in the eighth.

All three Beach Birds tallies occurred in the third on all four hits plus a wild pitch.  Nick Plummer and Wadye Infante singled back-to-back before a wild pitch brought Plummer across home plate.  Juan Yepez doubled in Infante then advanced to third on Nolan Gorman’s single.  A 5-3 ground out by Luken Baker scored Yepez for the final run.

Wednesday’s game:  at Clearwater (13-9) (PHI), 10:30 am ET, TBA

Peoria – Off

The Chiefs (3-15) are mired in a nine-game losing slump, including all five contests of their recent road trip.  Peoria’s upcoming six-game home stand features two Eastern Division rivals in Lansing and Great Lakes (LAD), the best of which has a .500 second-half record.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Lansing (9-9) (TOR), 6:35 pm CT, TBA

State College 7 vs. Batavia 5

The Spikes (14-11) rallied for a 7-5 win over the Muckdogs (15-9) (MIA), salvaging the third and final game of the home series and halting a three-game losing skid.

Down 5-2 with six outs to go, State College strung together five runs, two earned, with the scoring capped by Jonatan Machado’s three-run bomb.  The long ball scored Martin Figuera (fielder’s choice/error) and Brylie Ware (single).  Machado’s home run was his third hit in five at bats to go with two stolen bases, one of second and another of third.

Ware reached base four times, going 2-for-2 with two walks, a run scored and three driven in.  Andrew Warner also had two hits, singling and doubling in four at bats with a run scored.  The Spikes compiled 10 hits in all.

Connor Thomas tossed the initial 3 1/3 innings, permitting two runs on three hits.  Tandem mate Andrew Pallente recorded eight outs but surrendered a pair of two-run blasts that included Thomas’ last base runner.

Jack Ralston (W, 1-0) struck out four in two innings, issuing one free pass.  Leonardo Taveras faced the minimum in the ninth, fanning two, for his first save.

Wednesday’s game:  at Tri-City (9-14) (HOU), 7:00 pm ET, Scott Politz (1-1, 6.14)

Johnson City – off

Johnson City (11-8) embarks on a seven-game road trip against division rivals Bristol and Elizabethton (MIN), teams tied for second place in the West Division standings, a half game behind the JC-Cards.  While the Appy Birds have gone 4-6 on the road thus far, the Pirates hold that identical record at home.

Wednesday’s game:  at Bristol (11-9) (PIT), 6:30 pm ET, Dalton Roach (0-0, 7.71)

GCL Cardinals 6 at GCL Nationals 3

The Gulf Cardinals (4-9) overcame an early deficit to down the Nationals, 6-3, for their first back-to-back victories of the season.

Facing a 3-1 hole through six, the visitors flipped the script with four runs in the seventh and added another in the ninth.  The Gulf Birds used eight free passes to pad seven hits with six players each scoring once.

Catcher Joyser Garcia singled and doubled in four at bats, touching home once and driving in two.  While neither second baseman Pablo Gomez nor third baseman Francisco Hernandez garnered a hit, both worked two free passes, resulting in a run scored for Gomez and an RBI for Hernandez.  Shortstop Franklin Soto went 1-for-4 with a walk and a double, a run scored and one knocked in.

Thomas Hart picked up his first professional win in as many decisions by navigating around a hit and two walks in the sixth.  The 18-year-old was St. Louis’ 16^th-round selection in the June 2019 First-Year Player Draft.  Martin Cordova tossed the final three frames, permitting two hits and two walks, for his first save in his second season as a pro.

Both Hart and Cordova pitched in relief of Inohan Paniagua, who allowed three tallies in his first two frames before shutting down the Nationals (7-5) over three more innings.  The righty yielded five hits and two walks.

Wednesday’s game:  at GCL Mets (6-5), 12:00 pm ET, Francis Ventura (0-0, 5.87)

DSL Cardinals Blue 2 at DSL Phillies Red 1

A two-run first was just enough to lift the Cardinals Blue (20-9) back into first place with a 2-1 road victory over the Phillies Red (20-10).

Two of the C-Blue’s four total hits came that frame.  Darlin Moquete led off with a single, stole second and scored as Hansel Otamendi doubled to center.  Otamendi advanced a base when Gustavo A Rodriguez reached on a fielding error, putting Otamendi in position to cross home plate on a 6-3 ground out by Brandon Hernandez.  Otamendi added a single to his double in four at bats but was erased from the base paths via a caught stealing.

Gustavo J Rodriguez (W, 3-0) improved on his last start of six innings pitched with one run allowed by shutting down the South Division’s second place squad on two hits and no walks through six frames.  The righty fanned four with seven ground- and seven fly- ball outs but did plunk one.

William Miranda struck out three in two clean innings with two hits and a walk.  Victor Villanueva yielded a tally on a one-out double, wild pitch and ground out before recording his second save.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. DSL Twins (9-21), 10:30 am ET, Engels Martinez (1-2, 7.32)

DSL D-backs2 7 at DSL Cardinals Red 5

A career first for outfielder Diowill Burgos could not prevent the Cardinals Red (12-20) from a 7-5 home defeat to the D-backs2.

Player of the Day Burgos, who played both corner outfield positions in the contest, hit for the cycle during a perfect 4-for-4 performance.  The 18-year-old tripled for the second time in 2019 to go with his eighth double and eighth home run, a second-inning solo shot temporarily knotting the game at one all.  Burgos knocked in two for his club-leading 35^th and 36^th RBIs.

Second baseman Albert Inoa and shortstop Sander Mora had two hits apiece with one run scored. Inoa worked a base-on-balls with a triple and two knocked in.  On the down side, Inoa was unsuccessful in his only stolen base attempt and Mora committed a throwing error, his seventh miscue.

Edgar Manzo took the tough loss, his second against one win, yielding two runs, one earned, on three hits, three walks and two hit batsmen (same batter twice) over five innings.  Bryan Ramirez (1 IP) and Ramon Fernandez (1.2 IP) each yielded two runs on one and three hits, respectively, as both relievers issued two free passes.  Oliver Lopez was charged with a run on two hits and a base-on-balls in 1 1/3 frames.

Wednesday’s game:  at DSL D-backs2 (19-13), 10:30 am ET, Miguel Yedis (0-3, 7.85)

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photo: Tommy Parsons (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

St. Louis’ minors went 2-5 on Sunday with six of seven contests on the road.  Tommy Parsons’ seven scoreless innings keyed Springfield’s victory and Andres Luna’s two home runs boosted Palm Beach to the system’s other win.

Results from games played Sunday, July 7^th.

MLB All-Star Futures Game – National League 2 at American League 2 (eight innings)

In Sunday night’s Futures Game in Cleveland, the Cardinals were represented on the National League squad by starting right fielder Dylan Carlson of Springfield and reserve third baseman Nolan Gorman of Palm Beach. The pair are the organization’s no. 1 and no. 2 prospects according to The Cardinal Nation’s rankings.

In the fourth, Carlson plated a run with a single to left in his second at-bat and was removed for a pinch-runner. Gorman had just entered the game the batter before as a pinch-runner, but did not come around to score.  Concluding a tough nine-pitch at-bat with two runners on base in the sixth, Gorman fanned swinging in his only plate appearance of the evening.

Memphis 5 at Iowa 8

Starter Genesis Cabrera went just three plus innings in the Redbirds’ 8-5 loss in Des Moines.  Fourth- and last-place Memphis (36-54) lost three of the four-game set to the first-place Cubs, the team that leads them by 16 games in the American Northern Division standings.

Cabrera (L, 3-4) did not retire any of the five batters faced in the fourth, all of whom came around to score.  The lefty was charged with seven runs, five earned, on six hits and three walks, including a three-run long ball.

Both of the runners inherited by Seth Elledge touched home and were unearned due to shortstop Kramer Robertson’s throwing error.  Elledge ended the inning by picking off the runner at first.

Jesus Cruz issued more free passes (three) than outs recorded (two) but Hunter Cervenka secured a fly out to right, leaving the bases jammed.  Cervenka fanned the side in the sixth, working around consecutive two-out singles.  Chris Ellis and Chris Beck each tossed a frame and yielded two hits with the former walking one, giving up a tally and fanning three.

The only Redbird with more than one of the team’s six hits was red-hot Randy Arozarena, who singled twice in four at bats with one driven in.  Three of the runs were generated when Jose Martinez went yard in the second with Lane Thomas (single) and Irving Lopez (single) aboard.  It was the middle infielder’s first Triple-A hit and came in his third game since being promoted from Double-A Springfield.

Monday’s game:   Off for Triple-A All-Star Break

Springfield 4 at Arkansas 0

Tommy Parsons was impressive over seven innings as the S-Cards shut out the Travelers, 4-0, in the series finale.  Fourth-place Springfield (7-10) dropped the first three of the four-game series at first-place Arkansas (12-5) (SEA), whom they trail by five games in the North Division standings.

Co-Player of the Day Parsons (W, 3-2) tossed his best effort of five Double-A starts, limiting the opposition to just three hits while not issuing a free pass and striking out seven.  The tall right-hander threw 67 of his 97 pitches for strikes.  Mitchell Osnowitz completed the shutout by fanning three in two innings with two hits allowed.

Springfield’s 11-hit attack was spearheaded by Yariel Gonzalez and Lars Nootbaar, who both went 3-for-4. Gonzalez’s two-run bomb accounted for two of his four knocked in and Nootbaar crossed home three times.  Each player stole his first career Double-A bag.

Monday’s game:  at second-place Tulsa (9-8) (LAD), 7:05 pm CT, Evan Kruczynski (2-3, 6.84)

Palm Beach 12 at Fort Myers 2

The Cards exploded for 18 hits, flying past the Miracle, 12-2, to salvage the fourth and final game of the road series.  The victory snapped a four-game losing skid for sixth and last place Palm Beach (5-13), which has gone 2-8 over the last 10 games and already trail first-place Charlotte (TB) by nine games in the second-half standings.

While right fielder Andres Luna and shortstop Imeldo Diaz both went 4-for-5 with two runs scored, it was Luna, our co-Player of the Day, who did the most damage.  Three of the 21-year-old’s four hits went for extra bases, including a double and two home runs accounting for three of his six RBIs.

All nine in Palm Beach’s batting order garnered at least one hit and either scored or knocked in at least one run.  Cole Kreuter singled twice in four at bats while both Dennis Ortega and Juan Yepez went 2-for-6. Yepez doubled once with an RBI.

Making his first start of 2019 after 18 relief appearances for the Beach Birds, Ramon Santos was touched for two tallies on six hits in 3 1/3.  Perry DellaValle (W, 4-4) followed Santos to the mound and blanked fourth-place Fort Myers (9-11) on two hits and a walk over the final 5 2/3 frames.  The Seton Hill, PA product struck out five and stranded two inherited runners in his first bullpen outing in 17 Florida State League appearances.

Monday’s game:  at Clearwater (12-8) (PHI), 7:00 pm ET, TBA

Peoria 3 at Burlington 5

The Chiefs’ losing skid reached eight games with Sunday’s 5-3 loss at Burlington.  Peoria (3-14) has dropped the first two games of the series with one yet to play and are in eighth and last place in the second-half Western Division standings, nine games behind Kane County (ARI).

Peoria starter Michael Brettell allowed two runs over the first five innings. The Chiefs held a 3-2 lead after escaping a sixth-inning jam thanks to an unassisted double play by third baseman Josh Shaw.  Rodard Avelino (L, 0-1) remained in the game for the seventh and walked his first two batters. Both runners scored with Parker Kelly (BS, 1) on the mound, as Kelly issued a one-out walk, then allowed a two-run single and RBI double.  The righty went on to pitch a clean eighth.

Delvin Perez led the offense by going 3-for-4 with a triple, run scored and RBI.  Brandon Riley was one of four Chiefs with one hit each. The center fielder singled once in three at bats with a base-on-balls and run scored.

Monday’s game:  at sixth-place Burlington (6-11) (LAA), 6:30 pm CT, Franyel Casadilla (3-2, 4.61)

Batavia 3 at State College 2

The Spikes opened a three-game home series with a 3-2 loss to Batavia.  Three of second-place State College’s (13-10) six losses in the last 10 games have come against the division-leading Muckdogs, whom they trail by 1 ½ games in the Pinckney Division standings.

Enmanuel Solano took the loss, his third against one win, despite tossing a solid effort.  The righty permitted three runs, two earned, on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts in seven frames.  Fabian Blanco maneuvered around a hit and base-on-balls for two scoreless innings.

The only Spikes player with a multi-hit effort was shortstop Moises Castillo, who singled twice in four at bats, scored a run and swiped a base.  Catcher Carlos Soto reached base twice, going 1-for-3 with a free pass and scored his squad’s other tally.

Monday’s game:  vs. Batavia (14-8) (MIA), 7:05 pm ET, Jacob Schlesener (1-1, 3.13)

Johnson City 3 at Elizabethton 7

The JC-Cards kicked off a brief two-game away-and-home series versus the Twins with a 7-3 loss, their third consecutive defeat.  Johnson City (10-8) drops a half of a game in back of both Bristol (PIT) and Elizabethton (MIN), teams in the midst of five- and four-game winning streaks, respectively.

Three of the four runs given up by Francisco Justo (L, 2-1) in his five-inning stint came in the first with two of the three generated by a home run.  The 12^th-round selection in the June 2018 First-Year Player Draft surrendered a solo shot in the third and allowed four hits and a walk in total.  Justo hit one batter.

Enrique Perez began the sixth but could not finish it, yielding three tallies on two hits and three walks.  Long man Wilfredo Pereira retired all seven batters faced, starting with leaving three inherited runners aboard.

The Appy Birds outhit their hosts, nine to six, but went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base.  Chandler Redmond went 3-for-4 with a double, run scored, RBI and stolen base while Terry Fuller singled twice in five at bats.

Monday’s game:  vs. co-leaders Elizabethton (11-8) (MIN), 6:30 pm ET, Julio Puello (1-1, 5.74)

GCL Cardinals 3 at GCL Astros 6

The Gulf Birds fell on the road, losing 6-3 to the GCL Astros (6-6).  The rookie-level Cardinals (2-9) are in fifth and last place in the East Division standings, five games behind the Marlins and Nationals.

Luis Ortiz (L, 0-3) yielded six hits and three walks in four frames, resulting in four tallies, including a solo shot.  The righty plunked one.  Hector Soto matched Ortiz’ four strikeouts over four innings, permitting two runs on two hits and two hit batsmen.

All three of the visitors’ runs came in the first.  Luis Montano opened with a base-on-balls, advancing to second via Franklin Soto’s line drive single up the middle.  A single to left with one gone by William Jimenez drove in Montano, setting the table for Yowelfy Rosario’s two-run triple to center.

The team worked five more free passes but only two more hits the rest of the way.  Soto was the only Gulf Bird with a multi-hit effort, singling twice in four at bats.

Monday’s game:   vs. co-leader GCL Marlins (7-4), 12:00 pm ET, Ludwin Jimenez (0-2, 11.05)

DSL Cardinals Blue – off

The Dominican Summer League does not play on Sundays.  The second-place Cardinals Blue (19-8) trail the Phillies Red by a half of a game in the South Division standings at the week’s start.

Monday’s game:  vs. third-place DSL Mets1 (16-12), 10:30 am ET, Reinys Portillo (2-1, 1.73)

DSL Cardinals Red – off

The Cardinals Red (12-19) begin the week in seventh place in the eight-team San Pedro Division, eight games behind the Cubs2.

Monday’s game:  at eighth-place DSL Tigers1, 10:30 am ET, Diorys Guerrero (0-1, 4.82)

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Gulf Coast League Cardinals Notebook – 2019 Week 2

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photo: Jhon Torres (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

St. Louis’ minors went 3-6 in a tough holiday schedule featuring only one contest at home. Player of the Day Jhon Torres’ two-home run night powered Johnson City’s win and pitcher Hancel Rincon had a noteworthy effort for the Cardinals Red.  But Memphis fell despite Justin Williams’ two-bomb performance and Alex Fagalde’s strong start could not keep Springfield from losing.

Results from games played Thursday, July 4^th.

Memphis 4 at Iowa 5

Memphis (35-52) snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on Thursday with a 5-4 walk-off road loss at Iowa in the series opener.

Chris Beck (L, 0-6) (BS, 1) began the ninth charged with finishing off a 4-3 lead but could not work around throwing errors by second baseman Irving Lopez and catcher Andrew Knizner.  The tying run scored via a fielder’s choice with the final tally crossing on an RBI single after a steal of second.

Mike Hauschild went the initial five frames, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks.  Hunter Cervenka worked around two hits in two innings before Jesus Cruz tossed a one-two-three eighth.

Justin Williams provided all of his team’s run production, going yard twice with a runner aboard, in a 2-for-3 performance.  John Nogowski was aboard for one of those home runs, as the first baseman singled twice in four at bats.  Two Redbirds had one hit each.

Friday’s game:  at Iowa (50-37) (CHC), 7:08 pm CT, Austin Warner (0-0, 7.50)

Springfield 0 at Arkansas 2

With a chance to pull to .500 in the second half, instead Springfield’s (6-8) offense managed just two hits in their 2-0 road loss to the Travelers.

Alex Fagalde took the tough loss, his first against one Double-A win, despite a strong mound effort.  The right-hander gave up single tallies in the first two of his six-inning stint, only one of which was earned due to a fielding error by first baseman Zach Kirtley.  Fagalde permitted just three hits and a free pass while fanning four.  Connor Jones worked around a hit and walk for two scoreless frames.

Johan Mieses and Rayder Ascanio both singled in three at bats, with Mieses also working one of the team’s three walks.

Friday’s game:  at Arkansas (10-4) (SEA), 7:10 pm CT, Angel Rondon (3-0, 3.18)

Palm Beach at Fort Myers – postponed   

Game 1 of four between Palm Beach (4-10) and Fort Myers was rained out.  The contest has been rescheduled as part of a July 5^th double-header at CenturyLink Sports Complex, home of the Miracle.

Friday’s games:  at Fort Myers (6-10) (MIN).  Game 1 – 5:30 pm ET, Griffin Roberts (0-3, 6.91)/TBA

Peoria 2 at Clinton 6

Peoria (3-11) fell to the LumberKings, 6-2, in the first of a brief two-game road series.  The Chiefs’ losing skid is now five.

Michael Baird took the loss in his first start since being promoted from short-season-A State College.  The right-hander yielded two tallies on five hits with six strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.

Also up from the Spikes, Rodard Avelino stranded Baird’s final runner before giving up four runs on a hit and three walks with four outs recorded.  Thomas St. Clair permitted a hit and base-on-balls over the last three frames.

The offense was held totally in check until pushing across two in the ninth, preventing a shutout.  Ivan Herrera and Brandon Riley both went 2-for-4, with Herrera scoring and Riley doubling and tripling with two RBIs.

Friday’s game:  at Clinton (9-5) (MIA), 6:30 pm CT, Kyle Leahy (4-5, 2.64)

State College 7 at Mahoning Valley 1

State College (12-8) kicked off a three-game road series at Mahoning Valley with a 7-1 victory, giving the Spikes sole possession of second place over the Scrappers.

Donivan Williams generated a big four-hit night in five at bats with a run scored and two driven in.  Jonatan Machado and Moises Castillo contributed three hits apiece to the team’s 14-hit effort while scoring two runs each.  One of Matt Duce’s two hits was a solo shot.

Andre Pallante limited Mahoning Valley two hits in three innings before exiting after walking the lead-off batter in the home fourth.  That runner came around to score with Connor Thomas on the mound.  Thomas (W, 2-0) struck out six in 3 2/3 frames before giving way to Junior Gonzalez, who tossed 2 /3 innings of shutout ball.

Friday’s game:  at Mahoning Valley (11-9) (CLE), 7:05 pm ET, Scott Politz (0-1, 6.52)

Johnson City 14 at Bluefield 3

13 runs against the Blue Jays’ bullpen powered the JC-Cardinals (10-5) to a 14-3 thumping of Bluefield in the road series opener.

The Appy Birds mustered just one tally on five hits through the first 5 2/3 frames but exploded for another 11 hits subsequently.  Eight of nine starters either had a hit or scored at least once, beginning with Jhon Torres and Victor Garcia, who had three hits apiece.  All of Torres’ hits went for extra bases, including a double and two home runs accounting for two of his four runs scored and all three of his RBIs.  Garcia crossed home once on three singles in five at bats.

Four JC-Cards had two hits each:  Todd Loft, Chandler Redmond, Liam Sabino and Diomedes Del Rio.  All four scored at least once with Del Rio touching home three times.  Redmond, Sabino and Del Rio all knocked in two.

In his first start after coming out of the bullpen twice, Jake Sommers held the opposition to a run on five hits over four frames.  The 10^th-round selection in the June 2019 First-Year Player Draft handed over a 1-1 tie to Will Guay but the latter permitted two runs on four hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings, putting his team at a 3-1 disadvantage after six.

John Witkowski picked up the win in his professional debut, issuing one free pass against three retired and leaving Guay’s last two runners aboard.  Walker Robbins shut down Bluefield on two hits and a base-on-balls over 2 1/3 for his second save.

Friday’s game:  at Bluefield (8-8) (TOR), 6:30 pm ET, Jose Moreno (1-1, 9.28)

GCL Nationals 10 at GCL Cardinals 6 (7) – Game 1
GCL Cardinals 8 at GCL Nationals 9 (9) – Game 2

The Gulf Birds (1-8) came out on the wrong end of a double-header sweep by the GCL Nationals, losing the opener 10-6 and the finale 9-8.

In the opener, Inohan Paniagua took the complete game loss, his first in two decisions.  The 19-year-old surrendered 14 hits and two walks with six hit batters, resulting in 10 tallies, nine earned.

The home team banged out 11 hits, paced by first baseman Freddy De Jesus, who went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI.  Three Gulf Cardinals had two hits each:  catcher Cristhian Longa, designated hitter Zade Richardson and left fielder Joerlin De Los Santos.  Longa doubled twice with three RBIs and De Los Santos touched home once.

Game 2, which made up the contest originally scheduled on June 29^th at the GCL Nationals (5-2), ended in a walk-off loss for the Gulf Birds.  Francis Ventura went the first six frames, giving up six runs, four earned, on 10 hits and two walks.  This was the right-hander’s first start since being re-assigned from short-season A State College.

Ventura turned over a 6-6 tie to Roy Garcia (L, 0-1), who pitched a scoreless seventh before the extra-innings’ rules regarding baserunners took effect.  The GCL Cardinals went up 7-6 the next inning but the righty allowed an unearned run of his own, sending the game into the ninth.  Again, the Cardinals scored a run for an 8-7 lead with three outs to go.  But Garcia issued a free pass and ground-rule double, scoring the base runner who began the frame at second.  A wild pitch brought in the winning run.

Right fielder Luis Montano accumulated three of his team’s 10 hits, going 3-for-5 with two doubles, a run scored and two driven in.  Center fielder William Jimenez and second baseman Ramon Mendoza had two hits apiece, with one of Jimenez’ hits a three-run bomb, his second of 2019.  Mendoza contributed as well, walking once, touching home twice and knocking in one.

Friday’s game:  vs. GCL Mets (5-3) (NYM), 12:00 pm ET, TBA

DSL Angels 8 at DSL Cardinals Blue 2

Four tallies in the last two frames broke open a competitive game as the Cardinals Blue (17-8) dropped an 8-2 decision to the Angels (10-16).

Starter Engels Martinez took the loss, his second against one win, permitting four runs, three earned, on six hits and a walk over a career-high 5 1/3 frames.  Ronald Suarez recorded five outs, walking one and stranding two of three inherited runners.

Juan Peralta retired one batter in the eighth, allowing two runs, one earned, on a triple and single.  Peralta’s final run scored with Benjamin Arias on the mound.  Arias gave up two runs of his own on five hits over 1 2/3 innings.

The offense generated six hits with two each by catcher Jose Zapata and third baseman Erik Pena.  Zapata singled and doubled in four at bats with an RBI and Pena went 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored.  Defensively, the visitors matched their hosts’ four errors.

Friday’s game:  at DSL Yankees (13-13) (NYY), 10:30 am ET, Yordy Richard (0-0, 9.22)

DSL Cardinals Red 7 at DSL Brewers 3

The C-Red (12-17) scored in six different innings to back Hancel Rincon’s impressive effort in their 7-3 victory over the Brewers.

Second baseman Albert Inoa led the 11-hit attack, going 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI out of the lead-off slot.  Shortstop Sander Mora singled twice in four at bats with a base-on-balls, touched home twice and drove in one.  Six Cardinals Red players garnered one hit with designated hitter Diowill Burgos’ double the only one to go for extra bases.

The majority of the mound duties were shared by tandem starters Yonael Dominguez and Rincon.  Dominguez struck out six in three frames and yielded three runs on four hits and three free passes.

Rincon (W, 1-1) tossed the next five innings and gave up a single to his first batter then turned back the next fifteen straight.  The 17-year-old induced eight ground- to one fly- ball outs with two strikeouts.  Hector De Los Santos allowed a hit in the ninth.

Friday’s game:  vs. DSL Brewers (15-13) (MIL), 10:30 am ET, Angel Cuenca (2-0, 0.67)

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Springfield Cardinals Notebook – 2019 Week 13

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photo: Randy Arozarena (Memphis Redbirds)

On a 3-3 Sunday across the St. Louis Cardinals system, co-Player of the Day Randy Arozarena and his four hits led Memphis to a rare home win and Springfield’s Angel Rondon pitched a dominating one-hitter with 10 strikeouts over seven innings in his Double-A return.

Results from games played Sunday, June 30^th.

Memphis 10 vs. New Orleans 6

The Redbirds rallied for a 10-6 win over the Baby Cakes, snapping a five-game losing skid and evening the series at one game apiece with three on tap. Memphis (34-49) has now won three of its last 23 home contests.

Down 6-3 at the seventh’s midpoint, Memphis put up a five spot in the bottom of the frame.   The scoring was capped by a two-run eighth via Randy Arozarena’s third Triple-A bomb of 2019.

Arozarena, our co-Player of the Day, paced the Redbirds’ 15-hit onslaught, going 4-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored and two knocked in.  Kramer Robertson and John Nogowski had three hits apiece. Robertson doubled twice in four at bats, touching home once and driving in two while Nogowski went 3-for-5 with a double, run scored and two RBIs.

Chris Ellis (W, 3-3) was the pitcher of record when his team launched its comeback. The righty surrendered a solo shot during his two-inning stint.  Chris Beck faced the minimum in the ninth.

Both hurlers pitched in relief of Austin Warner, who was homer-prone during his six innings on the bump.  Four of the five runs charged to the southpaw resulted from three home runs, three of the six hits and three walks he yielded in his 2019 Memphis debut.

Monday’s game:  vs. New Orleans (45-38) (MIA), 6:35 pm CT, Harold Arauz (3-1, 6.69)

Springfield 3 vs. Northwest Arkansas 1

Angel Rondon’s dominating mound effort led Springfield (4-6) to a 3-1 victory over Northwest Arkansas and a three-games-to-one series win.

Co-Player of the Day Rondon (W, 3-0) struck out 10 in seven-plus innings, limiting the Naturals (4-5) to a hit and three walks.  The only blemish was an unearned fourth-inning run due to a fielding error by shortstop Jose Martinez and catcher Jose Godoy’s throwing error on a subsequent steal.  Rondon threw 97 pitches, 57 for strikes.

Bryan Dobzanski entered after Rondon issued a free pass to begin the eighth and got the job done.  The righty induced a 6-4-3 double play before retiring his final batter on a grounder to short.  Roel Ramirez used three K’s to work around two hits for his first Double-A and organizational save.

Monday’s game: vs. Tulsa (6-4) (LAD), 6:30 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (1-4, 6.84)

Palm Beach vs. Charlotte – suspended

The finale of the three-game home series between Palm Beach (3-8) and Charlotte (8-3) was suspended due to rain after the third inning with the score 1-1.  The contest will resume on Friday, August 2^nd when the Cardinals travel to Charlotte Sports Park.   Palm Beach dropped the first two games of the series to the Stone Crabs.

Monday’s game:  vs. Lakeland (5-8) (DET), 6:30 pm ET, Perry DellaValle (3-3, 2.65)

Burlington 3 at Peoria 2 (5)

The Chiefs dropped a 3-2 decision to the Bees in a game called after five innings due to rain.  The loss evens the series at one game apiece with one on tap.

Kyle Leahy (L, 4-5) struck out six in five innings but gave up three runs, two earned, on five hits and two free passes.

Neither of the runs scored by Peoria (3-7) were earned due to four errors by Burlington, compared to one for the Chiefs.  The team matched their guests’ five hits with Andres Luna going 2-for-2 with two RBI in his second game since his promotion from State College.  Brady Whalen reached base twice, singling once in one at bat with a walk and run scored.

Monday’s game:  vs. Burlington (3-7) (LAA), 6:35 pm CT, Colin Schmid (3-2, 5.08)

Auburn 7 at State College 2

The Spikes fell to the Doubledays, 7-2, in the rubber game of the three-game home series on Sunday.  State College (10-6) leads second-place Batavia by a half of a game in the Pinckney Division standings.

Scott Politz absorbed his first professional loss in as many decisions, yielding four scores on six hits and a base-on-balls in 3 2/3 innings.  Rodard Avelino issued more free passes (four) than he recorded outs (two) but left Politz’ last runner on base.

Hector Villalobos negated any potential damage by Avelino in stranding the bases full in the fourth. He went on to toss 3 1/3 innings while giving up two hits and one unearned run resulting from one of his team’s three defensive lapses.  That run scored under Junior Gonzalez’ watch, as the righty permitted two runs of his own on two hits and a walk with four outs recorded.

Three Spikes each had two of the team’s nine hits:  Jonatan Machado, Matt Duce and Donivan Williams.  Unfortunately, they represented the one, four and six hitters in the lineup, so minimal results ensued.  Duce singled twice in four at bats with a run scored and RBI, the only one of the three generating results on the scoreboard.

Monday’s game:  at second-place Batavia (9-6) (MIA), 7:05 pm ET, Adrian Mardueno (1-0, 0.00)

Johnson City 6 vs. Kingsport 2

The JC-Cards swept the Mets right out of town with a 6-2 victory.  The three-game sweep vaulted Johnson City (7-4) to the top of the West Division standings, a half of a game ahead of Elizabethton (MIN).

The offense was triggered by first baseman Liam Sabino and third baseman Chandler Redmond. Sabino went yard with Redmond (walk) aboard for their squad’s fifth and sixth tallies.  Sabino and right fielder Terry Fuller each had two hits.  Sabino added a single in four at bats with a run scored and three RBIs while Fuller went 2-for-3 with a walk and one driven in.  Redmond had the most productive night at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a base-on-balls, two runs scored and two knocked in.

Jose Moreno (W, 1-1) tossed five solid frames, holding Kingsport (6-6) to two runs on five hits and a free pass.  Michael YaSenka shut down the opposition on a hit and walk over three innings while plunking one batter.  Walker Robbins pitched a clean ninth.

Monday’s game:  vs. fourth-place Greeneville (5-7) (CIN), 6:30 pm ET, Francisco Justo (1-0, 0.79)

GCL Cardinals 2 at GCL Mets 10

The Gulf Cardinals (1-4) had more errors than hits in their 10-2 defeat by the GCL Mets (3-2).

The team’s five miscues resulted in three unearned tallies, all charged to starter Nathanael Heredia (L, 0-1).  Making his first Gulf Coast League start since being reassigned from short-season A State College, the southpaw battled control issues with five walks, a wild pitch, hit batsman plus three hits, resulting in five runs, two earned, over three innings.

Memphis rehabber Kevin Herget yielded a pair of tallies of his own in the fourth, his second rehab appearance, via a double and long ball.  Anthony Green, Wilman Madera and Thomas Hart all gave up one run during their time on the mound before Anthony Trompiz blanked the opposition over the final 1 1/3, striking out three and stranding two inherited runners.

The visitors managed just four hits, one by Treyjan Fletcher, who reached base twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk, double and RBI.  The center fielder has hit safely in each of his first four games as a professional.

Monday’s game: vs. GCL Astros (0-4), 12:00 pm ET, Luis Ortiz (0-1, 1.80)

DSL Cardinals Blue – off

The Dominican Summer League does not schedule games on Sundays.

Monday’s game:  DSL Cardinals Blue (15-7) vs. DSL Rockies (12-11), 10:30 am ET, Reinys Portillo (2-1, 1.80)

DSL Cardinals Red – off       

Monday’s game:   DSL Cardinals Red (9-16) at DSL Mets2 (12-13), 10:30 am ET, Diorys Guerrero (0-1, 4.96)

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Gulf Coast League Cardinals Notebook – 2019 Week 1

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photo: Enmanuel Solano (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

On a bumpy Thursday across the St. Louis Cardinals system, Player of the Day Enmanuel Solano tossed six innings of one-run ball in State College’s win. The Gulf Coast Cards logged the only other victory to go with seven defeats.

Results from games played Thursday, June 27^th.

Nashville 3 at Memphis 2

The Redbirds transformed 11 hits into only two tallies in their 3-2 defeat by the Sounds.  Memphis (33-47) has lost the first three games of the home series with one yet to play.

One of those hits was a solo blast by Tyler O’Neill who went 2-for-4.  Max Schrock and Kramer Robertson both had two hits. Schrock singled twice in four at bats and Robertson went 2-for-3 with a double.  John Nogowski reached base twice, singling once in three at bats with a walk and run scored.

Genesis Cabrera held Nashville to a single score on four hits with four strikeouts over five innings.  The lefty handed a 2-1 lead over to Chris Ellis (L, 2-3) (BS, 3) but the latter yielded two runs on a hit, two walks plus a hit batsman in his inning on the bump.  Chris Beck, Seth Elledge and Tommy Layne each pitched an inning.

Friday’s game:  vs. Nashville (34-45) (TEX), 7:05 pm CT, Jake Woodford (5-3, 3.39)

Northwest Arkansas 6 at Springfield 2

On Thursday, Springfield (1-6) absorbed a 6-2 loss to Northwest Arkansas at Hammons Field.

Tommy Parsons (L, 1-2) fanned nine over seven frames while permitting three runs on six hits with no free passes issued.  Two of the three tallies were generated by solo home runs.

It took both Jacob Patterson and Kodi Whitley to navigate the eighth. Patterson gave up two runs, one earned, on a hit and plunked batter while Whitley was charged with an unearned tally on two hits and an intentional walk with two outs recorded.  Bryan Dobzanski allowed a hit in the ninth.

Five S-Cards each had one of the team’s five hits with Justin Toerner scoring both tallies.  The left fielder went 1-for-3 with a base-on-balls, solo bomb, touched home twice and struck out twice.  Yariel Gonzalez was hitless in three at bats but drove in Toerner on a sac fly.

Friday’s game:  vs. Northwest Arkansas (4-2) (KC), 7:10 pm CT, Evan Kruczynski (2-3, 6.64)

Palm Beach 2 at Florida 5

A three-run eighth against the PB-Cards pen left them with a 5-2 loss to the Fire Frogs (3-7).  Palm Beach (3-6) won the road series, two games to one.

C.J. Saylor took his third loss in five decisions after allowing three runs on three hits, a walk and balk.  The only mark against starter Diego Cordero over five frames was a two-run long ball comprising one of the seven hits and two walks given up.  The righty also picked a runner off first.  Ramon Santos bridged the gap between Cordero and Saylor with two innings of two-hit ball.

The Beach Birds were held to five hits and both of their runs were unearned, thanks to three Florida bobbles.  Chase Pinder reached base three times, doubling twice in three at bats with a walk and run scored.

Friday’s game:  vs. Charlotte (7-3) (TB), 6:30 pm ET, TBA

Peoria 5 at Clinton 9

Starter Michael Brettell dug an unsurmountable hole, lead to Peoria’s 9-5 loss at Clinton.  Peoria (2-5) has dropped the first three of the four-game set.

Brettell (L, 2-5) surrendered runs in each of the first four frames of his five-inning stint.  The 21-year-old was tagged for 11 hits and a base-on-balls, resulting in nine tallies, seven earned.

Sebastian Tabata struck out three in two innings and issued two free passes.  Freddy Pacheco also walked two in the eighth.

Peoria generated 13 hits, led by right fielder Wadye Infante, who went 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Leandro Cedeno and Delvin Perez each singled twice in four at bats with an RBI. Cedeno scored once and Perez worked a free pass.  Juan Yepez went 2-for-5 with a double and run scored.

Infante was credited with an assist at third and the infield turned two double plays.  Catcher Ivan Herrera committed two errors, one throwing and the other catcher interference.

Friday’s game:  at Clinton (4-3) (MIA), 6:30 pm CT, Franyel Casadilla (3-1, 3.43)

State College 3 vs. Mahoning Valley 1

Enmanuel Solano’s six strong frames led the Spikes to a 3-1 home victory over the Scrappers.  The victory completes a three-game sweep of Mahoning Valley (7-6) and vaults State College (9-4) to the top of the Pinckney Division, a half-game ahead of Batavia (MIA).

Solano (W, 1-1) held the opposition to a run on three hits and two walks but also hit two batters.  The righty struck out five and threw 54 of his 89 pitches for strikes.  Eli Kraus gave up two hits in two innings before Logan Gragg worked around a hit and free pass for his first professional save.

The Spikes’ six hits were split among four players:  Stanley Espinal, Matt Duce, Dariel Gomez and Carlos Soto.  Espinal reached base in all four of his plate appearances, going 2-for-2 with two walks, scored a run and knocked in one.  Duce singled and doubled in four at bats with one driven in while Gomez’ only hit in two at bats was a solo blast, his third home run of 2019.

Friday’s game:  vs. fifth-place Auburn (5-7) (WSH), 7:05 pm ET, Jacob Schlesener (0-1, 6.10)

Johnson City 0 at Greeneville 10

The third-place JC-Cards (4-4) absorbed a 10-0 pounding at second-place Greeneville (5-4) in the decisive third game of the series.

Julio Puello (L, 0-1) surrendered six runs on 10 hits and a walk over five innings, including two home runs accounting for five tallies.  Alex Gallegos tossed a clean sixth but Wilberto Rivera permitted four runs, on earned, on three hits – including a two-run home run – plus his own throwing error, the next frame.  Cameron Dulle gave up a hit in the eighth.

Johnson City mustered just two hits, both singles, and did not work a free pass.

Friday’s game:  vs. first-place Kingsport (6-3) (NYM), 6:30 pm ET, Dalton Roach (0-0, 17.18)

GCL Cardinals 3 at GCL Astros 2

Home runs by Patrick Romeri (his first career blast) and Pablo Gomez led the Gulf Birds (1-2) past the Astros, 3-2.

The solo shots were part of a three-run second in which the team banged out four of their seven total hits.  The final tally came when Franklin Soto singled home Cole Kreuter after the designated hitter doubled to center with two gone.  No Cardinals player had more than one hit.

Memphis’ Kevin Herget began his rehab assignment by striking out three in two innings with a hit allowed.  The right-hander threw 13 pitches, all of them strikes.

Re-assigned from State College, Inohan Paniagua (W, 1-0) replaced Herget in the third and struck out seven Astros (0-4) in six innings.  The 19-year-old permitted two runs on three hits and two walks before giving way to Roy Garcia, who tiptoed around two hits for his first save.

Friday’s game:  vs. GCL Marlins (3-0), 12:00 pm ET, TBA

DSL Cardinals Blue 6 at DSL Mets1 7 (10)

The Cardinals Blue (13-7) tied it in the ninth only to be dealt a 7-6 walk-off loss to the Mets1 in 10.

Eduar Pimentel (L, 0-1) yielded the unearned tally in his only inning on the mound, coming on a sac bunt and two-out single.  Starter Yordy Richard allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits, three walks and a hit batsman over 4 1/3 innings.

Richard’s final run scored under Nelson Prada’s watch. The southpaw allowed six hits and a base-on-balls resulting in four tallies with four outs recorded.  Cristoffer Zapata retired his only batter, stranding an inherited runner before Luis Tena fanned three in 2 2/3 innings.

The C-Blue garnered six hits with Darlin Moquette, Darlyn Del Villar and Diego Velasquez having two hits apiece.  Moquette went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, accounting for three tallies while Del Villar singled twice in four at bats with a walk and one knocked in.  Velasquez went 2-for-4, touching home once and driving in one out of the nine spot.

Friday’s game:  vs. DSL Yankees (11-9), 10:30 am ET, Wilmer Ortega (0-0, 3.65)

DSL Cardinals Red 0 at DSL Cubs2 2

The Cardinals Red (8-15) were shut out by the Cubs2, 2-0, their fourth defeat in a row.

Making his first start after five relief appearances divided between the Blue and Red squads, Hansel Rincon allowed a run in the first of his four innings on the bump. That was enough to leave him with his first loss in his initial decision.  Two of the three hits permitted by Rincon occurred that inning.  The 17-year-old struck out four and did not issue a free pass.

Yonael Dominquez held his opponents to a hit over the next three frames while fanning three.  Miguel Maiz struck out three in the eighth but surrendered a long ball as well.

The C-Red matched their hosts’ five hits but were unable to generate any results.  Center fielder Smith Vargas singled twice in four at bats while leading off.

Friday’s game:  vs. DSL Cubs2 (15-7), 10:30 am ET, Angel Cuenca (2-0, 0.00)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Placing Cardinals 2019 Draftees Among the System’s Top 50 Prospects

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photo: Kyle Leahy (Allison Rhoades/Peoria Chiefs)

On the 4-4 Tuesday across the St. Louis Cardinals system, Player of the Day Kyle Leahy had a dominant six-inning scoreless start with 10 strikeouts for Peoria, but his pen couldn’t hold the lead. State College and Johnson City won behind double-digit scoring.

Results from games played Tuesday, June 25^th.

Nashville 10 at Memphis 4

The Redbirds began a nine-game homestand with a 10-4 loss to Nashville.

Starter Anthony Shew lasted just two frames, giving up three runs on five hits including a two-run home run and left with what appeared to be an injury. The five-run third off Seth Elledge in his Triple-A debut broke a 3-3 tie.  Elledge permitted six hits and two base-on-balls with two outs recorded.

Also in his first game with the Redbirds, Junior Fernandez fanned five over 3 1/3 frames with two hits yielded.  Chris Beck tossed two shutout frames before Tommy Layne was charged with two unearned tallies in the ninth.

Memphis (33-45) managed 10 hits with designated hitter Adolis Garcia going 3-for-4 with a stolen base while batting fifth.  Edmundo Sosa and Irving Lopez posted identical marks, each going 2-for-4 with a walk and solo bomb.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Nashville (32-45) (TEX), 6:35 pm CT, Harold Arauz (3-1, 5.58)

Springfield – off

The 2019 Texas League All-Star Game took place Tuesday evening at ONEOK Field, home of the Tulsa Drillers (LAD) with the South squad prevailing over the North, 5-1.

Dylan Carlson started in center for the North team and singled once with a stolen base in four at bats with two strikeouts and two left on base.  Carlson eventually played all three outfield positions after participating in the Home Run Derby.

Springfield’s only pitching representative was Austin Warner who inherited a scoreless contest to begin the third.   The southpaw fanned the South’s number nine hitter before giving up a groundball single to second.  Warner finished his inning with two fly outs, to right and center, respectively.

Wednesday’s game:   Off

Palm Beach 4 at Florida 2

Palm Beach (2-5) made an early lead hold up at they topped the Fire Frogs, 4-2, in the road series opener.

The visitors struck in the first when Scott Hurst went yard with Lars Nootbaar (single) aboard.  The second featured a lead-off home run by Nolan Gorman, his initial class A-Advanced bomb.  Dennis Ortega followed with an infield single and eventually scored on Nootbaar’s double with two gone.

The Beach Birds mustered six hits in all with Hurst and Nootbaar both going 2-for-4.  Defensively, Gorman committed a fielding miscue at third, his first Florida State League error.

In his Palm Beach return, Angel Rondon (W, 5-1) produced a solid effort, holding Florida to two runs on seven hits and a walk in 5 1/3.  Patrick Dayton retired eight batters, stranding two inherited runners, before C.J. Saylor tossed a one-two-three ninth with two strikeouts for his first save.

Wednesday’s game:  at Florida (2-6) (ATL), 6:00 pm ET, Perry DellaValle (2-3, 2.71)

Clinton 4, Peoria 2

Player of the Day Kyle Leahy’s 10-strikeout performance was not enough as Peoria (2-3) was clipped at Clinton, 4-2, in the first of four games between the two teams.

Leahy, our Player of the Day, was outstanding over six innings, limiting the opposition to two hits and a hit batsman while fanning 10.  The right-hander’s only trouble occurred in the fifth after a lead-off single followed by second baseman Brendan Donovan’s fielding error put two on with none out.  But Leahy sandwiched a 4-3 groundball out between two swinging K’s to escape the jam.

The scoreless game was finally broken in the visitor’s half of the seventh.  Donovan led off with a single and scored via Juan Yepez’ sixth double of the season.  Yepez raced home after Bryce Denton tripled to center, putting Leahy in line for the apparent victory.

After tossing a clean seventh, Cole Aker was not able to duplicate his feat the next inning.  Aker (L, 0-3) (BS,1) was charged with three runs on three hits In 1 1/3, his last runner soring under Evan Sisk’s watch after the latter surrendered a two-run bomb.

Offensively, Donovan and Brandon Riley each had two of the team’s seven hits.

Wednesday’s game:  at Clinton (2-3) (MIA), 6:30 pm CT, Colin Schmid (3-2, 4.46)

State College 13 vs. Mahoning Valley 9

A huge late rally propelled State College (7-4) past the Scrappers, 13-9, in the home series opener.  The win lifts the Spikes into a second-place tie with Mahoning Valley, both teams a half game behind Batavia (MIA).

Offense was plentiful in the high octane affair, the two squads combining for 27 hits.  The Spikes trailed 9-7 heading into the bottom of the eighth but exploded for six tallies to flip the score to 13-9.

Eight of nine Spikes garnered at least one of the team’s 15 hits, led by center fielder Jonatan Machado and right fielder Stanley Espinal, who both went 3-for-4.  Machado added a walk and run scored but Espinal was even more productive, finishing a home run shy of the cycle with a base-on-balls, touched home three times and drove in two.

Designated hitter Pedro Pages, St. Louis’ sixth round pick in the June 2019 First-Year Player Draft, continued his hot hitting, singling twice in three at bats with two walks, two runs scored and two RBIs.  Pages, who is now hitting .583, was joined in the two-hit column by left fielder Andres Luna and third baseman Brylie Ware.

Spikes’ hurlers had a tough time recording outs, as their first three pitchers each gave up three runs.  Starter Jeremy Randolph lasted just two innings, yielding three hits and four free passes.  Scott Politz went four frames, allowing three hits and two walks, including a three-run long ball.

Connor Thomas (W, 1-0) permitted five hits during his two innings on the bump and was the pitcher of record when his teammates mounted their comeback.  Fabian Blanco, the sole State College pitcher not scored upon, struck out two in the ninth.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Mahoning Valley (7-4) (CLE), 7:05 pm ET, Michael Baird (2-0, 0.00)

Johnson City 14 at Greeneville 6

Johnson City (4-2) kicked off a three-game road series with a 14-6 pasting of the Reds.

The Appy Birds exploded for 18 hits with three players collecting three hits each – designated hitter Zach Jackson, first baseman Todd Lott and catcher Brandon Purcell.  Jackson and Lott both went 3-for-5 with a double and three runs scored, with Jackson adding a triple and RBI, while Purcell drove in three on a 3-for-4 effort that included a double.

Five of the visitors’ tallies were generated by three long balls, one each by third baseman Chandler Redmond, left fielder David Vinsky and second baseman Liam Sabino.  Redmond’s and Vinsky’s bombs came with one aboard.

18-year-old Jose Moreno recorded just three outs, surrendering six runs on five hits and two walks in one plus innings.  Three of the six tallies were generated by one home run.

Enrique Perez and Tyler Peck each tossed a clean frame, Perez leaving Moreno’s final runner aboard.  Jake Sommers (W, 1-0) retired all six batters faced, striking out three while Saniel Santana worked around three hits for 2 2/3 scoreless innings.  Leonardo Taveras fanned all four batters faced, stranding an inherited runner.

Wednesday’s game:  at Greeneville (3-4) (CIN), 6:30 pm ET, Francisco Justo (1-0, 1.80)

GCL Mets 11 at GCL Cardinals 8

A six-run third inning proved an insurmountable obstacle as the Gulf Birds (0-2) were clipped by the Mets, 11-8.

Ludwin Jimenez (L, 0-1), making his first start since being promoted from the DSL Cardinals Red, lasted just 2 1/3 innings.  The 17-year-old permitted seven tallies on seven hits, two walks, two wild pitches and a plunked batter.

Both runs charged to Hector Soto during his 2 2/3-inning stint were produced by a home run, one of two hits yielded to go with a wild pitch and four strikeouts.  The righty stranded an inherited runner.  Roy Garcia, Wilman Madera, Anthony Trompiz and Martin Cordoba each recorded three outs with Trompiz surrendering a solo shot and Cordoba giving up a run on two hits.

The Gulf Cardinals banged out 14 hits, led by Yowelfy Rosario’s perfect day at the plate.  The third baseman went 4-for-4 with a run scored out of the seven slot.  Alongside Rosario was lead-off batter Franklin Soto, who finished a long ball shy of the cycle with three hits in four at bats, including a walk, double and triple plus four runs scored.

Center fielder Trejyn Fletcher followed up his 3-for-5 professional debut effort on Monday by taking part in three runs.  The second-round selection in the June 2019 First-Year Player Draft went 2-for-5 with a double, two-run blast that accounted for his run scored and two of his three RBIs.  Luis Montano and William Jimenez each went 2-for-5 and touched home once. Montano doubled with two driven in and Jimenez went yard with the bases empty.

Wednesday’s game:  Off

DSL Cardinals Blue 6 at DSL Yankees 4

The Cardinals Blue (13-5) rallied twice for a 6-4 victory over the Yankees (10-9).  It was the C-Blue’s fifth win in their last six games.

Down 4-2, after seven the Blue scored three times in the last two innings.  Right fielder Darlin Moquette went 3-for-5 with a double and RBI, raising his batting average to .406.  Shortstop Darlyn Del Villar reached base four times, singling and doubling in two at bats with two free passes, crossed home twice and knocked in one.

The final two Cardinals Blue players with more than one of the team’s nine hits were center fielder Hansel Otamendi and catcher/first baseman Luis Rodriguez.  Moquette and Otamendi each swiped a bag, Moquette’s ninth and the latter’s fourth.

Gustavo J. Rodriguez pitched a strong five-inning effort, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits and a walk while fanning six.  The righty was in line for second win of 2019 after his teammates rallied with two tallies in the visitor half of the sixth for a 3-2 lead.

But William Miranda (BS, 1) yielded two runs in the bottom of the inning, setting the stage for the second and final rally.  Ronald Suarez (W, 1-0) shut down the Yankees on a hit and walk over the next two frames before Cristoffer Zapata hurled a one-two-three ninth for his fourth save.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. DSL Nationals (2-16), 10:30 am ET, Engels Martinez (1-0, 9.90)

DSL Phillies White 3 at DSL Cardinals Red 0

The Cardinals Red (8-13) managed just four base runners in their 3-0 loss to the Phillies White.

Luis Andujar’s single with two gone in the eighth broke up the opposition’s no-hit bid and was his squad’s only hit.

Edgar Manzo (L, 0-1) tossed a solid effort, yielding three runs, two earned, on five hits and two free passes in 5 2/3 innings.  The Mexico native fanned six.  Ramon Fernandez scattered four hits and a base-on-balls over the final 4 1/3 frames and stranded Manzo’s last runner.

Wednesday’s game:  at DSL Phillies White (14-7), 10:30 am ET, tandem – Yonael Dominguez (1-0, 6.75)/Miguel Yedis (0-1, 7.71)

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Memphis Restocks Its Bullpen

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© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.