(photo: Adolis Garcia/Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)
Results for games played Saturday, July 1.
The Redbirds defeated New Orleans on Saturday on the strength of three home runs, good for all five Redbirds scores. In the third inning, Wilfredo Tovar launched a solo home run. In the fourth, Carson Kelly hit a two run homer. Adolis Garcia’s two run shot in the seventh capped off the night of the home runs. The long balls were the only hits for each of the three Players of the Day. The only Redbird with multiple hits was Aledmys Diaz, just sent down from the big league club, who was 2-for-4 with two doubles.
Starter Zac Gallen earned his first win as a Redbird. Gallen pitched six innings, giving up one run on four hits, while fanning eight and walking one. Miguel Socolovich followed with two scoreless innings of relief. Mark Montgomery pitched a scoreless ninth.
On the base paths, Tovar stole his eighth base of the season in 10 attempts.
The Redbirds are 50-31 on the season and are in first place in the PCL American South.
Sunday’s game: vs. New Orleans, John Gant (1-3, 3.19) 2:05 CT.
The Cardinals edged the Rockhounds on Saturday thanks to two-RBI nights by Anthony Garcia and John Nogowski. The latter drew a walk in the first inning with the bases loaded to plate Springfield’s first run. In the fifth inning, a triple by Garcia drove in two and Nogowski followed with an RBI single. The triple and the single were the only hits for Garcia and Nogowski. Bruce Caldwell was 2-for-3 and Jacob Wilson was 2-for-4.
Garcia stole his second base of the season in three attempts. Randy Arozarena was caught stealing.
Starter Dakota Hudson pitched 7 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on 10 hits while fanning four and walking one. Corey Baker went the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his fourth save.
The Cardinals are 40-39 overall, and 4-4 in the second half.
Sunday’s game: at Frisco, Sandy Alcantara (3-5, 5.5.3) 7:05 CT.
Palm Beach 0 at Charlotte 3 (Game 1 DH, seven innings)
In the first game of this twin bill, added due to Friday night’s rainout, the Cardinals were shut out by the Stone Crabs. Palm Beach batters managed only four hits, all singles. Thomas Spitz went 2-for-3. Shane Billings and Darren Seferina had the other two singles.
Spitz was caught stealing for the second time in the season. Catcher Jeremy Martinez committed a throwing error, but also picked off a runner at third base.
Starter Jake Woodford lost his fourth game of the season. Woodford pitched 4 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on eight hits, while striking out six and walking one. Chandler Hawkins tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Palm Beach 4 at Charlotte 1 (Game 2 DH, seven innings)
The Cardinals were victorious in Game 2 of the doubleheader. The Palm Beach offense scored two runs each in the second and third innings to take the lead and never give it up. Second inning singles by Leobaldo Pina and Darren Seferina plated the first two runs. In inning three, Austin Wilson stroked a two-run single. Pina was 2-for-3, as was Blake Drake.
On the base paths, Drake was picked off and caught stealing second base in the third inning. It was Drake’s third caught stealing in four attempts.
Starter Ross Vance pitched four innings, giving up one run on three hits while fanning four and walking one. Ramon Santos followed with a scoreless fifth inning and was the winning pitcher. Jacob Evans tossed the final two scoreless innings to earn his second save.
The Cardinals are 46-30 overall and 6-3 in the second half for a three way tie for first place in the FSL South.
Sunday’s game: at Charlotte, Connor Jones (5-4, 4.27) 11:35 CT.
The Chiefs were clobbered by the Cougars on Saturday night. Starter Ian Oxnevad gave up seven runs on 12 hits in five innings pitched to take his eighth loss of the season. The left hander struck out one and walked one. Keaton Siomkin was touched for three additional runs in 1 2/3 frames of relief. Bryan Dobzanski finished with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Peoria offense scored two runs on five hits. Brian O’Keefe’s solo home run in the second inning put the Chiefs on the board. In the fourth, Ryan McCarvel doubled, and eventually came home on Juan Yepez’ groundout. J.R. Davis was the only Chief with multiple hits, going 2-for-4.
Nick Plummer stole his third base of the season in six attempts. Matt Fiedler had an outfield assist.
The Chiefs are 36-43 overall on the season, 6-4 in the second half and in a four way tie for first place in the Midwest League West.
Sunday’s game: at Kane County, Jordan Hicks (7-2, 3.73) 6:30 CT.
The Spikes took a seven run lead after the first two innings, and never looked back, as they defeated Batavia on Saturday night. State College had a four run first inning, followed by a three run second inning, to take a commanding lead. Evan Mendoza drove in the first run on a first-inning single. Brandon Benson plated one on a single. A sac fly by Dennis Ortega scored run number three, and an RBI single by Matt Davis brought the fourth run home.
In the second inning, Mendoza singled Edwin Figuera home after Figuera was hit by a pitch and stole second and third base. Joshua Lopez followed with a two run home run to right field. Mendoza was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Lopez was 3-for-3 with three runs scored, raising his average to .548. Benson was 2-for-5 while Davis was 2-for-4.
Starter Daniel Castano earned his third win of the season, pitching seven innings and giving up two runs, one earned, on seven hits. The left hander struck out 10, tying the Spikes’ single game best-ever mark, and walked none. Anthony Ciavarella collected the final six outs with no runs scoring.
The Spikes are 8-4 on the season and are in first place in the NY-Penn League Pinckney Division.
Sunday’s game: vs. Batavia, Jonathon Mulford (0-2, 12.86) 5:05 CT.
Johnson City vs. Pulaski
This game was postponed due to rain and will be made up on Sunday following the regularly-scheduled contest.
Sunday’s games: doubleheader vs. Pulaski, Johan Oveido/Brett Seeburger, both (1-0, 0.00) 4:00 CT.
GCL Cardinals 2 at GCL Astros 1
The Cardinals topped the Astros with two solo home runs on Saturday for their first win of the season. Elehuris Montero hit his solo shot in the fourth inning, while Luis Flores thumped a bases-empty home run in the eighth. No Cardinal had multiple hits. In addition to the two long balls, Taylor Bryant doubled, and Leandro Cedeno singled.
Rehabbing St. Louis lefty Zack Duke pitched the first inning, giving up no hits and striking out two. Regular starter Winston Nicacio went the next four innings in scoreless fashion, allowing two hits, striking out eight and issuing one free pass. Nicacio earned the win, his first. Juan Alvarez, Cory Malcom, and Kodi Whitley added a scoreless inning of relief each. C.J. Saylor pitched the ninth and gave up the only Astros run, but picked up his first save.
Moises Castillo stole his first base of the season in his first attempt.
The Cardinals are 1-4 on the season are 2.5 games back of first place in the GCL East.
Sunday’s game: Off.
DSL Cardinals, DSL Twins (Game 1 DH)
This game was suspended due to rain in the second inning, with the score Twins 3, Cardinals 0. Starter Allinson Benitez was charged with all three tallies.
DSL Cardinals, DSL Twins (Game 2 DH)
This game was postponed due to rain.
Sunday’s game: Off.
Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation: State College Spikes Notebook: 2017 Week 2
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.
Follow Marilyn Green on Twitter @Marilyncolor.
© 2017 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.