photo: Kramer Robertson (Allison Rhoades/Peoria Chiefs)
Shortstop Kramer Robertson’s hot bat assisted Palm Beach to one of two wins in St. Louis’ minors on Monday. Springfield notched its first win of the season while Memphis went down for the first time. Peoria fell as well.
Results from the games played Monday, April 9th.
One big inning led to Memphis’ first loss of 2018, 4-2, at Round Rock (1-4) (TEX). The Redbirds claimed the season-opening road series, four games to one.
Making his first start since May 2017 when he was hit in the head by a line drive, Daniel Poncedeleon battled control problems during his five frames on the mound. The righty issued four free passes to go with two hits but kept the Express off the board, aided by five K’s.
Sean Gilmartin was not nearly as effective in the sixth, yielding four runs, the big blow being a three-run bomb by Hanser Alberto, Round Rock’s shortstop. Andrew Morales struck out four over the final two innings, but walked two.
The visitors outhit the home team, eight to six, but went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Max Schrock garnered three of the eight hits, going 3-for-4 with an RBI out of the two hole. The second baseman swiped two bases and was the only Redbird with more than one hit.
Tuesday’s game: home opener vs. Omaha (1-3) (KC), 7:05 pm CT, John Gant (1-0, 1.50)
Springfield (1-4) finally broke through in the win column, edging the RoughRiders, 4-3. The victory evens the series at one game apiece with one to play.
The balanced offensive effort featured seven S-Cards with either a hit or run scored. Third baseman Tommy Edman and center fielder Lane Thomas each had two of the team’s eight hits. Edman singled twice in three at bats with a run scored, RBI and strikeout. Thomas went 2-for-4 with a double, drove in one and struck out once. Defensively, Edman committed his second error, this one charged to his fielding.
Connor Jones (W, 1-0) tossed the first five innings, all three tallies coming in the second. The Connecticut native yielded six hits and three bases-on-balls, striking out two. Landon Beck and Chris Ellis both went two frames, Beck fanning four and Ellis three. Ellis’ effort netted him his first save since 2014, his first pro season.
Tuesday’s game: at Frisco (2-3) (TEX), 7:05 pm CT, Jake Woodford (0-0, 9.00)
Palm Beach (3-2) tallied in four consecutive innings to squash the visiting Blue Jays, 9-1, in the series opener.
Cardinals bats exploded for 15 hits, as all nine starters accumulated at least one and six of them crossed home. Player of the Day Kramer Robertson led the way at the top of the order, opening the game with a solo blast that was one of his four hits in five at bats. The shortstop scored three times and swiped his first bag of the early season.
Third baseman Evan Mendoza and catcher Jose Godoy were the only other Beach Birds with a multi-hit performance. Mendoza went 3-for-5 with an RBI while batting third, while Godoy singled twice in four at bats and scored twice out of the eight hole. Mendoza was charged with his team’s sole miscue.
In his high-A debut, Ian Oxnevad (W, 1-0) pitched five strong frames, permitting a run on four hits with five strikeouts. Luke Gregerson continued his rehab stint with a scoreless sixth. Gregerson sandwiched two swinging K’s around a two-out single.
Ian McKinney fanned three over two innings, walking one. Yeison Medina worked around a hit and two walks in the ninth.
Tuesday’s game: vs. Dunedin (3-2) (TOR), 6:30 pm ET, Anthony Shew (0-0, 0.00)
The Chiefs (1-2) opened a four-game home set versus the Kernels with a 3-1 loss.
Peoria displayed little results for its nine hits. Jonatan Machado, Yariel Gonzalez and Elehuris Montero each had two, Machado in five at bats and the latter two in four. Gonzalez doubled, the only Chiefs’ hit to go for extra bases, and drove in his team’s only run via a sac fly in the fifth that scored Taylor Bryant.
That tally gave the home team a very brief 1-0 advantage which starter Evan Guillory (L, 0-1) could not hold. Guillory struck out seven over 5 2/3, yielding two runs on nine hits and a walk.
Levi MaVorhis stranded Guillory’s final runner, keeping the game close until the ninth, when he allowed the visitors’ final score. MaVorhis gave up just two hits in three frames, his last runner left aboard by Fabian Blanco.
Tuesday’s game: vs. Cedar Rapids (3-0) (MIN), 11:00 am CT, Alvaro Seijas (0-0, —) (full season debut)
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