Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 14, 2019

photo: Zach Kirtley (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 4-1 on Saturday, with Peoria splitting a doubleheader. Our Player of the Day is Palm Beach first baseman Zach Kirtley, who went 2-for-5 including a grand slam. Other standouts include Elehuris Montero, Austin Warner, Diego Cordero, Lars Nootbaar and Nolan Gorman.

Results for games played Saturday, April 13.


Memphis 9 at Round Rock 4

Lane Thomas (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

On Saturday, the Redbirds defeated the Express in the second game of the four-game road series.  In his Memphis debut, starter Harold Arauz was the winner, though the right hander gave up all four of the Round Rock runs on eight hits in six innings pitched.  Arauz struck out four and walked four. Chasen Shreve, Jesus Cruz (another Triple-A debut), and John Fasola each tossed a scoreless inning of relief.

Memphis got on the board first with a run in the third inning on a ground ball single from Adolis Garcia that scored Tommy Edman.  Edman led off the inning with a single.

Though the Express added three in the next two innings to take the lead, the Redbirds roared back with eight runs in the top of the fifth.  Edman again led off with a single, the stole second and advanced to third on Lane Thomas’ single.  Edman scored on a ground out by Rangel Ravelo, John Nogowski singled, and Thomas scored on a Garcia single.  Drew Robinson walked and Ramon Urias plated Nogowski, Garcia, and Robinson on a double to center. Urias later scored on Joe Hudson’s single.  The lineup batted around and came back to Edman who doubled to right.  A Thomas single brought Hudson and Edman home.

Edman and Thomas each had three hits. Nogowski contributed two hits, as did Garcia and Hudson.  Urias drove in three, while Thomas and Garcia plated two each.

On the base paths, Edman stole two bases and Thomas one.  Robinson made a fielding error and catcher Hudson picked a runner off first base.

The win takes Memphis to a record of 4-6.

Sunday’s game: at Round Rock, Austin Gomber (1-0, 3.27) 1:05 CT.


Springfield 4, NW Arkansas 3 (11 innings)

Austin Warner (Andrew Miller/Palm Beach Cardinals)

The Cardinals edged the Naturals in extra innings on Saturday.  Springfield carried a 1-0 lead into the eighth before NW Arkansas tied it up.  The first Cardinal run came in the second inning when Elehuris Montero walked and Chris Chinea doubled to left to bring Montero home.

The Naturals took a 2-1 lead in the 10th.  The Cardinals tied it up again with a run in the bottom of the inning.  Connor Capel began the inning on second pursuant to the extra innings rule and was driven in three batters later on a sac fly by Dylan Carlson.

The Naturals added a run in the top of the 11th to retake the lead, but the stalwart Cardinals responded with two runs in the bottom frame to walk it off.  With Evan Mendoza on second, Johan Mieses was hit by a pitch and Brian O’Keefe walked.  Montero followed with a double to center that scored Mendoza and Mieses.

Springfield starter Austin Warner tossed five scoreless innings, allowing only one hit.  Warner fanned four and walked four. Roel Ramirez followed with three innings of relief but blew the save by surrendering the tying run.  Kodi Whitley pitched the next two innings and gave up the game leading run in the 10th.  Jacob Patterson pitched the 11th and allowed the second game tying run but was bailed out by the offense in the bottom of the 11th to receive the win.

Mendoza stole his first base of the season.

Sunday’s game:  vs. NW Arkansas, Anthony Shew (0-1, 1.80) 2:10 CT.


Palm Beach 7 at Charlotte 1

Angel Rondon (Peoria Chiefs)

The Cardinals blew past the Stone Crabs in Charlotte on Saturday in the second of the three game set. Starter Angel Rondon allowed only one run on one hit in five innings while fanning three and walking three.  Relievers Ben Yokley, Bryan Dobzanski, and Patrick Dayton tossed the remaining four innings.  Dobzanski walked two batters without recording an out, but Dayton was able to come in and limit the damage in 1 1/3 innings to close out the victory.

Charlotte took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Cardinals responded with two runs in the top of the third to go ahead.  Justin Toerner hit a two-run home run following a single to left by Rayder Ascanio to take the 2-1 lead.  Palm Beach increased the lead with four runs in the fifth.  Beginning with a lead off walk by Chase Pinder, then a double by Ascanio, the bases became juiced when Toerner was intentionally walked.  Zach Kirtley came to the plate and crushed the first pitch to left center field for a grand slam.  Kirtley hit a single in the ninth, and a throwing error on the play led to Toerner scoring the final run.

In addition to the two hits from Kirtley, Pinder, Ascanio, and Yariel Gonzalez also contributed two hits to the cause.  Toerner drove in two and scored three times.

Toerner’s day was marred slightly by a caught stealing, his second of the season.

Palm Beach moves to 8-2 on the season.

Sunday’s game:  at Charlotte, Johan Oviedo (1-0, 1.80) 9:30 am CT.


Peoria 3 at Kane County 9 (seven innings, Game 1 doubleheader)

Lars Nootbaar (State College Spikes)

In the first game of a twin bill, the Chiefs were overwhelmed by a hot Cougars offense on Saturday.  Chiefs pitching could not quiet the Kane County bats, as starter Cole Aker lasted only 3 1/3 innings, in which he gave up all nine runs on five hits, including four long balls.  The right hander struck out four and walked four and took the loss, his first of the season.  Right handed reliever Noel De Jesus provided 2 2/3 scoreless innings to finish.

The Chiefs put one run on the board in the second inning.  Lars Nootbaar led off with a single to left and Ivan Herrera followed suit with a single to center.  With Nootbaar at third, Wadye Ynfante grounded into a double play and Nootbaar scored.  Two runs were added in the sixth when Nootbaar blasted a two run home run to right center field.


Peoria 1 at Kane County 0 (seven innings, Game 2 doubleheader)

Diego Cordero (St. Louis Cardinals)

The second game of the doubleheader featured much less offense than the first.  The Chiefs held onto a 1-0 lead to take the split.

Starter Diego Cordero tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season.  Cordero scattered five hits, struck out three and walked two. Sebastian Tabata retired the only batter he faced for the last out, earning his first save of the season.

There was no offense to speak of on either side.  The Chiefs had three hits while the Cougars had five.  The game was scoreless until the final inning, when Chiefs third sacker and top Cardinals prospect Nolan Gorman sent a baseball into orbit over the center field wall for a solo home run. It was his fourth long ball in 10 games.

In other game happenings, Lars Nootbaar was caught stealing for the first time in the season and Delvin Perez committed a fielding error.  Right fielder Leandro Cedeño threw a runner out at second base for an assist.

Sunday’s game:   No game scheduled as Saturday’s doubleheader was played in anticipation of bad weather on Sunday.


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