Cardinals Minor League Notebook: April 15, 2018

photo: Conner Greene (Scott Rovak/USA TODAY Sports)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 3-1 on Saturday and Peoria’s game was postponed due to rain. Our Player of the Day is Springfield right-hander Conner Greene, who pitched eight scoreless, one hit innings, striking out eight and walking one in Springfield’s Game 1 win over Midland.

Results for games played Saturday, April 14.


Memphis 3, Iowa 1

The Memphis Redbirds won their ninth game of the season, defeating the Iowa Cubs at AutoZone Park on Saturday night.  Starter Daniel Poncedeleon pitched five innings, giving up one run on five hits.  The right hander fanned a career-high 12 and walked two to earn his first win of the season.  Kevin Herget pitched two scoreless innings before Derian Gonzalez and Preston Guilmet each added a scoreless frame. Guilmet earned his third save.

In the low scoring contest, Memphis didn’t bring home a run until the fifth inning, when they scored twice.  Patrick Wisdom singled to lead off, and Oscar Mercado also singled.  A throwing error moved them up 90 feet.   Alex Mejia pinch hit for Poncedeleon and reached on a throwing error by the Cubs second baseman as Wisdom and Mercado both scored.  Randy Arozarena’s single plated a run in the seventh.   Mercado was 3-for-4 with two runs scored.  Rangel Ravelo was 2-for-4.

The Redbirds were busy on the basepaths.  Mercado stole two bases on three attempts for the season.  Arozarena also swiped two bags, second and third, on four tries this season.  Max Schrock stole his fourth base in four attempts.

The Redbirds are 9-1 on the season and are in first place in the PCL American Southern Division.

Saturday’s game:  vs. Iowa, John Gant (2-0, 0.69) 2:05 CT.


Springfield 5, Midland 0 (seven innings, Game 1 DH)

The Double-A Cardinals won the first game of a twin bill against Midland at Hammons Field on Saturday.  All of the runs came in the second inning. It began with a Darren Seferina single, then a steal of second base, which resulted in a throwing error that advanced him to third.  Victor Roache singled to score Seferina with the first run.  Granden Goetzman plated Roache on a single, then Thomas Spitz doubled to score Roache.  Tommy Edman hit a solo home run to right center field for the fifth and final run.  Roache and Goetzman were both 2-for-3. Seferina’s stolen base was his first of the season in his first attempt.

Player of the Day Conner Greene pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing only one hit.  The right hander retired his final 16 batters and in total, fanned eight and walked one to earn his first win in the Cardinals organization.  Landon Beck tossed a scoreless ninth.


Springfield 3, Midland 4 (seven innings, Game 2 DH)

Lane Thomas (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Springfield dropped the second game of the doubleheader to the visiting RockHounds.  Starter Sam Tewes pitched 4 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out two and walking two.  The right-hander was tagged with the loss, his second.  Reliever Brady Bowen surrendered one run in his two innings of work.  Chris Ellis got the last out of the seventh.

Springfield scored all three of its runs in sixth inning.  Tommy Edman drew a walk before Lane Thomas hit a two run blast to left center field.  John Nogowski and Chris Chinea each walked and Victor Roache singled to plate Nogowski.  No Cardinals batter had multiple hits.

The Cardinals are 3-6 on the season and are in third place, 2.5 game back of first in the Texas League North.

Sunday’s game:  vs. Frisco, Connor Jones (1-0, 5.40), 4:10 CT


Palm Beach 6, Florida 5 (10 innings)

Will Latcham (State College Spikes)

The high-A Cardinals edged the Fire Frogs in another extra inning game on Saturday behind solid bullpen work.  Starter Austin Warner only went three innings, giving up five runs on eight hits.  The left hander struck out one and walked none.  Colton Thomson followed with three scoreless innings of relief.  Yeison Medina and Will Latcham combined for the final three run-free innings, with Latcham earning the win.

The Cardinals didn’t put any runs on the board until the sixth inning.  Stefan Trosclair’s double plated two, and Andy Young followed with a two run home run to left.  Palm Beach tied the score in the bottom of the ninth on Jose Godoy’s RBI single.  In the bottom of the 10th, the winning run came home on a wild pitch.   Only Godoy had multiple hits, as he went 2-for-4.

On the basepaths, Shane Billings was picked off and caught stealing for the second time in two attempts.

The Cardinals are 7-3 on the season and in second place in the FSL South.

Sunday’s game:  vs. Florida, Evan Kruczynski (0-0, 4.50) 12:00 pm CT.


Peoria vs. Wisconsin – Postponed

Saturday’s contest was postponed due to rain in Peoria.  The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Sunday.

Sunday’s games:  vs. Burlington (DH), Evan Guillory (0-0, 0.00) and Alvaro Seijas (0-1, 5.40), noon CT.


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