photo: Tyler O’Neill (Memphis Redbirds)
A multi-bomb day by Tyler O’Neill led Memphis to one of two victories on a quiet Monday schedule across the St. Louis Cardinals system. Springfield played a little long ball themselves in their win while both Palm Beach and Peoria were off.
Results from the games played Monday, April 16th.
Twice Tyler O’Neill went yard, pacing the Redbirds to a 7-4 home win over the Iowa Cubs (3-7). Memphis (10-2) claimed the four-game set, three games to one.
O’Neill’s fifth and sixth home runs of 2018 were two of his three hits in five at bats, accounting for two of his three runs scored and three of four runs driven in. His six blasts places him atop the Pacific Coast League for home runs while his .432 batting average is fourth in the league.
Batting right ahead of O’Neill, second baseman Max Schrock matched the 3-for-5 effort, doubling once, scoring twice and knocking in one. Five Redbirds garnered one hit each, including Oscar Mercado, who began the bottom of the first with his second home run, temporarily tying the game a 1-1.
Dakota Hudson went six strong innings, yielding two runs on seven hits and a free pass for his third win in as many decisions. Andrew Morales was touched for a run on two hits and a walk in the seventh. The only hit given up by Preston Guilmet (S, 4) over the last two innings was a long ball. Guilmet struck out three.
Tuesday’s game: at Omaha (2-9) (KC), 6:35 pm CT, Austin Gomber (1-0, 4.22)
Darren Seferina and Edmundo Sosa each blasted their first bomb of 2018 in the S-Cards’ 6-1 home victory over the RoughRiders. Springfield (5-6) has taken the first two of the three-game series, moving them just 1 ½ games behind first-place Tulsa (LAD) in the North Division.
Seferina’s long ball came with Granden Goetzman (error) aboard in the second, breaking a one all tie. The second baseman doubled home two more in the fifth, giving him a line of 2-for-3 with a walk, double, home run and four RBI. Seferina also reached base via a throwing error but was caught stealing in his only attempt.
Sosa posted nearly identical numbers, going 2-for-4 with a walk, double and long ball, batting in the two hole. The third baseman scored twice but was picked off first by the RoughRiders’ starting pitcher.
Andrew Knizner was the final Springfield player with a multi-hit performance. Knizner singled twice in three at bats with a walk and run scored. The two hits upped the catcher’s batting average to .379, fifth in the league.
Starter Jake Woodford (W, 1-1) worked around four hits and four bases-on-balls in five frames, holding his opponents to a single tally. He fanned five. The win was the 21-year-old’s first in Double-A ball.
Estarlin Arias, Ramon Santos and Chris Ellis shared pitching duties the rest of the way. Arais tossed two frames with one hit allowed while Santos and Ellis each faced the minimum in their inning of work. Arias and Ellis both struck out two.
Tuesday’s game: vs. Frisco (3-8) (TEX), 11:10 am CT, Ryan Helsley (0-1) (8.38)
Palm Beach – off
Palm Beach (7-4) travels to Bradenton, co-leaders of South Division, for a four-game set.
Tuesday’s game: at Bradenton (8-3) (PIT), 6:30 pm ET, TBA
Peoria – off
Fresh off their first series sweep, Peoria (4-5) heads to Davenport for three against the Quad Cities River Bandits.
Tuesday’s game: at Quad Cities (2-5) (HOU), 6:35 pm CT, Winston Nicacio (0-0, 18.00)
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