photo: Jack Flaherty (Memphis Redbirds)
Jack Flaherty’s seven-inning complete game sent Memphis on its way to a road twin bill sweep. John Nogowski launched a grand slam for Springfield for the third win as part of St. Louis minors’ 3-2 Thursday.
Results from the games played Thursday, April 19th.
Memphis 6 at Omaha 2 (7) – Game 1
Memphis 2 at Omaha 1 (7) – Game 2
The Redbirds took a pair at Omaha, 6-2 and 2-1, for a two-games-to-one series lead with one to go. Memphis (12-3) leads the American Southern Division by 3 ½ over Nashville (OAK), which have won five straight.
Player of the Day Jack Flaherty (W, 3-0) went the distance in the opener, holding the Storm Chasers to two runs, one earned, on two hits, a walk and a hit batsman. The 22-year-old struck out six.
All of the scoring action against Flaherty occurred with one gone in the fourth. A fielding error by right fielder Adolis Garcia put one on just before the next batter was plunked. A two-run double brought both runners across but the righty recovered to retire his next eight batters before issuing a free pass and single in the seventh.
The visitors banged out 10 hits, the big blow coming off Wilfredo Tovar’s bat. The second baseman launched a three-run bomb that was part of a four-run second. It was Tovar’s first home run of 2018 and one of his two hits in three at bats. He drove in five.
Yairo Munoz and Max Schrock both went 2-for-4, Munoz touching home twice. Carson Kelly reached base three times, singling once in two at bats with two walks and two runs scored.
Game 2 was a low-scoring affair as a quartet of Redbirds’ relievers combined to hold Omaha to a single score despite giving up eight hits. Sean Gilmartin went the first two, yielding a tally on three hits and a walk.
Edward Mujica (W, 2-0) held the opposition to three hits over two, striking out one. Derian Gonzalez retired four batters, giving up a hit and walk. John Brebbia sent down four of his five batters retired via the strikeout, stranding Gonzalez’ final runner and earning his first save.
Memphis relied on a long ball for all of their scoring. Garcia’s second home run of the season came with Alex Mejia (single) aboard, putting his team up 2-1 after four. Six Redbirds each had one of the team’s six hits.
Friday’s game: at Omaha (3-11) (KC), 7:05 pm CT, Daniel Poncedeleon (1-0, 0.82)
John Nogowski’s grand slam led Springfield over Arkansas, 6-4, in the first of four contests between the two squads. Springfield’s (7-6) fourth straight win gives them sole possession of second place in the North Division, a game in back of Tulsa (LAD).
Nogowski’s bomb capped a five-run seventh that broke a one-all tie. The first baseman was one of five S-Cards with two hits, along with Tommy Edman, Andrew Knizner, Victor Roache and Thomas Spitz. Edman singled twice in five at bats, crossing home twice, while Knizner and Roache each went 2-for-4, Knizner scoring one time and Roache doubling once. Spitz went 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored.
Aided by three double-play balls, Conner Greene (W, 2-1) held the Travelers to a run on four hits and four walks through six. The right-hander fanned three and plunked one.
Hector Mendoza and Brady Bowen each tossed a clean frame before the Springfield bullpen ran into trouble in the ninth. Landon Beck was ineffective, permitting three runs on three hits, including two doubles, and a walk with just one batter retired. Jacob Evans salvaged the game by getting both of his batters on a fly out and swinging K for his first save.
Friday’s game: at third-place Arkansas (6-7) (SEA), 7:10 pm CT, Sam Tewes (0-2, 7.56)
Palm Beach (9-5) fell to Bradenton, 4-2, in the road series finale, preventing a three-game sweep by the Beach Birds. That loss puts the PB-Cards in a tie for second with the Marauders (PIT), as both trail Jupiter (MIA) by two games.
The visitors put up a single tally in each of the first two frames to go up 2-0. They held that lead until the home half of the sixth when starter Mike O’Reilly (L, 1-1) served up a three-run blast. O’Reilly struck out seven in 5 1/3, allowing four hits and a walk. Jacob Patterson (1 2/3) and Ronnie Williams shared pitching duties the rest of the way. Williams was touched for a run on a hit and three walks in the eighth.
Shane Billings led Palm Beach hitters, going 3-for-4 with a stolen base out of the seven hole. Eight hitter Ryan McCarvel was the only other Beach Bird with more than one of the team’s eight hits. The catcher went 2-for-4 with his first home run of 2018.
Friday’s game: at sixth-place Charlotte (6-8) (TB), 6:35 pm ET, Austin Warner (0-0, 8.22)
Peoria 1 at Quad Cities 2 (10)
Peoria (5-6) was edged by Quad Cities, 2-1, in 10 innings. Each team won one of the weather-shortened two-game series. The Chiefs are in a fifth-place tie with Burlington (LAA), three games behind Cedar Rapids (MIN).
The decisive unearned tally scored without benefit of a hit. With a runner beginning the frame at second, Thomas St. Clair (L, 0-2) issued an intentional free pass to set up the force. But plans went awry after the right-hander beaned the next batter who had to leave the game with a head injury. That jammed the sacks full and may well have rattled the Chiefs’ reliever, who uncorked a wild pitch that gave Quad Cities the walk off victory.
Jake Walsh was outstanding during his six-inning stint, holding his opponents to a run on three hits and two free passes. Walsh fanned nine. Levi MaVorhis worked around a one-out walk and balk for a clean seventh. But Fabian Blanco could not get it done the next frame. Blanco recorded the first out then hit a batter, wild pitched him to second and walked one. St. Clair got out of that jam but could not duplicate that feat in the 10th.
Peoria was fortunate to score one run, as the offense was held to just one hit. Shortstop Edwin Figuera opened the third with a bunt single and ended up at third, thanks to two errors on the play. A passed ball during the next at bat brought Figuera across, knotting the game at one all.
Friday’s game: vs. eighth-place Wisconsin (3-10) (MIL), 6:30 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (0-1, 16.20)
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