photo: Jacob Buchberger (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-1 on Thursday with rainout in Peoria. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Jacob Buchberger, was a home run shy of the cycle in Springfield’s win. Pitching standouts include Connor Thomas, Michael McGreevy and Max Rajcic.
Results from games played Thursday, April 20th.
The first-place Memphis Redbirds (13-5) defeated the Indianapolis Indians (PIT, 7-11) at AutoZone Park on Thursday night. Their 10-game winning streak is Minor League Baseball’s longest of 2023.
Starter Connor Thomas had his best outing to date this season with only a solo home run surrendered in seven innings. He surrendered six hits and one walk. TCN’s no. 19 prospect fanned five and earned his second win.
The Redbirds took the lead in the fifth inning as Juniel Querecuto blasted a two-run homer, his third of the year. In the sixth, Tres Barrera drove in a run and Oscar Mercado plated two via single. Juan Yepez added one more with a double in the seventh.
In his first appearance of the season, St. Louis rehabber Wilking Rodríguez tossed a scoreless inning with a strikeout. Guillermo Zuñiga struck out two in the ninth inning.
With the help of four Indianapolis errors, Memphis scored six runs on five hits and five walks. Mercado had two hits and two RBI. Paul DeJong recorded two walks and came across once in his rehab assignment.
Mercado stole his fifth bag of the season.
Friday’s game: vs. Indianapolis, TBA vs. RHP Quinn Priester 7:05 CT
The Springfield Cardinals (5-7) edged the Midland RockHounds (OAK, 5-7) on Thursday at Hammons Field.
Michael McGreevy threw seven innings and was charged with two runs on nine hits and no walks. TCN’s no. 5 prospect struck out nine and earned his second win of 2023. His ERA is 1.45 in three starts this year.
The RockHounds scored a run in the first, but the Cardinals tied the game in the second on Jacob Buchberger’s RBI triple. Chandler Redmond put Springfield ahead with a two-run home run in the third, his league-leading fifth of the year.
Nick Trogrlic-Iverson recorded a scoreless inning and had a strikeout. Logan Sawyer earned his first save as a Cardinal with a scoreless ninth.
BUUUUUUCH‼️
(•_•)
<) )╯TIE
/(•_•)
( (> BALL
/(•_•)
<) )> GAME
/ pic.twitter.com/W6pPUAyPVX— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) April 21, 2023
Going 3-for-3, Buchberger was a home run away from the cycle. Matt Koperniak had two hits and Redmond had the only other hit with his homer. The lineup went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
Arquímedes Gamboa took his third base of the year.
Friday’s game: vs. Midland, LHP Kenny Hernandez (1-0, 9.00) vs. RHP Ryan Cusick (0-0, 2.25) 6:35 CT
Peoria vs. Fort Wayne – Postponed
Due to inclement weather, the Peoria Chiefs and Fort Wayne TinCaps contest was rescheduled to a Friday doubleheader.
Friday’s games:
vs. Fort Wayne, LHP Cooper Hjerpe (0-1, 9.00) vs. RHP Victor Lizarraga (0-1, 8.10) 5:30 CT (Game 1)
vs. Fort Wayne, RHP Austin Love (0-1, 6.23) vs. TBA Time TBA (Game 2)
The Palm Beach Cardinals (6-6) were blanked by the Dunedin Blue Jays (TOR, 6-6) on Thursday night at Roger Dean Stadium.
Starter Max Rajcic did his part, tossing six scoreless innings on only two hits. The right-hander struck out seven batters. In his first three professional starts, TCN’s no. 39 prospect has a 1.62 ERA and a 0.54 WHIP.
Hunter Hayes pitched the remaining three innings and yielded two runs in the seventh. The 22-year-old gave up three hits and two walks but struck out two.
The Beach Birds only recorded four hits in the game. The team did not advance a runner into scoring position and did not record a hit in the final four innings.
Lizandro Espinoza and Hayes both committed an error.
Friday’s game: vs. Dunedin, LHP Pete Hansen (1-0, 2.00) vs. TBA 10:00 CT
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