Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 21, 2025

photo: Gavin Collins (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 0-2 on Sunday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Memphis catcher Gavin Collins, was 2-for-4 with a home run, double, a walk, two runs scored and four RBI. Other standouts include Michael Gomez, Matt Koperniak, Randel Clemente and Josh Kross.

Results for games played on Sunday, April 20:

Memphis Redbirds 7, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 8 (10 innings)

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds fell to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in extra innings in Sunday’s series finale at AutoZone Park, finishing the set at three wins apiece.

Sem Robberse made his fourth start of the season for the Redbirds. The right-hander pitched 2 ⅔ innings and allowed seven runs on nine hits, one walk, and five strikeouts.

Memphis’ bullpen was fantastic. Zack Weiss, Riley O’Brien, Michael Gomez, Ryan Loutos, Nick Anderson, and Oddanier Mosqueda combined for 7 ⅓ innings and allowed one unearned run on one hit and seven strikeouts. Gomez has begun his Memphis career with eight scoreless frames and seven strikeouts over five appearances. Mosqueda took the loss in extras.

Michael Gomez

The Jumbo Shrimp scored the first run of the game in the second inning, but the Redbirds answered immediately. Jose Barrero began the home second with a single, and advanced to second base on a César Prieto sacrifice bunt. Ryan Vilade followed with a walk. Gavin Collins brought Barrero and Vilade home on his first home run of 2025 to give Memphis a 3-1 lead.

Gavin Collins

Jacksonville pulled ahead in the third inning with six runs for a 7-3 lead. Memphis began to chip into the deficit in the home sixth. Prieto lined a double. Vilade followed with his seventh double on the year to bring Memphis within three runs.

Matt Koperniak crushed his first home run of 2025 to pull the Redbirds within two in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Matt Koperniak

The Jumbo Shrimp carried the 7-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but Memphis had more late-inning magic in them. Vilade walked and Collins doubled him home to make it a one-run game.

Mike Antico swung at the second pitch he saw from Jacksonville’s new pitcher to tie the score at seven apiece.

Mike Antico

Jacksonville scored the ghost runner in the 10th inning on a double. Memphis failed to respond.

The Redbirds scored seven runs on seven hits. Collins was 2-for-4, including a three-run home run, a double, a walk, two runs scored, and four RBI. Koperniak hit a solo shot, scored a run, and tallied one RBI. Prieto doubled and scored a run. Vilade hit a double, scored two runs, walked twice, and drove in one run. Antico knocked in the game-tying run on a single.

On the bases, José Fermín stole his fourth base of the season.

Defensively, right fielder Koperniak threw out a runner at home plate. Prieto committed a throwing error.

Memphis is 10-9 on the season. The Redbirds will travel to Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia to begin a six-game road series with the Norfolk Tides, beginning Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: at Norfolk (BAL). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 5:35 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals (off-day)

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals were off Sunday, and will travel to Equity Bank Park in Wichita, Kansas to begin a six-game road set against the Wichita Wind Surge, beginning Tuesday.

Springfield enters play on Tuesday with an 8-7 record.

Tuesday’s game: at Wichita (MIN). LHP Brycen Mautz (0-0, 3.38) vs. TBA, 6:05 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs vs. Cedar Rapids Kernels (postponed)

The High-A Peoria Chiefs’ series finale against the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Dozer Park was suspended on Sunday due to rain. The makeup game date has not yet been announced, but it will be played in Cedar Rapids, as the Kernals are not scheduled to return to Dozer Park in the first half.

The Chiefs are 4-10 on the season. They will travel to Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa to begin a six-game road series with the Quad Cities River Bandits, starting Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: at Quad Cities (KC). Pitching probables have not yet been announced, though Darlin Saladin was slated to start for Peoria on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 2, Clearwater Threshers 4

The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals lost a close series finale on Sunday to the Clearwater Threshers at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

Brandt Thompson made his third start for Palm Beach. The right-hander tossed four innings and yielded two runs on five hits, no walks, and three strikeouts.

Randel Clemente fired two shutout innings in relief with three strikeouts. Samuel Fabian fanned three and surrendered two runs in two innings following Clemente. Mason Burns pitched a scoreless ninth with a pair of strikeouts. Fabian took the loss.

Palm Beach struck first on Josh Kross’ fifth home run of the season to begin the bottom of the second inning.

Josh Kross

Clearwater took a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the fourth inning, but the Cardinals evened the score in the seventh. Jonathan Mejia lined a two-out single and crossed home plate on rehabber Nathan Church’s double.

The Threshers scored a pair of runs in the eighth for a 4-2 lead. Palm Beach failed to respond.

The Cardinals scored two runs on seven hits. Kross hit a home run. Church doubled and tallied one RBI.

On the basepaths, Anyelo Encarnacion swiped his fifth bag and was also caught stealing. Hernandez was picked off at first base.

Defensively, catcher Hernandez picked off a runner at first base.

Palm Beach is 9-6 on the season. They will stay at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium over Monday’s off-day and begin a six-game series as the away team with their neighbors, the Jupiter Hammerheads, on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: at Jupiter (MIA). Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 PM CT.

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