photo: Leonardo Bernal (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-2 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Leonardo Bernal, went 4-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and a stolen base in Palm Beach’s win. Other standouts include Juniel Querecuto, Jose Alvarez, Victor Scott II and Hancel Rincon.
Results from games played Saturday, April 22nd.
The Memphis Redbirds (15-5) extended their win streak to 12 by defeating the Indianapolis Indians (PIT, 7-13) at AutoZone Park on Saturday.
Starter Gordon Graceffo tossed six innings and was charged with two runs on five hits and a walk. TCN’s no. 4 prospect fanned six and earned his first Triple-A win.
After the Indians scored two in the top of the fourth inning, the Redbirds responded immediately with four in the bottom of the frame. Tres Barrera blasted a three-run home run to take the lead. Juniel Querecuto plated another with a double.
Tres!!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/FS0GMgdAHz
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) April 22, 2023
Memphis added two more runs in the sixth. Luken Baker singled to bring one across. Querecuto hit a solo homer, his third of the season.
In his first Triple-A appearance of the year, Andre Pallante recorded two perfect innings with three strikeouts. Kodi Whitley threw a scoreless ninth.
Baker had two hits and Querecuto drove in three with two hits. Barrera also had three RBI. Moisés Gómez went 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored. The lineup took advantage of their eight hits and two walks in the win.
Gómez and Oscar Mercado both took a bag.
The Redbirds have now won 12 straight games and look for the series sweep on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: vs. Indianapolis, LHP Matthew Liberatore (3-0, 2.38) vs. TBA 2:05 CT
The Springfield Cardinals (5-9) fell to the Midland RockHounds (OAK, 7-7) at Hammons Field on Saturday.
Four was the number for starter Logan Gragg as he pitched four scoreless innings and yielded four hits, four walks and four strikeouts. Dalton Roach took his second loss of 2023 after he surrendered two runs in 1 2/3 innings. Ryan Shreve tossed a scoreless 1 1/3 innings.
Matt Koperniak plated a run in the third inning for a 1-0 Springfield lead. The Cardinals went down 3-1 but responded in the eighth as Arquímedes Gamboa scored Jose Alvarez via sacrifice fly.
Nick Trogrlic-Iverson gave up a run after an inning of work. Edgar Escobar was charged with a run in the ninth.
The Cardinals only had three hits and two walks against the RockHounds. Alvarez came across twice for the only runs. Mike Antico and Alvarez both recorded one hit and a walk. The lineup struck out 15 times and went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
Sunday’s game: vs. Midland, RHP Connor Lunn (0-1, 5.63) vs. TBA 1:35 CT
The Peoria Chiefs (6-8) were walloped by the Fort Wayne TinCaps (SD, 4-10) on Saturday night at Dozer Park.
Starter Trent Baker surrendered a run in the first inning but pitched 4 2/3 innings with only one run charged. TCN’s no. 25 prospect struck out six. Bryan Pope recorded 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
In the fourth, Jimmy Crooks III came across on a wild pitch to tie the game. The Chiefs took the lead in the fifth after Victor Scott II stole home. Crooks was caught stealing and Nathan Church came across to take a 3-1 lead.
The Peoria pen had a rough night. Matt Hickey yielded two runs in one inning. Andrew Marrero gave up five runs in only 1/3 of an inning. Edgar Manzo was touched for three runs, two earned, in 1 1/3 innings.
After a nine-run TinCaps eighth inning, the Chiefs tried to respond in the home half. Aaron McKeithan plated one via groundout but Fort Wayne scored one more run in the ninth inning.
The Chiefs had five hits, seven walks and 14 strikeouts. Church went 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Crooks recorded a hit and two walks. The lineup went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
*14th. TO GIVE US THE LEAD.
MAN. OF. STEAL. 🥶 https://t.co/MOU2NtSM2F pic.twitter.com/11HuG6fnGs
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) April 23, 2023
Scott stole three bags in the game, including home. TCN’s no. 29 prospect is leading all of Minor League Baseball in stolen bases with 14. Church took two bags.
In center field, Scott had an outfield assist.
Sunday’s game: vs. Fort Wayne, RHP Zane Mills (1-0, 8.10) vs. RHP Ryan Bergert (0-1, 1.80) 3:00 CT
The Palm Beach Cardinals (8-6) blanked the Dunedin Blue Jays (TOR, 6-8) on Saturday night at Roger Dean Stadium.
Hancel Rincon pitched seven scoreless innings and only yielded two hits. The 20-year-old struck out four and earned his second win of the season.
The Beach Birds scored in the third inning as Leonardo Bernal singled in a run. TCN’s no. 17 prospect blasted a solo homer in the fifth to make the score 2-0.
Leonardo Bernal put on a show tonight, going 4-4 with a stolen base and this homerun blast! pic.twitter.com/MIsQMJBwVL
— Palm Beach Cardinals (@GoPBCardinals) April 23, 2023
Michael Brettell recorded a scoreless inning in his rehab assignment from Springfield. Roy Garcia also threw a scoreless inning for the Cardinals. The pitching staff yielded only three hits and one walk in the game.
In the seventh, R.J. Yeager added a run with a forceout. Darlin Moquete tripled in the eighth to score one and Chris Rotondo brought him in via sacrifice fly.
Bernal recorded four hits with two RBI and Moquete had three hits and plated one. In total, Palm Beach had 12 hits and six walks against the Blue Jays. The pitching held Dunedin scoreless with the help of three double plays.
To add to his four-hit game, Bernal stole his first bag of the year.
Sunday’s game: vs. Dunedin, RHP Joseph King (0-0, 6.75) vs. TBA 11:00 CT
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