photo: Matthew Liberatore (Memphis Redbirds)
The St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-2 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day is Memphis starter Matthew Liberatore. TCN’s no. 3 prospect pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out nine. Zane Mills had a strong outing for Palm Beach as well.
Results from games played Saturday, April 23rd.
The Memphis Redbirds (9-8) shut out the Omaha Storm Chasers (KC, 8-9) at AutoZone Park on Saturday.
Redbirds starter Matthew Liberatore had a very strong outing. The left hander went seven scoreless innings and gave up two hits. He struck out nine and recorded the win.
Jake Walsh closed out the win on two hits in his two scoreless innings. The right hander struck out three and walked none.
This one got out in a hurry… @IntlPaperCo pic.twitter.com/7rcP5X0cV4
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) April 23, 2022
The bats were hot early with four runs in the first two innings. Kramer Robertson hit a two-run shot in the first, his second home run of the season.
Two innings, two dingers@IntlPaperCo pic.twitter.com/57LUX6KGTC
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) April 23, 2022
Ben DeLuzio hit his second home run of 2022 and Brendan Donovan plated Evan Mendoza with a double. The Redbirds were up 4-0 at the end of the second.
After a Nolan Gorman single and a throwing error, Juan Yepez drove in Gorman to make it 6-0 in the fifth.
In the sixth, Evan Mendoza scored DeLuzio and Brendan Donovan singled to bring in Mendoza after a fielding error. At the end of the sixth, the score was 8-0.
Redbirds pitching and hitting were both remarkable on Saturday. Liberatore and Walsh let in no runs and the offense scored eight runs on 11 hits.
Donovan, Robertson, Yepez and DeLuzio each recorded two hits. Robertson drove in two and the rest drove in one each.
Sunday’s game: vs. Omaha, RHP Johan Oviedo (1-1, 6.60) vs. TBA 2:05 CT
The Springfield Cardinals (5-9) were out-slugged by the Tulsa Drillers (LAD, 10-4) on Saturday at Hammons Field. The Cardinals had no hits through the first 5 2/3 innings.
Springfield starter Domingo Robles went only 3 2/3 innings and gave up seven runs on 10 hits. The left hander recorded the loss.
Grant Black relieved Robles in the fourth and yielded six runs, all unearned, on four hits and one walk in his one inning. Corner infielders Jordan Walker and Malcom Nunez committed errors to contribute to the rough frame.
Kevin Marnon threw 2 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on one hit and two walks. Michael Brettell closed out the final two innings and yielded one run on three hits. The right hander struck out three.
Springfield recorded their first hit in the fifth with Julio Rodriguez’s first home run of the season. However, by the end of the sixth, the Cardinals were trailing 15-1.
NO HIT NO MORE!
Julio Rodriguez puts the Cardinals on the board with a solo HR to deep center!#SGFCardinals@budweiserusa x #BudweiserUSA pic.twitter.com/RgeNXIqdM2
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) April 24, 2022
The Cardinals tried to mount a comeback in the last three innings. Malcolm Nunez hit his first homer of the year to close the deficit to 15-3.
That's a @MattKoperniak 2-run base hit to cut the Drillers' lead to 9 in the bottom of the 8th 💪💪💪#SGFCardinals@budweiserusa x #BudweiserUSA pic.twitter.com/rNubXezWfg
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) April 24, 2022
In the eighth, Irving Lopez, Matt Koperniak and Nunez all recorded RBI singles to make it 15-7. Irving Lopez recorded his second RBI in the ninth, but it was too little, too late.
http://thecardinalnation.com/player/makcom-nunez/
Nunez and Lopez recorded the only multi-hit performances, each with two. Nunez had three RBI and Lopez and Koperniak drove in two.
Sunday’s game: vs. Tulsa, LHP Garrett Williams (0-1, 5.59) vs. RHP Bobby Miller (0-0, 1.93) 1:35 CT
The Peoria Chiefs (7-7) fell to the Cedar Rapids Kernels (MIN, 11-3) on Saturday at Perfect Game Field.
Peoria starter Austin Love went 5 2/3 innings and was charged with five runs on seven hits and one walk. The right hander struck out seven and took the loss. Nathanael Heredia pitched 1 1/3 innings and yielded one hit and one walk with two strikeouts. Colin Schmid threw the final inning and was charged with one run on two hits.
The Chiefs got on the board in the first after Jacob Buchberger drove in Mack Chambers. Cedar Rapids responded with a run in the home half.
Mike Antico’s first homerun of the season is a solo moon shot that pushes the Chiefs ahead 2-1! pic.twitter.com/qcqGc5VfYC
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) April 23, 2022
Mike Antico hit his first home run of the year in the third. The Kernels responded again with a run to tie the game 2-2.
In the fourth, Francisco Hernandez scored Thomas Francisco. The Chiefs bats went quiet after the fourth inning with just two hits in the final five innings.
Buchberger was 3-for-4 and Hernandez was 2-for-4. The Chiefs scored three runs on eight hits and were 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Sunday’s Game: at Cedar Rapids, RHP Logan Gragg (0-0, 3.00) vs. LHP Aaron Rozek (2-0, 1.80) 2:05 CT
The Palm Beach Cardinals (6-8) topped the Lakeland Flying Tigers (DET, 6-8) at Publix Field on Saturday.
The Flying Tigers struck early with one run in the first but Palm Beach responded with a two-run home run from Sander Mora in the third. Osvaldo Tobalin recorded a RBI single in the fifth to increase the lead to 3-1.
Right hander Zane Mills started for the Beach Birds. He threw seven innings and yielded two runs, one earned, on seven hits and one walk. The 21-year-old recorded the win.
In the eighth, Franklin Soto scored on a balk and Tyler Reichenborn plated one on a fielder’s choice. Soto scored two more in the ninth with an RBI single to make it 7-3.
Andre Granillo recorded the save for the Cardinals. He pitched the final two innings and gave up a solo home run, his only hit given up. The right hander struck out five.
Mora stole two bags and recorded two RBI. Soto also plated two. Hansel Otamendi and Tovalin each had two hits.
Sunday’s game: at Lakeland RHP Carlos Guarate (0-0, 1.64) vs. TBA 12:00 CT
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