Cardinals Minor League Notebook: April 25, 2018

photo: John Nogowski (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The hitting of John Nogowski and pitching of Ryan Helsley sparked Springfield to a Tuesday win. The St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-2 as Palm Beach split a doubleheader, Peoria lost and Memphis was off.

Results from the games played Tuesday, April 24th.


Memphis – off

After a day off to recharge from their seven-game road trip, Memphis (15-4) hosts two teams with diametrically different records. The Redbirds begin with an opportunity to feast on last-place Round Rock (TEX) in a rare five-game series before taking on Oklahoma City (LAD), leaders of the American Southern Division.

Wednesday’s game: vs. Round Rock (6-13), 6:35 pm CT, Daniel Poncedeleon (1-1, 1.06)


Springfield 3 vs. Northwest Arkansas 1

Ryan Helsley (Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports)

Starter Ryan Helsley and first baseman John Nogowski keyed the S-Cards’ 3-1 victory over the Naturals at Hammons Field on Tuesday. Springfield (9-8) has taken the first two games with two yet to play.

Co-Player Player of the Day Helsley (W, 1-1) hurled six strong frames, striking out eight with seven ground- and one fly-ball outs. Two of the four hits permitted during that span came in the second, resulting in Northwest Arkansas’ only tally. The right-hander issued one free pass.

Nogowski, our other Player of the Day, drove in two of the three tallies, both times knocking in third baseman Ramon Urias. His first RBI came via a sac fly that brought Urias (single) across home, knotting the game at 1-1 after four. The first baseman strode to the plate in the sixth with Urias (hit-by-pitch) on second and two gone. Nogowski stroked a go-ahead single to left, bringing Urias in again. Right fielder Victor Roache’s second triple of the season drove in Nogowski.

Wednesday’s game: vs. Northwest Arkansas (6-11) (KC), 11:10 am CT, Conner Greene (2-1, 2.63)


Palm Beach 5 vs. Jupiter 4 (7) – Game 1

Jupiter 3 at Palm Beach 0 (7) – Game 2

Evan Mendoza (State College Spikes)

Palm Beach (10-9) split a pair with Jupiter, taking game one, 5-4, but dropping the second stanza, 3-0. The extra game made up Monday’s postponement.

In the opener, starter Evan Kruczynski claimed his second win against no losses by tossing five frames of one run, six hits and two walks ball. He fanned five.

Reliever Jesus Cruz worked around a two-out double in the sixth but could not match that feat the next inning. Cruz yielded three runs on two singles and a walk. His final runner crossed under Yeison Medina’s watch. Medina (S, 1) allowed an RBI double to his first batter faced before recording the game’s last two outs.

Colton Thomson (The Cardinal Nation)

The Beach Birds trailed 1-0 after one but their fortunes were changed by a three-run fourth and two-run fifth. Two of the three fourth-inning tallies were generated by third baseman Evan Mendoza’s first bomb of 2018. Mendoza, one of seven PB-Cards with one hit apiece, touched home twice. Kramer Robertson, Stefan Trosclair and Johan Mieses all scored a run as well.

In the concluding contest, Palm Beach matched the Hammerheads’ five singles. But Jupiter grouped three hits around two free passes, resulting in a three-run second for the visitors. That was all of the offense yielded by starter Ian McKinney (L, 2-1) during his brief 1 2/3-inning stint.

Colton Thomson quieted the opposition’s bats over four strong frames, stranding two inherited runners. The southpaw struck out four with a hit and walk given up. Paul Balestrieri was touched for a hit while retiring four.

Wednesday’s games: vs. Jupiter (15-4) (MIA), 6:30 pm ET, TBA


Peoria 2 at Beloit 3

Jake Walsh (Johnson City Cardinals)

The Chiefs’ bullpen could not hold a late lead in their 3-2 defeat at Beloit. Peoria (8-8) has lost the first two of the four-game series.

The game remained scoreless until the visitors broke through for single scores in the sixth and seventh. Designated hitter Juan Yepez singled twice in four at bats with an RBI, the only Chief with more than one hit. But Yepez was nailed trying to steal home for the seventh’s last out. That was the second straight inning in which a Peoria player was thrown out at home.

Those runs placed starter Jake Walsh in position for his second win of 2018, as the Florida native was impressive over the initial six innings. Walsh limited Beloit to four singles and two walks while fanning seven.

But the lead evaporated after Cory Malcom (BS, 1) (L, 0-1) relieved Walsh. Malcom, who did not record an out, was charged with three runs on three hits and two free passes. Kodi Whitley kept the game close by leaving Malcom’s last two runners aboard. Whitley blanked the Snappers on one walk in two innings.

Wednesday’s game: at Beloit (7-6) (OAK), 6:30 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (1-1, 7.36)


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