Cardinals Minor League Notebook – April 27, 2019

photo: Brady Whalen (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 4-1 on Friday. Our Players of the Day are Peoria first baseman Brady Whalen and third baseman Nolan Gorman, who combined for seven hits, including three home runs, and 11 RBI across a doubleheader sweep. Memphis and Springfield both logged wins.

Results for games played Friday, April 26.


Memphis 7 at Omaha 3

Rangel Ravelo (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Redbirds blew past the Storm Chasers with a late inning comeback in Omaha on Friday.  The Memphis offense was held scoreless until the sixth, when, behind 2-0, Drew Robinson reached on a fielding error and made it all the way to third base.  John Nogowski followed with a sac fly.

Memphis took a 4-2 lead in the seventh inning on a three-run home run by Rangel Ravelo.  Max Schrock and Francisco Pena had reached base ahead of Ravelo on a single and walk.  Omaha answered with a run in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to 4-3.

In the eighth, Andrew Knizner singled and Adolis Garcia hit a two-run blast to left to increase the Redbirds lead to 6-2. Memphis added a run in the ninth, as Ravelo led off with a walk and later scored on Robinson’s double to left.  Robinson and Schrock each had two hits.  Ravelo drove in three runs, and Garcia plated two.

Starter Austin Gomber tossed six innings and gave up two unearned runs on three hits.  The lefty fanned eight and walked four.  Ryan Meisinger yielded a run in the seventh before Jesus Cruz got the final out of the inning. He returned to pitch a scoreless eighth.  Chris Beck hurled a run-free ninth.

Schrock stole his third base of the season.  Edmundo Sosa was caught stealing for the first in 2019.  The Redbirds made two errors, as Ramon Urias and Schrock each had a throwing miscue.

Memphis is 12-9 on the season and in second place in the PCL American North, 1.5 games behind the Iowa Cubs.

Saturday’s game:  at Omaha, Jake Woodford (1-0, 1.16) 7:05 CT.


Springfield 3, Frisco 2

Williams Perez (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals edged the Rough Riders at Hammons Field on Friday.  Starter Williams Perez pitched seven innings, giving up one run on four hits while striking out seven and walking three.  Merandy Gonzalez surrendered a run in the eighth and was replaced with one out by Jacob Patterson, who induced a double play to end the inning without further damage.  Connor Jones tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his first save and preserve the win for Patterson.

Springfield was held scoreless until the fifth inning when Chris Chinea led off with a solo home run to center.

In the bottom of the eighth, Shane Billings singled and scored on a double by Kramer Robertson.  Robertson came home on Dylan Carlson’s double.  Carlson went 2-for-4 in the game and stole his second base of the season.

The Cardinals are 8-14 and in last place in the Texas League North.

Saturday’s game:  vs. Frisco, Evan Kruczynski (0-1, 10.90) 6:10 CT.


Palm Beach 3 at Fort Myers 4

Luken Baker (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinals lost a close contest in Fort Myers on Friday.  Palm Beach fell behind 4-0 and tried to play catch up in the last two innings.  In the eighth, Yariel Gonzalez reached base with a single to center before Luken Baker’s two-run home run to left cut the lead in half. It was the first baseman’s first long ball in 2019.

In the ninth, Jose Martinez, Rayder Ascanio, and Julio Rodriguez each drew a walk.  With the bases loaded, Gonzalez’ sacrifice double play enabled Martinez to score.  That would be the final run as the Cardinals went down in defeat, 4-3.

Starter Edgar Gonzalez went three innings and gave up all four runs, three earned, on four hits.  The right hander struck out four and walked four.  Ronnie Williams pitched a scoreless fourth.

In the fifth, events led to the ejection of Cardinals relief pitcher C.J Saylor and manager Dann Bilardello.  As Palm Beach center fielder Chase Pinder grounded out to first base, a collision with Fort Myers’ first baseman took both players out of the game with arm injuries, and the benches cleared.  Then Saylor hit the first batter he faced in the bottom half of the inning.  After Saylor was ejected, Ben Yokley took over and pitched two scoreless innings of relief.  Junior Fernandez followed with two more scoreless innings.  Gonzalez took the loss.

There were two Cardinal errors as Baker made a throwing miscue and catcher Rodriguez made a bad throw on a pickoff attempt.

The Cardinals are 16-6 on the season and in first place in the Florida State League South.

Saturday’s game:  at Fort Myers, TBA 5:00 CT.


Peoria 7 at Beloit 0 (seven innings, Game 1 doubleheader)

Diego Cordero (Peoria Chiefs)

In the first game of Friday’s road doubleheader, the Chiefs blanked the Snappers, 7-0.  The long ball featured prominently in the victory.  In the first inning, Brady Whalen hit a three run home run following a single by Brandon Riley and a walk to Nolan Gorman.

In the third, Lars Nootbaar singled, Riley walked, and Gorman added his own a three run home run to right center.  6-0 Chiefs.

Whalen thumped his second home run of the game, a solo shot, in the fifth.

Starter Diego Cordero tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit, fanning nine and walking three.  Fabian Blanco secured the final two outs of the seventh.  Cordero earned his second win of the season.


Peoria 9 at Beloit 3 (seven innings, Game 2 doubleheader)

Brady Whalen (Peoria Chiefs)

In Game 2 of the twin bill, it was again Whalen and Gorman who provided significant offense in the 9-3 win over Beloit, joined by Lars Nootbaar and his grand slam.  Whalen drove in the first run, plating Brandon Riley on a single after Riley doubled.

The Chiefs had their big outburst in the fourth.  Gorman led off with a solo home run to right.  Leandro Cedeno singled, Alexis Wilson walked, and Wadye Ynfante singled.  With the bases loaded, Delvin Perez singled and Cedeno scored.  Nootbaar then blasted a grand slam to right field.

Nolan Gorman (Peoria Chiefs)

In the sixth, Nootbaar drew a walk and Riley doubled.  Gorman singled and Nootbaar scored.  Whalen followed with a single that plated Riley.  Gorman and Whalen each had two hits and two RBI.  Riley had three hits.  Nootbaar drove in four.

Starter Jacob Schlesener pitched four innings, giving up three runs, two earned, on four hits while fanning six and walking one.  Thomas St. Clair followed with two scoreless innings and was the winning pitcher.  Edgar Escobar tossed a scoreless seventh.

Gorman stole his first base of the season.  The third baseman also committed a fielding error, as did Perez at shortstop.  Riley stole his third base of the season.

The Chiefs are 8-13 and in last place in the Midwest League West.

Saturday’s game:  at Beloit, Kyle Leahy (0-1, 5.06) 4:00 CT.


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