photo: Juan Yepez (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system was 1-4 on Wednesday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day Juan Yepez hit two three-run home runs in Memphis’ shutout win. Other standouts include Gordon Graceffo and Luis Pino.
Results for games played on Wednesday, August 16.
The Memphis Redbirds blanked the Tides in a 10-run home blowout on Wednesday. Starter Gordon Graceffo pitched five scoreless innings, allowed two hits, struck out six and walked three. Graceffo earned his fourth win of the season.
Connor Thomas relieved Graceffo and threw four scoreless innings.
Memphis struck in the first inning on a three-run home run by Juan Yepez. The Redbirds added six runs in the second for a 9-0 lead. Juniel Querecuto and Kramer Robertson singled. Querecuto scored on a throwing error. Masyn Winn drew a walk. Richie Palacios singled to plate Robertson. Winn came home on a single by Ivan Herrera. Yepez followed with another three-run home run.
YEPEZ AGAIN!!! HIS SECOND THREE-RUN BOMB OF THE GAME pic.twitter.com/nafK8RTxFB
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 17, 2023
Memphis added a final run in the sixth. Kramer Robertson walked and later scored on a double by Herrera.
Yepez was 2-for-4 with six RBI and two runs scored. Herrera was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Palacios was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
The Memphis Redbirds (19-22) are 6.5 games out of first place in the International League West.
Thursday’s game: vs. Norfolk, RHP Adam Kloffenstein vs. RHP Justin Armbruster 6:45 CT.
The Springfield Cardinals lost at the Wichita Wind Surge by the score of 5-1 on Wednesday. Starter Connor Lunn pitched six innings, gave up four runs on six hits, struck out six and walked two. Lunn took the loss.
Ryan Shreve relieved Lunn and threw a scoreless seventh. Matt Svanson surrendered an insurance run in the eighth.
Wichita took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. They added two runs in the second and one in the third to go up 4-0.
Springfield was held scoreless until the seventh, when Thomas Saggese hit a solo home run to shrink the lead to 4-1. The Cardinals had been no hit before the long ball.
When the no-hitter is broken up by a Thomas Saggese home run 🤩 pic.twitter.com/bhn7sJjWt3
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 17, 2023
The Wind Surge made it 5-1 in the eighth.
The Cardinals offense scored one run on four hits. Saggese’s home run was the only extra base hit. They were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left four men on base.
On the base paths, Mike Antico was caught stealing for the fifth time. Errol Robinson was picked off first base.
In the Texas League North, the Springfield Cardinals (20-21) are in third place, 1.5 games out of first place.
Thursday’s game: at Wichita, RHP Brandon Komar (3-6, 4.70) vs. Aaron Rozek LHP (2-3, 6.11) 7:05 CT.
Peoria 1 at Lake County 5 (seven innings, Game 1)
The Chiefs fell to the Lake County Captains in the opener of a twin bill on Wednesday. It was required to make up for Tuesday’s rainout.
Starter Inohan Paniagua pitched five innings, gave up four runs on six hits, struck out six and walked two. Paniagua took the loss.
Edwin Nunez relieved Paniagua and surrendered one run in the sixth.
Peoria scored their only run in the top of the fourth on a solo home run by R.J. Yeager. Lake County tied the game in the home half of the fourth.
THE Y IN YEAGER STANDS FOR YICKETTY 💥
R.J. YEAGER SENDS ONE OUT TO PUT THE CHIEFS UP 1-0 IN THE T4❕ pic.twitter.com/0uyMBFb5cU
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) August 16, 2023
In the fifth, the Captains took the lead with three runs to go ahead 4-1. They scored their fifth and final run in the sixth.
The Chiefs scored one run on two hits. In addition to the Yeager long ball, Jimmy Crooks singled. The offense was 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left three men on base.
On the base paths, Jeremy Rivas stole his 16th base of the season. Tyler Reichenborn was caught stealing.
In the field, Brody Moore made a fielding error. Paniagua picked a runner off second base.
Peoria 0 at Lake County 2 (seven innings, Game 2)
The Chiefs were blanked by the Captains by a 2-0 score in Wednesday’s nightcap. Starter Edgar Manzo pitched 4 2/3 innings, gave up two unearned runs on one hit, struck out one and walked one. Manzo took the loss.
Joseph King relieved Manzo and tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Lake County scored their two runs in the fifth inning. The Peoria offense was held scoreless and scattered four hits, all singles. The offense was 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base.
Nathan Church and Brody Moore were both 2-for-3.
On the basepaths, Alex ladisernia stole his 11th base of the season. Church was picked off second base.
In the field, R.J. Yeager had a missed catch error. Francisco Hernandez made a throwing error.
The Peoria Chiefs (25-19) sit in second place in the Midwest League West, 2.5 games back of first place.
Thursday’s games: at Lake County, Max Rajcic RHP (2-3, 3.12) vs. Parker Messick LHP (1-3, 5.03) 6:00 CT.
Palm Beach vs. Fort Myers (suspended)
This game at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches against the Mighty Mussels (MIN) was suspended due to heavy rain in the top of the fifth with the Cardinals leading 5-4. It will be completed on Thursday afternoon August 17 as part of a doubleheader.
The Palm Beach Cardinals (19-22) are in second place in the Florida State League East.
Thursday’s games: vs. Fort Myers, TBA vs. TBA 2:45 CT (Game 1, completion of suspended game), vs. Fort Myers, TBA (PB) vs. Jack Noble RHP (0-2, 3.26) (Game 2, seven innings)
FCL Cardinals 7, FCL Nationals 9 (seven innings)
The Florida Complex League Cardinals were defeated by the Nationals by two runs on Wednesday at home. Starter Gerardo Salas pitched four innings, gave up three runs, one earned, on six hits, struck out four and walked one.
Wilmer Ortega relieved Salas and surrendered five runs, one earned, in two innings and took the loss. Samuel Fabian relinquished one unearned run in the seventh.
The Nationals took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. They added a run in the top of the third.
The Cardinals put up five runs in the home half of the third to take a 5-3 lead. Adari Grant singled. Felix Taveras walked. Jose Cordoba singled to score Grant. Taveras and Cordoba came home on a double by Luis Pino. Samil De La Rosa hit a two-run home run.
The Cardinals increased their lead to 7-3 in the fourth. Taveras tripled and scored on an error. Cordoba doubled and came home on a single by Pino.
The Nationals came back with four runs in the fifth to tie the game. They added one run in the sixth and one in the seventh to win 9-7.
Pino was 2-for-3 with three RBI. De La Rosa was 2-for-2 with two RBI. Cordoba was 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
On the base paths, De La Rosa was caught stealing.
In the field, the Cardinals had a rough day. De La Rosa and Fabian each made a throwing error. Raul Guzman and Grant had fielding miscues. Luis Rodriguez made an error on a pick off. Cordoba had an outfield assist at home plate.
In the Florida Complex League East, the Cardinals (17-30) are in last place, 12 games back of first. They have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Thursday’s game: at FCL Nationals, RHP Darlin Saladin (2-4, 3.19) vs. TBA 9:00 am CT.
DSL Cardinals – Off
In the Dominican Summer League South, the Cardinals (16-33) are in seventh place, 23 games back of first. The Cardinals have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Thursday’s game: vs. DSL Giants Orange, TBA vs. TBA 10:00 am CT.
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