photo: Chen-Wei Lin (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 1-3 on Thursday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Springfield RH Chen-Wei Lin, pitched four scoreless relief innings with three strikeouts. Other standouts: Colton Ledbetter, Nolan Gorman, Tanner Franklin, Rainiel Rodriguez, Jalin Flores and Trevor Condon.
Results for games played on Thursday, August 20, 2026.
Memphis Redbirds 4, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 8
A ninth-inning rally by the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp put a loss on the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds at AutoZone Park on Thursday.
Mason Molina made his eighth start for Memphis. The left-hander threw 2 ⅔ innings and allowed three runs on three hits, three walks and three strikeouts.
Jared Shuster struck out two over two scoreless innings in relief of Molina. Matt Svanson followed with 1 ⅓ shutout frames. Skylar Hales fanned two across two scoreless innings. Asked to protect a one-run lead, position player Noah Mendlinger made his first professional pitching appearance in the ninth and gave up five runs, taking the blown save and the loss.
Memphis struck first with a run in the first inning. Colton Ledbetter hit a leadoff home run, his 11th of 2026.
LEDBETTER LEADOFF @LennysSubs LONGBALL!#LennysLongball
📺: @MatrixMidwest pic.twitter.com/VnBl2JHxTc
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 21, 2026
Jacksonville plated three runs in the top of the third to move ahead 3-1.
Memphis moved within a run in the home half of the frame as Nolan Gorman launched his 13th home run of the year with the Redbirds, a solo blast.
GORMAN 400+ FEET TO RIGHT FOR A @LennysSubs LONGBALL!#LennysLongball
📺: @MatrixMidwest pic.twitter.com/xHTi5zoO1I
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 21, 2026
The Redbirds tied the game at 3-3 in the sixth. Thomas Saggese lined a single and wound up at third due to a fielding error from the left fielder. César Prieto brought Saggese home via a sacrifice fly.
The Redbirds reclaimed the lead at 4-3 in the home eighth. Ledbetter walked and stole second base. Prieto grounded a two-out single to score Ledbetter.
Prieto delivers!!!
BIRDS LEAD!!!
📺: @MatrixMidwest pic.twitter.com/x9Gp1eNlda
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 21, 2026
Jacksonville rallied for five runs in the ninth to move ahead 8-4. Memphis was unable to answer.
The Redbirds scored four runs on four hits. Prieto singled and notched two RBI. Ledbetter walked, scored twice, and hit a lead-off home run. Gorman belted a solo home run. Saggese singled and scored a run. Ramon Mendoza and Bligh Madris each drew two walks.
On the bases, Ledbetter stole his 21st bag of the year. Madris was caught stealing second base.
On defense, pitcher Shuster picked a runner off first base. The Redbirds turned two double plays.
Memphis is 20-27 in the second half and 67-56 overall.
Friday’s game: vs. Jacksonville. RHP Brandt Thompson (5-3, 4.73) vs. RHP Bradley Blalock (3-8, 5.58) 7:05 PM CT.
Springfield Cardinals 3 at Arkansas Travelers 2 (10 innings)
The Double-A Springfield Cardinals won in extra innings for their third consecutive win over the Arkansas Travelers in Thursday’s road contest
Tanner Franklin started his third game for Springfield. The right-hander pitched six innings and allowed two runs on four hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts.
Tanner Franklin was on his game tonight: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K pic.twitter.com/ifhZKhYuOo
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 21, 2026
Chen-Wei Lin fired four scoreless innings on three hits with three strikeouts in relief of Franklin to finish the game and pick up his sixth win.
The Cardinals opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning. With two outs, Won-Bin Cho lined a single. Deniel Ortiz followed with a double to plate Cho.
RBI Double Deniel Ortiz! Springfield wastes no time. pic.twitter.com/kamYB61hwa
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 21, 2026
Arkansas tied the game in the second.
Springfield immediately regained the lead with a run in the third as Rainiel Rodriguez swatted his 15th home run of the season, a solo shot.
Rainiel Rodriguez's age 19 season continues to amaze! 15th homer of the year for St. Louis' top prospect. pic.twitter.com/Bi5g0Mpmfp
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 21, 2026
The Travelers tied the game 2-2 in the home third. There was no scoring in the next six innings to force extras.
The Cardinals took their third lead of the game in the top of the 10th. Zach Levenson began at second base and moved to third on a flyout. Levenson crossed home plate on a Josiah Ragsdale sacrifice fly for a 3-2 Springfield advantage.
Lin kept the Travelers off the board in the 10th to seal the win.
The Cardinals scored three runs on nine hits. Rodriguez hit a home run. Ortiz doubled and drove in a run. Ragsdale recorded an RBI. Levenson was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Harris went 2-for-4 with a double. Trey Paige hit a double.
The Cardinals did not steal a base or commit an error.
Springfield is 30-18 in the second half and 61-55 overall.
Friday’s game: at Arkansas. RHP Daniel Eagen (5-10, 4.71) vs. TBA. 7:05 PM CT.
Peoria Chiefs 2 at Lansing Lugnuts 8
The High-A Peoria Chiefs were held hitless with runners in scoring position in Thursday’s road loss to the Lansing Lugnuts. The Chiefs‘ sixth consecutive defeat tied their team high for the season.
Ty Van Dyke started for Peoria. The right-hander tossed 3 ⅔ innings and allowed eight runs, five earned, on nine hits, two walks and four strikeouts, taking the loss.
Bobby Olsen struck out two across 2 ⅓ scoreless innings in relief of Van Dyke. Liam Best followed with a scoreless seventh. Trey Pooser fired a shutout eighth without allowing a hit.
Lansing jumped out to a 6-0 lead after three innings.
Peoria entered the run column in the top of the fourth. Jalin Flores crushed his 17th home run of the year, a solo blast.
Jalin Flores elevates and celebrates!
His 17th homer marks his 💯th hit of 2026! pic.twitter.com/vxMAcO10mF
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) August 21, 2026
The Lugnuts added two runs in the home fourth to extend their lead to 8-1.
The Chiefs plated a run in the sixth. Brayden Smith singled and moved to third on a Sammy Hernandez double. Caden Ferraro brought Smith home on a groundout.
The Chiefs were held to just two baserunners over the final three innings in the loss.
Peoria scored two runs on five hits. Flores hit a home run. Smith was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Hernandez walked and hit a double. Ryan Weingartner doubled. Ferraro tallied an RBI.
On the basepaths, Hernandez was picked off first base.
On defense, third baseman Weingartner committed a fielding error. Catcher Cade McGee was charged with a passed ball. Ferraro nailed a runner at third base from left field.
Peoria is 23-27 in the second half and 55-61 overall.
Friday’s game: at Lansing. LHP Brandon Clarke (0-0, 4.70) vs. RHP Jose Dicochea (1-1, 3.73) 6:05 PM CT.
Palm Beach Cardinals 1, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 8
Following a rain delay, the Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals were held to just three hits and dropped Thursday’s contest at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.
Gabriel Chinchilla started his third game in his sixth appearance for Palm Beach. The right-hander threw 3 ⅔ innings and allowed one run on two hits, two walks and seven strikeouts.
All three Beach Birds relievers allowed multiple runs. Alan Reyes gave up three runs, two earned, over two innings and took the loss. JR Fordham yielded two runs across two innings. Kaden Echeman gave up two runs, one earned, in the final 1 ⅓ frames.
Fort Myers began the scoring with a run in the second inning.
Palm Beach tied the game in the home fourth. Springfield rehabber Travis Honeyman was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a Trevor Condon single. Condon and Honeyman advanced on a groundout. Sebastian Dos Santos brought Honeyman home on a sacrifice fly.
The Mighty Mussels scored three runs in the fifth, two in the sixth, and two in the ninth to take an 8-1 lead. The Cardinals were unable to answer in the lopsided loss.
Palm Beach scored one run on three hits, all singles. Condon was 2-for-4. Trevor Haskins collected a hit. Dos Santos walked and drove in a run. Honeyman scored. The lineup drew just one walk and struck out 10 times.
On the bases, Haskins swiped his 20th bag of the year. Condon recorded his second career steal with a snag of third base.
On defense, right fielder Frias committed a fielding error. Shortstop Miguel Hernández and catcher Jayden Lobliner each made a throwing error.
Palm Beach is 25-26 in the second half and 58-59 overall.
Friday’s game: vs. Fort Myers. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 PM CT.
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