Cardinals Minor League Notebook – August 23, 2019

photo: Alvaro Seijas (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

On Thursday, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 5-3. Player of the Day Alvaro Seijas spun seven shutout innings for Palm Beach. Justin Williams’ three hits, including a home run and five RBI led Memphis to another win.

Results from games played Thursday, August 22nd.


Memphis 14 vs. Round Rock 2

Justin Williams (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Redbirds scored in six of eight frames in their 14-2 decimation of Round Rock.  After dropping game one Memphis (62-67) won the final three games of the home series and are in second-place in the American Northern Division standings, seven games in back of Iowa (CHC) with an elimination number of five.

The balanced offensive effort featured all nine starters with at least one of the team’s 17 hits.  They were spearheaded by Justin Williams, who went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run that was one of five bombs launched by the Redbirds.  The right fielder doubled, touched home twice and drove in five.

Six of Williams’ teammates had two hits each:  Randy Arozarena, Dylan Carlson, John Nogowski, Andrew Knizner, Edmundo Sosa and Adolis Garcia.  Arozarena, Carlson, Nogowski and Knizner all went yard with Arozarena tripling and Garcia doubling with his 14th stolen base.  Carlson has now hit safely in all eight of his Triple-A contests, including seven consecutive multi-hit performances.

Seth Elledge was credited with the win, his third in four decisions, despite his permitting a run on three hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings.  Elledge pitched in relief of Chris Ellis, who lasted just seven outs when the right-hander was ejected by the home plate umpire after hitting a batter.  Ellis issued three free passes and gave up one run, which scored with Elledge on the mound.

Chasen Shreve used four strikeouts to negate three walks in two innings before giving way to Kodi Whitley.  Whitley retired all four batters faced, stranding three inherited runners, before Zac Rosscup pitched out of a bases-loaded jam of his own doing in the ninth on two hits and a base-on-balls.

Friday’s game:  vs. fourth-place Omaha (55-73) (KC), 7:05 pm CT, Austin Warner (3-2, 6.38)


Springfield 8 vs. Frisco 4

Brian O’Keefe (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Five fifth-inning tallies lifted the S-Cards over the RoughRiders in the decisive third game of the home series, 8-4.  Third-place Springfield (28-31) trails Tulsa (LAD) by five games in the North Division standings with an elimination number of seven.

The Cardinals banged out nine hits, paced by Brian O’Keefe who went 3-for-5 with two RBIs.  Juan Yepez and Conner Capel both went 2-for-4, with Yepez blasting a two-run long ball, his first Double-A home run, scoring twice and knocking in two while Capel drove in one.

Angel Rondon (W, 6-4) held Frisco (28-30) (TEX) to a run on three hits and a hit batsman over six innings before tiring in the seventh.  The righty served up a lead-off home run and double to his first two batters then exited.

Jacob Patterson walked one in the seventh and allowed Rondon’s last runner to score.  Roel Ramirez and Bryan Dobzanski each went an inning, with Ramirez issuing two free passes and Dobzanski surrendering a solo shot.

Friday’s game:  at Midland (30-29) (OAK), 7:00 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (6-6, 5.35)


Palm Beach 3 vs. Bradenton 0

Alvaro Seijas (St. Louis Cardinals)

Alvaro Seijas and Luken Baker powered the Beach Birds to a 3-0 victory over Bradenton (32=30) (PIT).  Palm Beach (21-39) took the series, two games to one, but has been eliminated from post-season play.

Baker got his team on the board in the third with a two-run bomb, the first of his two hits in four at bats.  The home run came with Chase Pinder (walk) aboard and was the first baseman’s ninth long ball of 2019.  Baker also banged out his 30th double.

Nolan Gorman went 2-for-4 as well, tripling with an RBI.  Scott Hurst reached base twice, doubling in three at bats with a walk and run scored.

Seijas (W, 4-1) scattered six hits, a walk and two plunked batters over seven scoreless frames.  Patrick Dayton and Ramon Santos both went an inning, with Dayton striking out three and Santos two for his second save.

Friday’s game:  vs. Fort Myers (32-28) (MIN), 6:30 pm ET/5:30 pm CT, TBA


Peoria 2 vs. Quad Cities 1

Imeldo Diaz (Palm Beach Cardinals)

Imeldo Diaz drove in the winning run in the eighth as the Chiefs slipped past the River Bandits, 2-1, at Dozer Park.  Peoria (19-40) has taken the first two of the three-game series but has been eliminated from post-season contention.

Diaz’ two-out single drove in Brendan Donovan after the latter doubled in the eighth.  Both players went 2-for-4 with Diaz driving in both of his team’s scores.  A single by Wadye Infante accounted for the Chiefs’ final hit.

A trio of Peoria hurlers limited Quad Cities to a tally on seven hits.  Logan Gragg fanned five in four innings, blanking his opponents on two hits and two walks.

Wilfredo Pereira was charged with a run on five hits and a free pass over 4 2/3 frames for his first full-season win.  Sebastian Tabata struck out his only batter, leaving Pereira’s last two runners aboard, for his fifth save.

Friday’s game:  vs. Quad Cities (32-27) (HOU), 6:35 pm CT, Parker Kelly (3-4, 3.51)


State College 5 at Batavia 9

Stanley Espinal (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Spikes’ bullpen could not hold a late lead, resulting in a 9-5 road loss to the Muckdogs in the series road opener.  Third-place State College (33-32) is three games behind Batavia in the Pinckney Division standings.

The Spikes led 4-2 at the eighth’s midpoint but seven runs off Jacob Schlesener (L, 2-6) (BS, 2) in the home half of the frame left the Spikes trailing 9-4.  Six of the seven tallies were earned, coming on five hits and a base-on-balls, including a two-run long ball, over 2 1/3 frames.  Jack Ralston struck out both batters faced to finish the eighth.

Schlesener and Ralston pitched in relief of Adrian Mardueno, who surrendered a two-run bomb comprising one of three hits and a base-on-balls yielded over five innings.

The offense mustered 12 hits, all singles, led by David Vinsky and Stanley Espinal who had three apiece.  Both players scored one and drove in another, with Espinal going a perfect 3-for-3 with two walks.

Friday’s game:  at first-place Batavia (36-29) (MIA), 7:05 pm ET/6:05 pm CT, Junior Gonzalez (3-4, 6.75)


Elizabethton 14 at Johnson City 4

Victor Garcia (Robert Kell photo)

Quality pitching was in short supply in the JC-Cards’ 14-4 loss to Elizabethton for a split of the two-game series.  Johnson City (32-30) remains atop the West Division standings, a half of a game ahead of Bristol – whom the Appy Birds face next – two in front of Kingston (NYM) and 2 ½ up on Elizabethton (29-32) (MIN).

While three of the four Johnson City pitchers were scored upon, the bulk of the damage came against starter Luis Ortiz (L, 0-4), who gave up nine runs, seven earned, on nine hits and a walk in two plus innings.  His last three runners scored under Alex Gallegos’ watch, with the righty surrendering a grand slam that was one of six hits and a base-on-balls permitted in three frames.

Enrique Perez tossed the next 2 1/3 innings, walking three and joining Ortiz and Gallegos by hitting a batter.  Both of the tallies charged to the lefty scored with Wilberto Rivera on the mound.  Rivera, who inherited a bases-loaded/one-out mess, walked in the first run then allowed the second run to score on a force out but was not scored upon himself in 1 2/3 frames.

Johnson City generated just four hits, including a solo shot by left fielder Victor Garcia, who reached base twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Friday’s game:  vs. second-place Bristol (31-30) (PIT), 6:30 pm ET/5:30 pm CT, Julio Puello (3-4, 5.80)


GCL Cardinals 3 at GCL Marlins 9

The fifth-place Cardinals were easily handled by the first-place Marlins on Thursday, 9-3.  It was the third straight loss for the GCL Cardinals (20-29), just 3-7 over their last 10 games.

Nathanael Heredia (L, 5-3) lasted just seven outs, yielding six runs, five earned, on five hits, a base-on-balls and a plunked batter.  Martin Cordova retired another seven batters, permitting three tallies on five hits, two walks and a hit batsman.  Luis Tena held the GCL Marlins (27-19) scoreless on one hit over the last 3 1/3 frames.

The offense managed just four hits but worked six free passes and scored two unearned runs on consecutive Marlins miscues.  Franklin Soto and Jean Selmo were the only Cardinals to reach base more than once, with both players singling and scoring with a base-on-balls.

Friday’s game:  vs. GCL Nationals (23-23), 10:00 am ET/9:00 am CT, Anthony Green (1-1, 4.62)


DSL Cardinals Blue 8 vs. DSL Twins 6

Darlin Moquete

The C-Blue scored early and often, then held on for an 8-6 home victory over the Twins.  The second-place DSL Cardinals Blue (41-21) control their own fate with a Friday showdown at the first-place Rockies whom they trail by a half-game with two games remaining.

The visitors broke on top first with three runs off Wilmer Ortega (W, 5-0), but the Cardinals Blue answered with eight tallies over the initial four innings.  Darlin Moquete was on fire, going 4-for-5 with a three-run home run comprising part of his two runs scored and four RBIs.  The center fielder also swiped his 23rd base of the season.

Gustavo A. Rodriguez and Luis Rodriguez had two of the team’s 12 hits, with Gustavo singling and doubling in three at bats with a walk and run scored.  Batting right behind Gustavo in the six spot, Luis Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a triple, touched home once and knocked in one, but was unsuccessful in his only stolen base attempt.  Catcher Jesus Orecchia reached base three times, doubling in two at bats with two walks and two runs scored.

After giving up three first-inning tallies, Ortega shut down the Twins (23-40) over the next four frames, allowing three hits and three walks in all plus hitting a batter.  Allinson Benitez pitched the next three innings, yielding a run on three hits and two free passes issued.

Benjamin Arias retired just one of six batters faced, allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits and two walks.  Cristoffer Zapata worked out of a bases-loaded jam, retiring both batters for his sixth save.

Friday’s game:  at DSL Rockies (42-21), 10:30 am ET/9:30 am CT, Gustavo J. Rodriguez (4-1, 1.83)


DSL Cardinals Red – off

The Cardinals Red (31-38) are riding a six-game winning streak that has pulled them from eighth (and last) place to sixth in the San Pedro Division standings.  It is all about pride by now for the C-Red, who are a game behind the Mets2 with two contests remaining.

Friday’s game:  vs. fourth-place DSL Brewers (35-35), 10:30 am ET/9:30 am CT, Henry Gomez (1-1, 4.39)


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