Cardinals Minor League Notebook – August 24, 2018

photo: Evan Kruczynski (Palm Beach Cardinals)

St. Louis’ minors scored a rare system sweep on Thursday with all eight teams in action coming out on top.  Starter Evan Kruzczynski’s strong effort led Springfield to victory while Ramon Mendoza’s big day at the plate was key in the DSL Cardinals Blue’s vital win.

Results from the games played Thursday, August 23rd.


Memphis 5 at New Orleans 3

Patrick Wisdom (Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports)

The Redbirds downed the Baby Cakes, 5-3, salvaging the third and final series game and halting a four-game losing skid.  Memphis (77-52) reduced its magic number for clinching the American Southern Division to three and host second-place Nashville (OAK) in their upcoming four-game series.

Patrick Wisdom was successful in his return to the Redbirds’ line-up after being optioned from St Louis.  The third baseman’s 15th home run came with Ramon Urias (single) aboard and gave the visitors a 3-0 lead after three.  The bomb was Wisdom’s only hit in three at bats and one of the team’s nine hits overall.

Urias and Max Schrock each had two hits, with the first baseman singling twice in three at bats with a base-on-balls and two runs scored.  Schrock went 2-for-4 and touched home once.  Adolis Garcia got Memphis on the board with a solo shot, his 22nd long ball.

Chris Ellis tossed four strong frames, blanking New Orleans (64-64) (MIA) on four hits and a free pass with eight strikeouts.  Tyler Webb worked around two fifth-inning singles but yielded a tally the next frame on a lead-off double and RBI single.

Giovanny Gallegos let Webb’s final runner score via a double and sac fly plus one of his own before the fifth closed.  It was the first time the righty has been scored upon in nine appearances for Memphis.  Gallegos fanned three.  Andrew Morales was credited with the win, his second in five decisions, after tossing two scoreless innings.

Friday’s game:  vs. second-place Nashville (68-61) (OAK), 7:05 pm CT, Kevin Herget (8-10, 4.49)


Springfield 4 at Northwest Arkansas 3 (11 innings)

Evan Kruczynski (Andrew Miller/Palm Beach Cardinals)

It took 11 innings, but the S-Cards finally prevailed over the Naturals, 4-3.  Fourth-place Springfield (24-34) trails in the series, one game to two, and has an elimination number of four.

The visitors generated eight hits, with two apiece by Jeremy Martinez, Blake Drake and Andy Young.  Chris Chinea went yard with the bases empty, his only hit in four at bats, and scored the winning run on Martinez’ sac fly.  Springfield scored the first of three unearned runs in the ninth, knotting the game at two all to send it into extras.  Tommy Edman went 1-for-6 in his return from Memphis.

Co-Player of the Day Evan Kruczynski went seven innings for the fourth time in as many Springfield starts, holding the opposition scoreless on two hits and a walk through six before tiring.  The southpaw allowed two runs on a one-out walk, RBI double, single and sac fly in his final inning of work.

Derian Gonzalez held down the fort for two frames, giving up a hit and base-on-balls.  With the S-Cards taking a 3-2 lead in the 10th, Gonzalez was in line for first Triple-A win but Seth Elledge was unable to prevent the home team from scoring.  Elledge (BS, 2) (W, 2-1) permitted a sac bunt and RBI single that re-tired the game at 3-3 but worked around an 11th-inning base-on-balls to secure the victory.

Friday’s game:  at third-place Northwest Arkansas (28-30) (KC), 7:05 pm CT, Genesis Cabrera (0-2, 4.50)


Palm Beach 6 vs. Fort Myers 1

Michael Wacha (Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports)

Michael Wacha took a big step forward in his rehab as the Beach Birds flew past the Miracle, 6-1, in the decisive third game of the series.  The victory allowed third-place Palm Beach (30-29) to keep pace with Charlotte (TB), which they trail by 5 ½ in the South Division standings.

Making his second rehab start, Wacha limited second-place Fort Myers (34-25) (MIN) to a first-inning single, striking out four over 3 2/3.  The right-hander threw 32 of his 49 pitches for strikes. Ian Oxnevad (W, 6-6) handled the pitching duties the rest of the way, yielding a home run that was one of his seven hits and a base-on-balls allowed in 5 1/3.

The PB-Cards banged out nine hits with three players having two apiece:  Kramer Robertson, Elehuris Montero and Conner Capel.  Robertson singled and doubled in five at bats and joined both Montero and Caple by touching home once.  Montero and Capel both went 2-for-3 with a walk, with the latter doubling.

Dylan Carlson and Ryan McCarvel garnered two RBI each. Carlson went yard for the ninth time with a sac fly. McCarvel’s single knocked in Capel for the team’s initial tally and his bases-loaded walk capped a four-run fifth.  Defensively, Montero was charged with his sixth miscue in 15 games with Palm Beach, a second-inning throwing error Wacha worked around.

Friday’s game:  vs. fourth-place Jupiter (26-30) (MIA), 6:30 pm ET, TBA


Peoria 4 at Kane County 3

Julio Rodriguez (Peoria Chiefs)

Julio Rodriguez’ three-run bomb lifted the Chiefs past the Cougars, 4-3, in the road series finale and stopped a four-game losing streak.  Peoria (33-25) remains tied for second with Quad Cities (HOU), three games behind Cedar Rapids (MIN).

The home run was Rodriguez’ only hit in four at bats and was launched with Luken Baker (walk) and Zach Kirtley (walk) aboard in the eighth.  The team had nine hits in all with Rayder Ascanio going 2-for-4 as the only Chief with a multi-hit performance.  Unfortunately, both of Ascanio’s hits came to naught as the shortstop was picked off and caught stealing.  Defensively, right fielder Brandon Benson was credited with an outfield assist at third.

Starter Jake Dahlberg (W, 4-1) was the pitcher of record when Rodriguez blasted one out.  The lefty was touched for three runs on eight hits and two walks through seven.  Dahlberg has gone at least seven innings in three of his five Peoria starts.

Ben Yokley bounced back from a sub-par appearance against fourth-place Kane County (33-26) (ARI) on Tuesday, tossing a one-two-three eighth.  Kodi Whitley pitched around a lead-off ground-rule double for his ninth save.

Friday’s games:   doubleheader vs. fifth-place Beloit (32-26) (OAK).  Johan Oviedo (9-9, 4.53)/Alvaro Seijas (5-7, 4.28)


State College 3 vs. Auburn 2

Alexis Wilson (The Cardinal Nation)

Alexis Wilson singled and scored the winning tally as the Spikes walked off with a 3-2 victory over the Doubledays in the home series opener.  It was the fifth straight loss for second-place Auburn while third-place State College (33-32) has gone 8-2 over their last 10 games and is just 3 ½ games behind Mahoning Valley (CLE) in the Pinckney Division standings.

Wilson’s hit, his only one in four at bats, was generated with one gone in the ninth.  The catcher advanced to third via Imeldo Diaz’ second double of the game and scored on a wild pitch.

Diaz was one of three Spikes with two of the squad’s nine hits, along with Stanley Espinal and Lars Nootbar.  All three went 2-for-4, Espinal crossing home once and Nootbar driving in one.  Left fielder Jonatan Machado was hitless in four at bats in his New York-Penn League debut.

A quartet of State College pitchers combined to hold the league’s second-best offense to two runs on a combined seven hits and two free passes.  Strikeouts were key, beginning with Eli Kraus who fanned eight in 5 1/3, yielding a run on four hits.

Will Changarotty added a K to the team total during his 1 2/3-inning stint and left his inherited runner on base.  Cory Malcom (BS, 1) fanned two during his inning on the bump but was touched for a tally on two hits.  Kevin Hamann (W, 1-1) loaded the bases on a single, intentional free pass and another base-on-balls then pitched out of it.

Friday’s game:  vs. second-place Auburn (35-30) (WSH), 7:05 pm ET, Chris Holba (3-2, 2.66)


Johnson City 10 vs. Burlington 8

Michael Perri (Bret Jacomet photo)

The JC-Cards exploded for 14 hits in their 10-8 win over Burlington (21-41) (KC) in the series finale.  The victory prevented a sweep by the Royals and stopped the Appy Birds’ four-game losing streak.  Johnson City (27-35) is tied for fourth with Greeneville (CIN), facing an elimination number of two.

The visitors’ offense was led by three players with three hits apiece:  Donivan Williams, Michael Perri and Sanel Rosendo.  Both Williams and Perri, the one and two hitters, took part in three scores by crossing home twice with an RBI.  Williams doubled once in six at bats while Perri went 3-for-5 with a double, triple and stolen base.

Nearly bookending the pair in the batting order was the number eight hitter Rosendo, who went 3-for-5 with his first triple and touched home once.  Andrew Warner had a very productive night at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and two knocked in.  Liam Sabino was the final Appy Bird with more than one hit.  The first baseman singled and doubled in five at bats with two RBI.

The offense clearly carried their team to victory since all three JC-Card hurlers were scored upon.  Colin Schmid tossed the initial six innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on eight hits, two walks and a hit batsman.

David Oca (W, 2-6) was the pitcher of record when Johnson City put up a five spot in the home half of the seventh. The southpaw threw two scoreless frames before being tagged for two ninth-inning runs.   His last runner scored under Parker Kelly’s watch as the righty yielded a tally of his own on a walk and two-run single before recording the final two outs.

Friday’s game:  at fourth-place Greeneville (27-35) (CIN), 7:00 pm ET, Dionis Zamora (1-3, 4.53)


GCL Cardinals 3 vs. GCL Astros 2

Brian Pirela (Dominican Summer League)

The Gulf Birds capitalized on a fielding error and passed ball to edge the second-place Astros, 3-2, for their sixth win in a row.  With only two games remaining in the regular season, the East Division Champion Cardinals (38-16) look towards the postseason.  As holders of the best record in the Gulf Coast League, the Cardinals will face the Phillies East (30-23), the Northeast Division Champions and holders of the league’s lowest record, in a one game semi-final with the winner to meet the winner of the GCL Tigers West/GCL Red Sox match up.

The home team was outhit, seven to five, but two came in their two-run fifth that provided the winning margin.  Kevin Vargas beat out an infield single to short and advanced to second when a fielding error by the Astros’ first baseman allowed Diomedes Del Rio to reach.  A free pass issued to Zack Gahagan jammed the sacks full, putting Vargas in position to score on a passed ball.  Mateo Gil’s two-out single up the middle brought Del Rio across home but the inning ended when Gahagan was nailed at home.

Del Rio and Gahagan combined on the Gulf Birds’ first tally.  The left fielder doubled to right with one gone in the third and scored easily after Gahagan singled to right.

Brian Pirela (W, 10-0) tossed five strong frames, permitting a single score on three hits and two walks.  The righty also executed a key pick off at first the proved to prevent another run from scoring.

Freddy Pacheco and Griffin Roberts split pitching duties for the final four innings right down the middle.  Pacheco yielded a tally on three hits and a walk while Roberts navigated around a hit and plunked batter for his first professional save.

Friday’s game:  at third-place GCL Marlins (24-30), 12:00 pm ET, Francisco Justo (0-1, 4.94)


DSL Cardinals Blue 15 at DSL Rockies 3

Ramon Mendoza’s four-hit performance led the C-Blue to a 15-3 pasting of the Rockies (22-48).  The first-place Cardinals Blue’s (50-20) postseason hopes come down to the final two games of the season, both against the second-place Twins, which they lead by a game in the South Division standings.  The C-Blue need just one more win to clinch the division title.

Mendoza, our co-Player of the Day, finished a triple shy of the cycle, going 4-for-6 with a double and two-run home run, scored three times and drove in three.  Malcom Nunez and Diowill Burgos both went yard as well, Nunez’ blast occurring with Adanson Cruz (double) aboard and Burgos’ coming with Freddy De Jesus (double) and Mendoza (single) on base.  Nunez added a single to his bomb in four at bats, touched home twice, knocked in two and stole a base while Burgos went 2-for-5 with his home run accounting for one of his four RBI.

Cruz had three of his squad’s 19 hits, going 3-for-5 with two doubles, four runs scored and one driven in while swiping his 11th bag of 2018.  Darlin Moquete and De Jesus each went 2-for-6 with two runs scored. Moquete doubled once with two stolen bases and De Jesus hit two two-baggers.  Defensively, right fielder Moquete was credited with an outfield assist at second.

Enmanuel Solano (W, 7-1) tossed a solid six-inning effort, permitting three runs, two earned, on seven hits and a free pass with nine strikeouts.  Angel Cuenca, pitching for just two second time in nearly a month, tossed a one-two three seventh.  The righty, who turned 17 last month, struck out one.  Josue Ramirez worked around two walks for a scoreless eighth before Luis Tena handled the ninth.

Friday’s game:  at DSL Twins (49-21), 10:30 am ET, Hector Soto (6-5, 2.73)


DSL Cardinals Red – off

August 23rd was originally slated as a C-Red home game versus the DSL Brewers.  Said contest was moved, without prior notice, to an August 22nd double header.  Both teams have been eliminated from post-season contention.

Friday’s game:  DSL Cardinals Red (38-31) vs. DSL Cubs2 (27-42), 10:30 am ET, Luis Ortiz (2-4, 6.04)


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