photo: Andrew Knizner (Frank Ramirez/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system was 3-6 on Friday. Our Player of the Day is Memphis catcher Andrew Knizner, who went 4-for-4, including two home runs and a double. Liam Sabino’s two-run home run and Julio Puello’s 7 2/3 one-run innings kept Johnson City in first place.
Results for games played Friday, August 23.
The Redbirds blew past the Omaha Storm Chasers by the score of 9-1 on Friday. The balls were flying out of AutoZone Park as Memphis put up seven runs via the long ball. Adolis Garcia hit a two-run home run in the second inning to get the scoring going. Andrew Knizner hit two solo shots, in the fourth and sixth innings. Randy Arozarena blasted a three-run homer in the eighth. Knizner went 4-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored. Ramon Urias and Max Schrock were each 2-for-4 with an RBI apiece.
Starter Austin Warner pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing five hits while fanning six and walking three. Jesus Cruz pitched a scoreless eighth. Mike Mayers surrendered one run in the ninth for the only Omaha score.
On the base paths, Arozarena was caught stealing for the seventh time in the season.
Memphis is 63-67 on the season and is in second place in the PCL American North, 6 games behind the Iowa Cubs.
Saturday’s game: vs. Omaha, Genesis Cabrera (4-6, 6.36) 6:35 CT.
The Cardinals lost to the Midland RockHounds 7-5 on Friday. A solo home run by Juan Yepez and a two run home run by Johan Mieses in the ninth inning capped off a five-run, 12 hit effort by the Springfield offense. Prior to the ninth inning Springfield scored one run in the second inning on a sac fly by Yepez and one run in the fifth on a Rayder Ascanio single. Ascanio went 3-for-5, Mieses was 2-for-5, and Chris Chinea was 3-for-4.
Starter Johan Oviedo gave up four runs in on two hits in the first inning and was removed with one out and replaced by Ronnie Williams. Williams pitched 2 2/3 innings and yielded two runs on four hits, striking out four and walking three. Merandy Gonzalez followed with four scoreless innings of relief. Will Latcham surrendered one run in the eighth. Oviedo took the loss.
Gonzalez made a throwing error.
The Cardinals are 28-32 in the second half, 58-72 overall, and are five games back of Arkansas and Tulsa, who are tied for first place in the Texas League North.
Saturday’s game: at Midland, Alex FaGalde (3-4, 3.20) 7:00 CT.
The Cardinals were overmatched by the Fort Myers Miracle in an 8-3 home loss on Friday. Palm Beach managed three runs on six hits, all coming in the later innings after falling behind 8-0. A ground out by Dennis Ortega in the fifth put the Cardinals on the board. Nick Dunn plated a run on a single in the sixth, and a bases loaded walk in the eighth by Nick Plummer scored the final run for Palm Beach. Dunn went 2-for-4 with an RBI and was the only Cardinal with multiple hits.
Stater Austin Gomber, pitching on a rehab assignment, gave up three runs in the first inning but recorded only one out. Just nine of the lefty’s 22 pitches went for strikes. Regular starter Griffin Roberts followed Gomber and surrendered five more runs in 1 1/3 innings. Michael Baird stopped the bleeding with 4 1/3 scoreless innings. Leonardo Taveras and Edgar Escobar combined for the final three scoreless innings. Gomber took the loss.
Nolan Gorman committed a fielding error.
The Cardinals are 21-40 in the second half, 56-69 overall, and are in last place in the FSL South.
Saturday’s game: vs. Fort Myers, TBA 4:30 CT.
The Chiefs fell to the Quad Cities River Bandits 9-7 on Friday at Dozer Park. The Peoria offense scored seven runs on 11 hits but couldn’t keep up with the River Bandits despite big innings by both teams. The Chiefs scored four runs in the fifth inning but were already behind 6-0 at that point. A two-run double by Imeldo Diaz, an RBI double by Josh Shaw and an RBI single by Brady Whalen brought the game closer in the fifth. Whalen doubled in the seventh for a score and ended the night 2-for-3 with two RBI. Two final runs came home in the eighth on a double by Edwin Figuera and a single by Jonatan Machado. Machado went 2-for-4. Diaz and Delvin Perez were each 2-for-5.
Starter Parker Kelly pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up seven runs on nine hits. The right hander struck out four and walked three. Franyel Casadilla surrendered two runs in 2 1/3 innings of relief. Evan Sisk tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Kelly took the loss.
On the base paths, Wadye Ynfante stole his ninth base of the season. In the field, Alexis Wilson made a throwing error. Ynfante and Leandro Cedeno both had outfield assists at second base. Kelly picked a runner off first base.
The Chiefs are 19-41 in the second half, 49-80 overall, and are in last place in the Midwest League West
Saturday’s game: at Cedar Rapids, Dalton Roach (0-1, 4.95) 6:35 CT.
The Spikes lost to the first-place Batavia Muckdogs by the score of 7-5 on Friday. State College put up three runs in the third inning on doubles by Dariel Gomez, Brylie Ware, and Moises Castillo. David Vinsky plated a run on a triple in the seventh and in the eighth, Martin Figueroa drew a bases-loaded walk for the fifth and final run for the Spikes. Gomez and Stanley Espinal were each 2-for-4 in the contest.
Starter Junior Gonzalez pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up seven runs on eight hits. The right hander struck out one and walked two. Jeremy Randolph followed with 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. Connor Lunn tossed a scoreless eighth. Gonzalez took the loss.
Gonzalez and Espinal each made fielding errors. Randolph made an error on a pickoff.
The Spikes are 33-33 and have fallen into fourth place in the New York-Penn League Pinckney Division, four games back with 10 to go.
Saturday’s game: at Batavia, Enmanuel Solano (2-7, 3.95) 6:05 CT.
The Cardinals edged the Bristol Pirates by the score of 2-1 on Friday. Both Johnson City runs scored in the fourth inning on a two-run home run by Liam Sabino. No Cardinal hitter had multiple hits in this low scoring contest.
Starter Julio Puello pitched 7 2/3 innings and gave up one run on four hits. The right hander fanned seven and walked one to earn his fourth win. Will Guay tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his fourth save.
On the base paths, Mateo Gil was caught stealing for the third time in the season.
Johnson City is 33-30 on the season and are in first place by 1 ½ games in the Appalachian League West.
Saturday’s game: vs. Bristol, Jake Sommers (2-3, 4.34) 5:30 CT.
GCL Cardinals 3, GCL Nationals 10
The Cardinals were pummeled by the Nationals on Friday in Jupiter. The Cardinal offense managed three runs on only two hits. All three runs came in the sixth inning. Pablo Gomez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Luis Montano scored on a balk, and the final run came home on a sac fly by Joerlin De Los Santos. Yowelfy Rosario went 2-for-4, including a double.
Starter Tyler Statler pitched only one inning and gave up four runs on four hits to take the loss. The right hander struck out one and walked three. Ludwin Jimenez allowed six runs, four earned, in four innings of relief. Inohan Paniagua finished with four scoreless innings.
In the field, Franklin Soto made a fielding error. Patrick Romeri had an outfield assist at third base.
The Cardinals are 20-30 on the season and are in last place in the GCL East.
Saturday’s game: vs. GCL Mets, TBA 9:00 am CT.
DSL Cardinals Red 4, DSL Brewers 3
The Cardinals Red defeated the Brewers in a close game on Friday. The Cardinals scored four runs but only two came home on a hit. Fernando Brazoban plated a run on a triple in the fourth inning, and Erick Thomas hit a solo home run in the ninth. A ground out in the first inning and a passed ball in the fifth scored the other two Red runs. No Cardinal had more than one hit.
Starter Henry Gomez pitched 4 2/3 innings and gave up one run on two hits. The right hander struck out three and walked four. Larimel Soriano surrendered one run in two innings of relief. Hansel Marcelino allowed one unearned run in one frame. Augusto Calderon tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings to get the win.
On the base paths, Smith Vargas stole his 28th base of the season. Claudio Ramirez was picked off first base. Bryan Matute made a fielding error and catcher Roblin Heredia had a passed ball.
The Cardinals Red are 32-38 and are tied for fifth place in the DSL San Pedro Division.
Saturday’s game: at DSL Brewers, TBA 9:00 am CT.
DSL Cardinals Blue 5 at DSL Rockies 6
In a head-to-head matchup to decide the division title, the Cardinals Blue were edged by the Rockies by the score of 6-5 on Friday. The Blue offense scored five runs on eight hits. Leadoff hitter and left fielder Darlin Moquete went 3-for-5 including two solo home runs. First baseman Fernando Diaz hit a two-run home run and was 2-for-5 with three RBI.
Starter Gustavo J. Rodriguez pitched just 3 1/3 innings and gave up five runs, but just two earned, on six hits. The right hander struck out two and walked one. Victor Villanueva tossed the remaining 4 2/3 innings, surrendered one run and took the loss.
Elvin De Jesus stole two bases. Hansel Otamendi made a fielding error, Diaz had a missed catch and a throwing error, and Carlos Arcia had a missed catch. Rodriguez picked a runner off third base.
The Cardinals Blue have a record of 41-22 and are in second place in the DSL South.
Saturday’s game: vs. DSL Orioles2, TBA 9:00 am CT.
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