photo: Gerardo Salas (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
On Saturday, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-2. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, RH Gerardo Salas, tossed five scoreless innings on three hits, no walks and five strikeouts for Palm Beach. Other standouts include Max Rajcic, Matt Svanson and Chase Davis.
Games played on Saturday, August 24.
The Memphis Redbirds (24-26) were crushed by the Charlotte Knights (23-25, CWS) 10-1 on Saturday at AutoZone Park.
Starter Nick Raquet took his seventh loss this season, throwing four innings, and allowing six runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out two. The Knights took a commanding 6-0 lead in the first with an RBI groundout, an RBI single, and two two-RBI doubles.
The Cardinals scored their only run of the game in the fifth with Matt Koperniak’s RBI forceout.
Charlotte scored four more runs in the seventh with two RBI doubles and a two-RBI single to make the score 10-1.
Wilking Rodriguez threw a scoreless inning, allowing a hit while striking out one. Victor Santos threw a scoreless inning while striking out the three batters he faced. Jacob Bosiokovic struggled, yielding four runs on three hits while walking two and striking out one in one inning. Connor Thomas pitched two scoreless innings, giving up a hit. Memphis allowed 10 runs on 12 hits while walking five and striking out seven.
Nick Dunn went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk. Jordan Walker was 1-for-3 with a walk. Alfonso Rivas III hit 1-for-4 with a run scored. The Redbirds totaled one run on five hits with four walks and nine strikeouts.
Sunday’s game: vs. Charlotte, RHP Gordon Graceffo (9-6, 4.34) vs. Jake Eder LHP (0-4, 11.63) 1:05 CT.
The Springfield Cardinals (33-17) defeated the Tulsa Drillers (22-27, LAD) 4-1 on Saturday at Hammons Field.
Starter Max Rajcic threw six innings, earning his 10th win this season, allowing one run on eight hits while walking one and striking out four.
Final line for Max Rajcic: 6.0 IP, 8 H, ER, BB, 4 K pic.twitter.com/nHsAYRxVFV
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 25, 2024
The Cardinals struck first in the second with Noah Mendlinger’s RBI double and Carlos Linarez’s sacrifice fly.
Noah Mendlinger smacks a double into right field to get the Birds on the board. pic.twitter.com/utLLAGOTEa
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 25, 2024
The Drillers responded in the fourth with an RBI single.
Jimmy Crooks increased their lead to 3-1 in the fifth with an RBI double.
Bryan Torres and Jimmy Crooks rip back-to-back doubles and the Cardinals lead it 3-1. pic.twitter.com/Y8NBYsrJpH
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 25, 2024
Springfield added one final run in the sixth with Jeremy Rivas’ RBI double.
Jeremy Rivas picks up Springfield's fourth double of the night. This one makes it 4-1. pic.twitter.com/O39kzo3WSS
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 25, 2024
Bryan Torres went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Mendlinger was 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Rivas went 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. The Cardinals totaled four runs on nine hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
Zane Mills threw a scoreless inning, allowing a hit while striking out one. Leonardo Taveras pitched 1/3 of an inning, yielding two walks while striking out one. Matt Svanson earned his 23rd save this season, giving up a hit while striking out three. Springfield allowed one run on 10 hits while walking three and striking out nine.
Matt Svanson inherited the bases loaded in the eighth with one out and got out of it. He goes 1.2 innings tonight and locks down his Texas League-leading 23rd save of the season. pic.twitter.com/4XVx5vTntW
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 25, 2024
Sunday’s game: vs. Tulsa, TBD vs. Jackson Ferris LHP (0-1, 0.66) 1:05 CT.
The Peoria Chiefs (28-25) fell to the Fort Wayne TinCaps (18-35, SD) 3-2 on Saturday at Dozer Park.
Starter Ixan Henderson threw five innings, taking his first loss this season, allowing two runs on nine hits while walking one and striking out three.
The Chiefs struck first in the third with Chase Davis’ RBI single.
The TinCaps took the lead in the fifth with an RBI double and an RBI single.
Reliever Dionys Rodriguez entered in the sixth, and in the seventh, he gave up the winning run on an RBI single.
Davis kept the game alive in the ninth with an RBI single to put runners on the corners with two outs, but Leonardo Bernal struck out looking on three straight pitches to end the game.
Davis was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Bernal went 3-for-5 with a triple and a double. Chase Adkison was 2-for-4 with a run scored. The Chiefs totaled two runs on 10 hits with a walk and 17 strikeouts and every hitter recorded at least one strikeout.
Rodriguez pitched two innings, yielding a run on two hits while striking out two. Tyler Bradt threw two scoreless innings while striking out two. Peoria allowed three runs on 11 hits while walking one and striking out seven.
Sunday’s game: vs. Fort Wayne, RHP Darlin Saladin (5-2, 3.50) vs. Eric Yost RHP (0-1, 3.60) 2:05 CT.
The Palm Beach Cardinals’ (37-14) strong start carried them to a 6-3 win over the St. Lucie Mets (17-34, NYM) on Saturday at Clover Park.
Starter Gerardo Salas threw five scoreless innings, earning his seventh win this season, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out five.
Ian Petrutz’s two-RBI single, John Kross’ RBI single, and Ross Friedricks’ RBI single gave the Cardinals an early 4-0 lead.
They added an additional run in the second when a wild pitch let Bryce Madron score. Palm Beach added another in the third with Christian Martin’s RBI single to make the score 6-0.
St. Lucie fought back in the seventh against reliever Nolan Sparks when a passed ball allowed a run to score and a two-RBI single made the score 6-3.
Sparks pitched 1 2/3 innings, yielding three runs, two earned, on three hits while walking and striking out one. Angel Cuenca threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings, giving up two hits while striking out one. Luis Gastelum earned his fifth save this season, pitching a scoreless inning while striking out one. Palm Beach allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits while walking one and striking out eight.
Martin went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a hit by pitch. Ryan Campos was 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. Petrutz was 1-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. The Cardinals totaled six runs on eight hits with six walks and seven strikeouts.
Sunday’s game: at St. Lucie, RH Leonel Sequera (0-0, 3.26) vs. TBD 11:10 CT.
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