photo: Chase Davis (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system went 4-0 on Sunday with two walk-offs including a historic comeback in Springfield. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Chase Davis, doubled twice, walked twice and drove in six for Palm Beach. Other standouts include Juniel Querecuto, Aaron Antonini, Jimmy Crooks and Chen-Wei Lin.
Results from games played on Sunday, August 27th.
The Memphis Redbirds (23-28) topped the Charlotte Knights (CWS, 11-40) on Sunday afternoon at Truist Field.
Starter Gordon Graceffo pitched three innings and gave up one run on three hits and three walks. TCN’s no. 5 prospect struck out four. Ryan Loutos yielded two runs in two innings.
Juniel Querecuto tied the game in the fourth inning with a single but Charlotte took the lead back in the home half. Chase Pinder made the score 2-2 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. In the sixth, Kramer Robertson singled to tie the game again at 3-3 but the Knights took a two-run lead in the bottom half.
In two innings, Chris Roycroft fanned three and surrendered two runs but received his fourth Triple-A win. Dalton Roach threw two scoreless frames with three strikeouts to earn his fourth save.
To tie the game again, Querecuto blasted a two-run home run in the seventh, his 13th of the year. José Fermín hit a solo homer in the eighth and Querecuto brought in another run in the ninth via single.
Q SHOT!!! HE TIES IT AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/wWLy2IoGax
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 27, 2023
Quereucto went 3-for-5 with four RBI and a run scored. Matt Koperniak, Juan Yepez, Fermín and Robertson all had two hits for Memphis. The lineup left 10 runners on base after they recorded 13 hits and five walks.
The Redbirds went 3-3 at Charlotte this week. In the International League West, they sit in ninth place in the 10-team division, 8.5 games out of first.
Tuesday’s game: vs. Gwinnett, TBA vs. TBA 6:45 CT (The Redbirds are off Monday)
Springfield 15, Corpus Christi 14
The Springfield Cardinals (25-26) walked off the Corpus Christi Hooks (HOU, 25-26) thanks to a nine-run ninth inning comeback at Hammons Field.
Wilfredo Pereira tossed four innings and was touched for five runs on six hits and five walks. The right-hander fanned one. In his rehab assignment from St. Louis, Ryan Helsley surrendered two runs in the fifth inning.
After the Hooks made it 5-0 in the second inning, Aaron Antonini singled in the fourth to plate one. In the fifth, Thomas Saggese brought one home via sacrifice fly and Chandler Redmond grounded out to make the score 7-3.
In the sixth inning, Roy Garcia yielded four runs on four hits, one walk and one punchout. Jose Martinez received his third win despite being charged with three runs in the final three innings.
Springfield put up three runs in the seventh. Noah Mendlinger and Jose Alvarez grounded out to bring one across each. Antonini scored one via single. Corpus Christi made it 14-6 in the eighth. The Cards entered the ninth inning down by eight runs.
To start off the home half of the ninth, Mike Antico, Redmond and Wade Stauss all walked with the bases loaded. Mendlinger singled to score two and Stauss came across on a wild pitch. Antonini tied the contest with a double. To win the game, Errol Robinson singled to bring Arquímedes Gamboa home.
A 9-run comeback in the 9th 🤯🤯🤯
The @Sgf_Cardinals tally 6 hits and 4 free passes in the final frame for a walk-off winner.
What's more, the @Cardinals prospects scored 8 of the runs with two outs. pic.twitter.com/3oQoyRbSJz
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 27, 2023
Victor Scott, Saggese, Antonini and Robinson all recorded three hits for Springfield. Antonini walked and drove in four runs. Every starter had a hit except Antico, who had two walks, an RBI and two runs. The lineup collected 19 hits and 10 walks culminating in their historic comeback.
On the base paths, Antonini, Scott and Antico all stole a bag. Scott was also caught stealing. In the field, Antonini committed an error and had a passed ball. Scott had his first error at Double-A.
In the Texas League North, the Cardinals are in third place, four games back, after a 4-2 week against the Hooks.
Tuesday’s game: at NW Arkansas, TBA vs. TBA 7:05 CT (The Cardinals are off Monday)
Peoria 5, West Michigan 4 (10 innings)
The Peoria Chiefs (31-23) walked off the West Michigan Whitecaps (DET, 30-23) at Dozer Park on Sunday.
Inohan Paniagua threw five innings and gave up three runs. TCN’s no. 27 prospect yielded four hits, two walks and four punchouts. Nathanael Heredia tossed two scoreless innings.
The Chiefs took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Jimmy Crooks singled to plate one and Osvaldo Tovalin brought Crooks home with a sacrifice fly. West Michigan took a 3-2 lead in the fifth. Nathan Church tied the game in the eighth inning after he singled to plate Ramon Mendoza.
Gustavo Rodriguez recorded a scoreless eighth inning. Joseph King earned his fourth High-A win after he was touched for an unearned run in two innings.
After a tie score in the ninth, the contest went into extra innings. The Whitecaps scored one in the top half via a balk by King. In the home half, Mendoza scored a run with a single to tie the game. Crooks won the game for Peoria via a walk with the bases loaded.
did someone say… Jimmy Crooks? 😏
RBI single brings home RJ Yeager and puts the Chiefs up early today! pic.twitter.com/N0ZjYBwg2e
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) August 27, 2023
The lineup recorded 10 hits, two walks and went 5-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Church was 3-for-5 with three singles. Crooks had two hits, walked once and plated two. Mendoza also had two hits. In fact, every starter had a hit except Brody Moore and Jeremy Rivas.
R.J. Yeager and Rivas both stole a base. Alex Iadisernia was picked off and Paniagua picked a runner off.
Peoria went 4-2 against West Michigan this week. With 12 games remaining, the Chiefs are in second place in the Midwest League West, four games back of first, but five games ahead of third-place Wisconsin. (The two do not play again in 2023.)
Just ahead, Peoria has six games at last place Quad Cites and finish with six at home against fourth place Beloit. Both opponents have losing records.
If the Chiefs can at least hold onto second place, they will clinch a playoff berth due to first place Cedar Rapids winning the first half.
Tuesday’s game: at Quad Cities, TBA vs. TBA 6:30 CT (The Chiefs are off Monday)
The Palm Beach Cardinals (25-27) destroyed the Tampa Tarpons (NYY, 26-28) on Sunday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Starter Chen-Wei Lin tossed four hitless innings for the Beach Birds. The 21-year-old native of Taiwan walked four and struck out six. Angel Cuenca gave up one run in two innings and received his third win of the season. The right-hander fanned three.
Palm Beach made it 1-0 in the second inning as Dakota Harris singled to plate one run. The Cardinals poured it on with eight runs between the fifth and sixth innings. Won-Bin Cho blasted a solo home run in the fifth, his sixth of the year. Chase Davis doubled to score two and came across on a passed ball and a throwing error.
In the fifth, Zach Levenson brought one home with a single. Davis doubled again to score three runs and make the score 9-1. Levenson hit his sixth home run of the season in the eighth, a solo shot. Davis ended his career day at the plate after he walked with the bases loaded. Harris grounded out to make the score 12-1.
Wilmer Ortega fanned one in a scoreless seventh inning. Cade Winquest pitched the final two innings and did not surrender a run.
Davis recorded the best game of his young professional career with two walks, two doubles, six RBI and a run scored. Levenson went 3-for-6 with two RBI and two runs. Harris drove in two with two hits. Tre Richardson also recorded two hits. The lineup had 12 hits and nine walks in the series finale.
On the bases, Joshua Baez stole his 25th bag of the year.
Palm Beach went 4-2 in Tampa this week. In the Florida State League East, the Cardinals have already clinched a playoff spot from winning the first half but sit one game behind first-place Jupiter in the second half race.
Tuesday’s game: at Bradenton, TBA vs. TBA 5:30 CT (The Cardinals are off Monday)
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