photo: Alex Fagalde (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
St. Louis’ minors went 4-5 on Thursday. In their first outings at new levels, Player of the Day Alex Fagalde and Jake Dahlberg pitched Palm Beach and Peoria, respectively, to victories. Recently-promoted Jake Woodford spun six scoreless in Memphis’ win, as well.
Results from the games played Thursday, August 2nd.
A trio of Redbirds’ hurlers combined on a three-hitter for a 4-0 shutout of the River Cats at AutoZone Park Thursday night. The win evens the series at one game apiece with one yet to play. Memphis (69-41) remains 14 ½ games ahead of Nashville (OAK) who has won four straight.
Jake Woodford (W, 3-2) struck out six through six frames, yielding three hits and a walk while tossing 57 of his 85 pitches for strikes. The righty also hit a batter. Matt Bowman retired all four batters faced, fanning two. Two of the five outs recorded by Tommy Layne (S, 3) were strikeouts.
The home team’s nine hits were divided among four players, with three players having two apiece in four at bats: Adolis Garcia, Lane Thomas and Wilfredo Tovar. Garcia and Thomas both doubled twice with the former knocking in two and Tovar scored once. It was Thomas’ fourth game since being promoted from Double-A Springfield, during which time the outfielder is batting .400. Patrick Wisdom’s 14th home run of the season with Carson Kelly (walk) aboard provided some breathing room in the eighth.
Friday’s game: vs. Sacramento (45-65) (SF), 7:05 pm CT, Austin Warner (0-0, 4.50)
Springfield 1 at Northwest Arkansas 9
The S-Cards opened their four-game set at Northwest Arkansas by absorbing a 9-1 pummeling. Springfield (18-23) is in third place in the North Division, 6 ½ games behind Tulsa (LAD).
Matt Pearce was charged with his third loss in as many decisions, permitting six tallies on nine hits and a base-on-balls over five innings. Roel Ramirez allowed a run on a lead-off double and two-out single in the sixth. The right-hander also threw a wild pitch in his organizational debut. Eric Carter surrendered a two-run bomb that was one of his two hits and a free pass given up in two frames.
The visitors generated eight hits to go with six free passes but were a dismal 0-for-15 runners in scoring position. Tommy Edman and Andrew Knizner each had two hits but the three batters between them in the order went a combined 1-for-10. Shane Billings singled in four at bats and scored the only run in his first Double-A start.
Friday’s game: at fourth-place Northwest Arkansas (15-25) (KC), 7>05 pm CT, Casey Meisner (0-0, 4.50)
Alex Fagalde was impressive in his Florida State League debut as the Beach Birds edged the Tortugas, 1-0, in the decisive third game of the series. Third-place Palm Beach (18-21) kept pace with surging Charlotte (TB) with the win, as the Stone Crabs have a seven-game winning streak.
Player of the Day Fagalde (W, 1-0) faced two over the minimum through six, yielding a single to open the contest and another single with one gone the next inning. The 24-year-old proceeded to set down 14 straight from Daytona (19-21) before walking a batter to begin the seventh. Fagalde departed after hitting his next opponent, finishing the night with six strikeouts, three ground- and seven fly- ball outs. 61 of Fagalde’s 88 pitches went for strikes.
John Kilichowski allowed a single to his first batter but struck out the next one before giving way to Austin Sexton. Sexton escaped the bases-loaded jam in his return to Palm Beach from Springfield, retiring all five batters faced. Bryan Dobzanski struck out three for his first A-Advanced save.
The PB-Cards offense managed just five hits but three came in the second and two produced their only score. Ryan McCarvel singled to right with two gone and advanced to second via a wild pitch. Stefan Trosclair’s single drove in McCarvel. Left fielder Conner Capel reached base twice in his organizational debut, singling once in three at bats with a walk out of the five hole.
Friday’s game: at sixth-place Jupiter (14-23) (MIA), 6:30 pm ET, TBA
Jake Dahlberg went seven strong frames in his full-season debut as the Chiefs slipped past the Kernels, 3-2. Second-place Peoria (24-14) has won the first two of the three-game series versus first-place Cedar Rapids (MIN) whom they trail by just two games in the West Division standings.
Dahlberg (W, 1-0) fanned six while allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits and a base-on-balls. The lefty threw 90 pitches, 61 for strikes. Zach Prendergast and Fabian Blanco tossed a clean frame each, with Blanco striking out two for his seventh save.
Wood Myers and Rayder Ascanio each had two of the team’s eight hits. Myers went 2-for 4 with a double and two RBI. Zach Kirtley doubled once in three at bats with a walk, run scored and one knocked in. Kolten Wong went 0-for-3 with a walk in his first and possibly only rehab appearance. The second baseman is scheduled to be activated in time for Friday’s contest at Pittsburgh.
Friday’s game: vs. Cedar Rapids (27-13), 7:00 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (7-7, 5.09)
Auburn 7 at State College 1 (7) – Game 1
Auburn 6 at State College 0 (7) – Game 2
The Spikes suffered a double-header sweep at the hands of the visiting Doubledays on Thursday, losing Game 1, 7-1, and the nightcap, 6-0. Fourth-place State College (19-27) has dropped the first two of four against Auburn, falling 10 games in back of the pace set by Mahoning Valley (CLE).
Michael Baird (L, 0-2) took the loss in the opener, allowing three tallies on six hits, including a solo shot, and an intentional free pass through five. Kevin Hamann pretty much put the game out of reach during his two-inning stint, permitting four runs on four hits and two free passes.
Justin Toerner was the only Spike with more than one of the team’s five hits, going 2-for-3 while batting third. First baseman Stanley Espinal went 1-for-3 and scored the only run, driven in by Wadye Infante.
The offense was even worse in the finale as the team had just three singles, including one by Toerner.
Edgar Gonzalez (L, 1-1) lasted just 1 2/3 innings in his first start after 10 relief appearances. The California native was touched for three runs on six hits and a walk. Winston Nicacio stranded two inherited runners but yielded a run on a hit and two base-on-balls in 2 2/3. Eli Kraus permitted two tallies on four hits and two free passes in 2 2/3.
Friday’s game: vs. second-place Auburn (25-20) (WSH), 7:05 pm ET, Diego Cordero (2-1, 5.40)
Johnson City 5 vs. Elizabethton 3 (7) – Game 1
Johnson City vs. Elizabethton – Game 2 (suspended)
Leandro Cedeno’s big bomb gave the JC-Cards a 5-3 walk-off victory over the Twins in Game 1 of a scheduled twin bill on Thursday. The second contest was suspended after two due to rain with the game knotted at one all. It is scheduled to be completed as part of a double-header when the Appy Birds visit the Twins on August 19th. Johnson City (18-21) moved into third with the win, six games behind Elizabethton (23-14).
Nolan Gorman’s ninth home run gave his team a 2-0 lead after one, with the bomb scoring Jonatan Machado (double). The third baseman also doubled in four at bats.
But Elizabethton responded with a two-run long ball of their own off starter Tommy Parsons the very next inning. Johnson City went back up 3-2 after Gorman doubled and scored on Leandro Cedeno’s RBI single in the fifth. But Parsons let the Twins re-tie the game with a tally in his sixth and final inning of work, allowing six hits overall but not issuing a free pass.
But the home team was not done. Machado’s second hit in four at bats was a lead-off single. After Gorman struck out swinging, Cedeno finished it with a home run to right center, his eighth long ball of the season. That made a winner out of Parker Kelly (W, 4-1), who faced the minimum in the top of the frame.
Friday’s game: at fifth-place Greeneville (17-23) (CIN), 7:00 pm ET, Kyle Leahy (1-1, 3.66)
GCL Cardinals – off
The first-place Gulf Coast League Cardinals (25-10) take their three-game winning streak into a scheduled double-header versus the second-place GCL Astros, a team they lead by 6 ½. The second contest completes a scoreless July 24th contest that was suspended at the sixth-s midpoint.
Friday’s games: vs. second-place GCL Astros (19-17). Game 1 – 12:00 pm ET, TBA/TBA
DSL Mets1 4 at DSL Cardinals Blue 2
The C-Blue fell to the DSL Mets1, 4-2, their fourth loss in their last five games. The Cardinals Blue (34-18) are 1 ½ games behind the Twins in the South Division standings.
Julio Puello was outstanding during his six scoreless innings on the mound, holding the third-place DSL Mets1 (31-21) to a hit and walk. But the 1-0 lead the righty handed over to the bullpen did not stand up another inning. Derek Diaz yielded a game-tying tally on a hit and two walks with one out recorded. The runner scored under Luis Tena’s (BS, 2) watch, Tena matching Diaz’ hit and two walks allowed but in 1 2/3.
The C-Blue took a 2-1 lead after eight but Larimel Soriano (BS, 1) (L, 2-2) was unable to convert his first save opportunity. Instead the 18-year-old was charged with three runs on three hits and three free passes while retiring two. Saniel Santana recorded the last out but not before issuing a free pass that forced across the fourth Mets run.
Three C-Blue players each had two of the team’s seven hits: Darlin Moquete, Malcom Nunez and Freddy De Jesus. Moquete scored once in four at bats with a stolen base while Nunez and De Jesus both drove in one with Nunez working a free pass.
Friday’s game: at sixth-place DSL Yankees (22-30), 10:30 am ET, Francis Ventura (2-2, 3.96)
DSL Cardinals Red 2 at DSL Tigers1 5
The C-Red dropped a 5-2 road decision to the sixth-place DSL Tigers1, 5-2. The fourth-place Cardinals Red (27-24) have gone 4-6 over their last 10 games and sit 7 ½ in back of the Rangers2.
Martin Cordova took the loss, his first in seven decisions. The 19-year-old permitted five runs, four earned, on six hits and a base-on-balls in five. Roy Garcia held the Tigers1 (23-28) scoreless over two innings, striking out three before Hector De Los Santos tossed a one-two-three eighth.
The C-Red outhit their opponents, nine to six, but went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base. Jesus Orecchia singled twice in four at bats with an RBI and Joerlin De Los Santos went 2-for-5 at the top of the order. Franklin Soto’s only hit in four at bats was his sixth triple of 2018, and the second baseman touched home once.
Friday’s game: vs. first-place DSL Rangers2 (35-17), 10:30 am ET, TBA
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