photo: Brayden Smith (Palm Beach Cardinals)
The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 1-3 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Peoria’s Brayden Smith, homered as part of career-high five-hit game. Other standouts: Cooper Hjerpe, Pete Hansen, Jesús Báez, Caden Ferraro, Cade McGee and Travis Bissetta.
Results for games played on Saturday, August 29, 2026.
Memphis Redbirds 4 at Charlotte Knights 5 (Game one, 9 innings)
The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds were walked off by the Charlotte Knights in the first game of Saturday’s twin bill.
Cooper Hjerpe started his fifth game for Memphis. The left-hander pitched four innings and allowed three runs, one earned, on three hits, three walks and six strikeouts. Hjerpe holds a 0.95 ERA since joining Triple-A.
Pete Hansen fired four innings of one-run baseball with four strikeouts in relief of Hjerpe. Matt Svanson gave up the winning run as he failed to record an out in the ninth.
Charlotte struck first with three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Memphis grabbed the lead with a four-run sixth. Leo Bernal hit a lead-off single. César Prieto ripped a second consecutive single and advanced to second via an error, with Bernal coming home. Bligh Madris walked. Colton Ledbetter lined a double to score Prieto.
Ledbetter sends one the other way! pic.twitter.com/PLVQxKDfrl
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 29, 2026
Dakota Harris was intentionally walked to load the bases. Brody Moore singled to plate Madris and Ledbetter and put the Redbirds in front 4-3.
Brody for the lead! pic.twitter.com/vJW7DrSGDX
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 29, 2026
The Knights tied the game 4-4 with a run in the home sixth. The game remained knotted at four after seven innings to force extra innings. Charlotte walked off the win with a run in the bottom of the ninth.
The Redbirds scored four runs on nine hits. Ledbetter was 2-for-4 including a double and an RBI. Moore singled and drove in two. Prieto was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Harris walked and doubled. Ramon Mendoza recorded a double.
On the bases, Ledbetter swiped his 24th bag of the year.
On defense, left fielder Mendlinger committed a fielding error.
Memphis Redbirds 0 at Charlotte Knights 2 (Game two, 7 innings)
The Memphis Redbirds were blanked by the Knights in Charlotte in game two of Saturday’s doubleheader. This was the makeup of Friday’s postponement.
Josh Fleming started for Memphis. The left-hander pitched six innings and allowed two runs on six hits, one walk, and one strikeout. Fleming was credited with a complete game but took the tough luck loss.
The Knights scored a run in the second inning to grab the lead.
Memphis looked to tie the game in the fifth. Chase Davis broke up the perfect game with a single and moved to third on a Ramon Mendoza double. Both runners were left on base.
Charlotte doubled the lead to 2-0 in the sixth. Mendoza’s walk in the seventh was the final Memphis baserunner in the shutout loss.
The Redbirds scored no runs on two hits. Mendoza walked and doubled. Davis singled. Eight of the nine Memphis hitters struck out at least once.
The Redbirds did not steal a base.
On defense, right fielder Davis recorded two outfield assists as he threw runners out at second base and home plate.
Memphis is 24-32 in the second half and 71-60 overall. They will look to split the series with a win on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: at Charlotte. SWP Jurrangelo Cijntje (3-8, 5.38) vs. RHP Drew Thorpe (1-0, 3.04) 4:05 PM CT.
Springfield Cardinals 2, San Antonio Missions 6
The Double-A Springfield Cardinals’ 10-game winning streak was snapped by the San Antonio Missions at Route 66 Stadium on Saturday.
Blake Aita started for Springfield. The right-hander threw four innings and allowed six runs, five earned, on 10 hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Aita took the loss.
Nolan Sparks fanned two over two shutout frames in relief. Michael Watson followed with 1 ⅔ scoreless innings. Andrew Schultz recorded the final four outs, all via the strikeout.
San Antonio plated two runs apiece in the top of the first and third innings and added a run in the fourth to take a 5-0 lead.
Springfield entered the run column with a tally in the home fourth. Deniel Ortiz began the frame with a walk. Tre Richardson III legged out an infield single, with Ortiz to third base. Richardson III stole second. Trey Paige lined a single to bring Ortiz home. Jon Jon Gazdar was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out, though a double play halted the rally.
The Missions took the run back in the fifth for a 6-1 score.
Springfield looked to strike back in the sixth. Ryan Campos walked and moved to third base on a double from Richardson III.
Two bases for Tre Richardson III pic.twitter.com/UAchXqQjmp
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 30, 2026
Paige walked to load the bases, though a double play stopped the rally for a second consecutive inning.
Down to their last three outs, the Cardinals looked for a big comeback. With two outs, Josiah Ragsdale reached on a fielding error and took second base on defensive indifference. Jesús Báez scorched a double to bring Ragsdale home for a 6-2 contest. The Cardinals were unable to rally further.
Springfield scored two runs on five hits. Báez was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Paige walked, singled, and drove in a run. Richardson II was 2-for-3 with a walk and a double. Ragsdale walked and scored.
On the bases, Richardson II swiped two bags for 21 Double-A steals. Ortiz was caught stealing second base.
On defense, pitcher Sparks made a throwing error. Catcher Campos was tagged with an error on catcher’s interference.
Springfield is 37-19 in the second half and 68-56 overall. They will look to take five of six with a win on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: vs. San Antonio. RHP Yhoiker Fajardo (4-6, 3.79) vs. RHP Eric Yost (7-3, 3.96) 1:15 PM CT.
Peoria Chiefs 13, West Michigan Whitecaps 10 (11 innings)
The High-A Peoria Chiefs won an extra-inning road slugfest over the West Michigan Whitecaps on Saturday.
Brian Holiday made his second start for the Chiefs. The right-hander pitched 5 ⅔ innings and allowed three runs on three hits, one walk and six strikeouts.
Nelfy Ynfante yielded an unearned run over 1 ⅓ frames in relief. Trey Pooser followed and gave up a run in an inning of work. Liam Best tossed a scoreless ninth. Gerardo Salas allowed five runs, three earned, over the final two innings to finish the game. Salas was charged with a blown save but thanks to the offense, he collected his fifth win.
Peoria opened the scoring with a three-run top of the third. Caden Ferraro and Cade McGee singled. Tristan Bissetta pounded a three-run home run, his second of his brief professional career.
Tristan Bissetta goes YARD! 3-run homer puts the Chiefs ahead!
PEO 3 | WM 0 pic.twitter.com/ONLsd6cQnP
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) August 30, 2026
The Whitecaps tied the game at three apiece in the sixth and added a run in the seventh to move ahead 4-3.
Peoria regained the lead at 5-4 with a pair of runs in the eighth. Bissetta walked and stole second. Brayden Smith launched his third Peoria home run, a two-run blast.
Brayden Smith crushes a go-ahead two-run shot in the eighth!!
His FOURTH hit of the night.
PEO 5 | WM 4 pic.twitter.com/CUFEX5P2G4
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) August 30, 2026
West Michigan tied the game with a run in the home eighth. The score remained 5-5 to force extra innings.
The Chiefs plated two runs in the top of the 10th. Ferraro began the inning at second base and scored on McGee’s 14th home run of the season, a two-run shot.
Cade McGee wastes no time in extras!
Two-run homer in the 10th makes it 7-5 Chiefs. pic.twitter.com/t5xwV522ay
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) August 30, 2026
West Michigan responded with two runs in the bottom of the 10th to knot the game again at 7-7.
Peoria broke the tie with a six-run top of the 11th. Anyelo Encarnación started the frame at second base. Michael Dattalo legged out an infield single and Alex Birge walked to load the bags with no outs. With one away, Andrew Williamson took a bases-loaded walk to force Encarnación home. Dattalo crossed home plate on a wild pitch. Ferraro belted his second career home run, a three-run long ball.
Caden Ferraro delivers a back-breaking bomb in the 11th! 💣 pic.twitter.com/PS1wQvjfdv
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) August 30, 2026
McGee was hit by a pitch and took second on a groundout. Smith singled for his fifth hit of the game to plate McGee for a 13-7 lead.
Peoria survived the West Michigan response in the home 11th to seal the win.
The Chiefs scored 13 runs on 13 hits. Smith was a career-best 5-for-6, including a home run and three RBI. Ferraro was 2-for-5 with a walk, a home run, three runs scored, and three RBI. Bissetta walked, scored twice, hit a home run, and collected three RBI. McGee was 2-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored, and two RBI. The Chiefs were 6-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
On the bases, Birge and Bissetta each swiped their second bag of the year. Smith was caught stealing second base.
On defense, pitcher Holiday made a throwing error. Left fielder Bissetta committed a fielding error. Catcher Birge was tagged with a passed ball.
Peoria is 28-30 in the second half and 60-64 overall. The Chiefs will look to take five of six in West Michigan with a win on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: at West Michigan. RHP Jack Martinez (2-9, 4.55) vs. TBA. 1:00 PM CT.
Palm Beach Cardinals at Dunedin Blue Jays (postponed)
The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals’ Saturday contest at the Dunedin Blue Jays was postponed due to rain. It is scheduled to be made up as part of a doubleheader on Sunday.
Palm Beach is 29-29 in the second half and 62-62 overall. The Cardinals will secure a series split with one win on Sunday and the series victory with a doubleheader sweep.
Sunday’s game: at Dunedin. Pitching probables have not yet been announced for either game. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 11:00 AM CT. Game two is slated to begin shortly after the conclusion of game one.
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