photo: Connor Thomas (Memphis Redbirds)
On Sunday, the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system went 1-3. Nick Raposo tripled, homered and plated five of Springfield’s 10 runs in a narrow home win. Connor Thomas was dominant in Memphis’ late defeat as bullpens struggled to hold leads in three of the four contests.
Results from games played Sunday, August 8th.
Memphis 3 at Durham 4 (10 innings)
The Redbirds’ bullpen twice failed to hold a late lead, resulting in a 4-3 road loss to Durham (55-28) (TB). Memphis (40-44) dropped the series, two games to four.
The visitors led 2-1 with four outs to go but Garrett Williams (BS, 2) allowed the tying run to cross home on one of two free passes issued, a wild pitch and an RBI single. The eighth was Williams’ only inning of work.
On to the 10th when catcher Dennis Ortega lined a single to left, driving in Evan Mendoza, who began the frame at second. The Redbirds were unable to do further damage after Rayder Ascanio grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.
Junior Fernandez (L, 1-2) began his second inning tasked with holding his team’s second one-run lead of the night but did not accomplish his task. Fernandez yielded a lead-off single and double with one away, both hits knocking in a run and sending Memphis to their third straight defeat.
Starter Connor Thomas tossed an excellent effort, limiting the Bulls to a single score occurring in the first of his six-inning stint. The southpaw struck out seven, gave up just four hits and did not walk a batter. Thomas remained strong, retiring his last 10 batters in order. Seth Elledge faced the minimum in the seventh before his pen-mates let the game get away.
Another bright spot was the offensive performances by prospects Nolan Gorman and Alec Burleson who each garnered two of Memphis’ seven hits. Unfortunately, the two were not near each other in the batting order, with Gorman batting third and Burleson seventh. Kramer Robertson scored twice, going 1-for-2 with a walk and double out of the two-hole.
It was a down game both on the base paths and in the field. Burleson was nailed in his only stolen base attempt while Ortega was charged with a throwing error.
Monday’s game: Off
The S-Cards scored in each of the first six frames then fought off a late rally, topping the Drillers, 10-9, at Hammons Field. Springfield (32-52) won two of the six-game set over Tulsa (45-39) (LAD).
The home team put up a straight number in the first and fourth through sixth innings, along with a two-run second and four-run third. But the Drillers answered by scoring seven times from the second through fourth frames, keeping the game close. Springfield’s 10-7 advantage held firm until the ninth when the visitors pushed across two tallies against two S-Cards relievers. But the bullpen prevailed by narrowest of margins with the potential tying run in scoring position.
With the final score 10-9, quality pitching was at a premium. Miles Mikolas did not shine in his latest rehab start, serving up three home runs accounting for five of his seven tallies permitted on 11 hits and two walks in 5 2/3.
Tyler Pike took his regular turn in Springfield’s rotation after Mikolas, retiring eight batters. The southpaw stranded an inherited runner but was tagged for the two ninth-inning scores, yielding four hits overall. The last run charged to him touched home under Jacob Bosiokovic’s watch, with Bosiokovic sandwiching two strikeouts around a run-scoring single.
Springfield banged out 12 hits, with all nine starters taking part in the scoring with either a run scored, RBI or both. Second baseman Nick Dunn led the effort, going 3-for-5, knocking in one.
First Double-A homer AND the first professional homer for Nick Raposo!
Stand up @NRaposo8 fan club 🙌 pic.twitter.com/PUcWQdtgJa
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) August 8, 2021
Three S-Cards had two hits each: designated hitter Nick Raposo, third baseman Malcom Nunez and shortstop Delvin Perez. Raposo swung the biggest bat, going 2-for-5 with a triple and two-run blast comprising one of his two runs scored and two of his five RBI. Nunez and Perez both drove in one, Nunez doubling once in five at bats with a run scored and Perez touching home twice in four at bats.
Monday’s game: Off
The Chiefs (32-52) dropped the series finale at South Bend (37-46) on Sunday. Peoria has lost three straight and took just two of the six-game set against the Cubs.
Peoria scored first with a pair in the second but gave up the lead immediately as the Cubs knotted the score in the bottom of the frame. The Chiefs responded with two more in the fourth, but the home team took control with five runs in the sixth and added three insurance runs in the eighth.
Chiefs starter Mac Lardner yielded two runs in three innings on three hits and two walks. He fanned two. Reliever Fabian Blanco handled the fifth cleanly but ran into major trouble in the sixth. Between he and Jacob Schlesener, who took a blown save and the loss, they yielded five runs while securing just one out in that fateful frame. Gianluca Dalatri tossed 1 2/3 scoreless before Enmanuel Solano allowed the final trio of Cubs runs in the eighth.
Leadoff man Masyn Winn had three of Peoria’s eight hits and drove in three. However, the shortstop did not score and was caught stealing in his only attempt.
Number three batter, outfielder Jhon Torres, doubled for the Chiefs’ only extra base hit and came around to score.
The Peoria offense was 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded six.
Monday’s game: Off
The Beach Birds came out on the short end of a low-scoring affair, dropping a 2-1 decision at St. Lucie (44-37) (NYM). Palm Beach (25-54) last won on July 16th, a run of 17 straight losses and counting.
The Mets took an immediate lead with a solo shot off starter John Beller in the first of his three plus innings on the mound. The long ball was one of five hits and three walks allowed by Beller who fanned six.
With the Beach Birds down 1-0, center fielder Mike Antico rectified the situation with one swing of his bat. Antico, the eighth-round selection in the 2021 First-Year Player Draft, launched his first pro home run in the third, knotting the game at 1-1. The long ball was Antico’s only hit in four at bats.
But Palm Beach’s starter was unable to retire any of the three batters faced the next frame, bringing another pitcher into the game. Due to the dearth of action this past week because of cancelled games, starter Gustavo J Rodriguez followed Beller to the mound with the Mets threatening to unravel the 1-1 knot and came through magnificently. Rodriguez inherited a bases-loaded/none out mess and got out of it on a double play in which both outs were recorded at home plus a fly out to center. Rodriguez pitched one more frame, issuing a free pass and striking out two.
Luis Ortiz (L, 2-4) took over in the sixth and the visitors pounced for what proved to be the difference in the game, scoring a run via back-to-back doubles. Ortiz retired three batters, yielding those two hits.
Andre Granillo, the Cardinals’ 14th round pick in the recent draft, tossed the final two frames. The righty retired six of seven batters, permitting a hit with two K’s.
The Beach Birds generated six hits, with third baseman Osvaldo Tovalin the only player with a multi-hit effort. The 10th-round selection in last month’s draft singled twice in four at bats.
Monday’s game: Off
FCL Cardinals – off
Sunday is a scheduled day off in the Florida Complex League.
Monday’s game: off
DSL Cardinals Blue – off
Sunday is a scheduled day off in the Dominican Summer League.
Monday’s game: DSL Cardinals Blue (10-9) at DSL Angels (10-9), 10:30 am ET/9:30 am CT, TBA
DSL Cardinals Red – off
Sunday is a scheduled day off in the Dominican Summer League.
Monday’s game: DSL Cardinals Red (8-8) vs. DSL Mets1 (7-11), 10:30 am ET/9:30 am CT, TBA
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