Cardinals Minor League Notebook – July 11, 2019

photo: Dalton Roach (Minnesota State-Mankato)

It was a 3-4 Wednesday across the St. Louis Cardinals farm system, with Memphis still off for the All-Star break and Palm Beach suspended by rain in the 4th inning. Player of the Day Dalton Roach threw six shutout innings for Johnson City. Springfield won with help from Dylan Carlson, who reached safely four times and stole a base, shortstop Rayder Ascanio who matched Carlson, and starting pitcher Angel Rondon, who pitched into the seventh inning and drove in more runs than he conceded.

Results for games played Wednesday, July 10th.


Jake Woodford (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Triple-A All-Star Game: Pacific Coast League 9, International League 3

Memphis (36-54) had the day off, though 22-year-old Jake Woodford started and got the win with two spotless innings for the PCL All-Stars versus the International League squad. The righty fanned a pair during his six up, six down domination.

Redbirds Andrew Knizner and Rangel Ravelo (promoted to St. Louis) did not appear in the contest, held in El Paso.

Thursday’s game: vs. Oklahoma City, Mike Hauschild (0-2, 9.00) 7:05 CT.


Springfield 8 at Tulsa 4

Angel Rondon (Palm Beach Cardinals)

Springfield upped its second-half record to 9-11 with a resounding 8-4 road win over the Drillers. Leadoff hitter Dylan Carlson had his second straight three-hit game, and added a walk and stolen base to boot. Shortstop Rayder Ascanio also had three safeties with a steal and free pass, and like Carlson scored a pair of runs. Michael Perri and Justin Toerner each singled twice and drew a walk as well.

Starter Angel Rondon was a force unto himself, twirling 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball and providing two RBI and a sac bunt on offense. The 21-year-old righty lowered his Texas League ERA to 2.79 while whiffing five and walking no one. He yielded six hits, all singles, and needed 96 pitches on the night. Ronnie Williams pitched a perfect eighth while fanning one man.

Right fielder Justin Toerner made a highlight reel catch to end the game.

Thursday’s game: vs. Arkansas, Johan Oviedo (1-4, 6.08) 7:00 CT.


Palm Beach at Clearwater – suspended

Palm Beach’s (6-14) afternoon contest was suspended as the Cards were trailing at Clearwater 3-1 in the fourth inning. Juan Yepez homered just before play was halted. All three Threshers runs were scored against starter Griffin Roberts. The game will be completed prior to Thursday’s seven-inning contest.

Thursday’s games: at Clearwater, TBA/Alvaro Seijas (0-0, 3.60), 4:00 CT.


Lansing 8 at Peoria 2

Michael Baird (State College Spikes)

Peoria fell to 3-16 with their 10th loss in a row, in getting thumped 8-2 by Lansing at Dozer Park. Michael Baird started and threw three scoreless frames before giving way to recent draftee and losing pitcher Tony Locey. The third-round pick out of Georgia allowed his first professional runs, surrendering two earned in 1 1/3 innings. The righty struck out three Lugnuts. Parker Kelly lowered his ERA to 1.61 with three hitless innings. Rodard Avelino had a night to forget, with four walks and a hit leading to four runs while securing just one out to open the ninth as a close game turned into a blowout.

There were no multi-hit games for the Chiefs — even including walks, nobody reached twice. Second sacker Brendan Donovan had the sole extra base hit, a double. Donovan and Brandon Riley scored the only runs and Brady Whalen had his team’s one RBI.

Thursday’s game: vs. Lansing, Kyle Leahy (4-6, 2.94), 6:35 CT.


Tri-City 14, State College 7

Donivan Williams (St. Louis Cardinals)

State College (14-12) fell behind by nine runs early and not surprisingly never challenged the home Tri-City ValleyCats Wednesday evening. Starter and losing pitcher Scott Politz was hammered for 10 runs on 14 baserunners over five innings, dropping the righty’s record to 1-2 and escalating his ERA to 8.69. 27th-rounder Eric Lex had a rough sixth, with four runs scoring, two earned, on three hits and two walks. Southpaw Fabian Blanco pitched well to close out the game with two shutout stanzas with a hit and a free pass issued.

No Spikes had multiple hits; right fielder Andrew Warner and left fielder David Vinsky had the only long hits with a double apiece. Shortstop Moises Casillo singled and drew two walks, while fellow teenager Donivan Williams plated three runners via a single and bases-loaded walk. In a league in which the average OPS is currently .647, Castillo is at .790 with a robust 15/18 BB/K ratio.

Thursday’s game: at Tri-City, Adrian Mardueno (1-0, 2.16) 6:00 CT.


Johnson City 6 at Bristol 3

Dalton Roach (Robert Kell)

Johnson City lifted its ledger to 12-8 with a 6-3 road win over the Bristol Pirates. The Johnson City attack was led by Terry Fuller, who homered for the first time in 2019 and added a single and two bases on balls. (He is tied for the league lead with his 14 free passes to date.) The 20-year-old right fielder also stole his third base while boosting his average to .281 and OPS to .870. Other two-hit games were provided by keystoner Liam Sabino and designated hitter Todd Lott, each of whom also induced a walk.

Righty Dalton Roach threw six shutout innings for the J-Cards, lowering his ERA to 5.64 on the young season. The right-hander struck out four without issuing a walk, scattering just three hits and using a fifth-inning double play ball to face just two hitters over the minimum. St. Louis native and Mizzou product Cameron Dulle (30th round in this year’s draft) twirled two innings and permitted his first professional run, leaving his ERA at 1.29 over six appearances and seven innings.

Thursday’s game: at Bristol, Jake Sommers (1-0, 1.04) 5:30 CT.


GCL Cardinals 2 at GCL Mets 1 (11 innings)

Francis Ventura

The Gulf Coast League Cardinals raised their record to 5-9 with a dramatic 2-1 win in 11 innings at the GCL Mets. Canadian-born third baseman Francisco Hernandez singled and doubled for his club’s only multi-hit day, and started a double play in the field. Shortstop Yowelfy Rosario doubled home the eventual winning run in the top of the 11th, giving him four straight games with an RBI.

Starter Francis Ventura was excellent for the G-Cards, scattering seven hits over six innings. The righty fanned four and walked a pair while allowing his staff’s only run. Two shutout innings were provided by righty Saniel Santana, and three by winner Wilman Madera. who whiffed four and walked no one.

Thursday’s game: There is no GCL Cardinals game scheduled for Thursday.


DSL Twins 11 at DSL Cardinals Blue 2

The DSL Cardinals Blue team fell to 20-10 by being routed at home 11-2 at the hands of the DSL Twins. Starter Engels Martinez at least provided innings, going six and allowing four runs, all earned, on just four hits — three of which left the field of play. No reliever escaped unscathed, but the best was 17-year-old righty Benjamin Arias, who went two innings and yielded only one run.

Spearheading the meager offense was first baseman Luis Rodriguez with three singles. No one else had more than one hit, and there were no fielding or baserunning heroics. Second baseman Elvin De Jesus and right fielder Gustavo A. Rodriguez each doubled for the only extra base knocks.

Thursday’s game: at DSL Rockies, pitcher TBA, 9:30 a.m. CT.


DSL D-backs2 8, DSL Cardinals Red 3

Mustering just three singles for the day, the DSL Cardinals Red squad dropped an 8-3 road decision to the D-backs2 team, slipping to 12-21 on the season. Contributing the hits were catcher Jesus Orecchia, second sacker Albert Inoa, and birthday boy center fielder Endri Salas, who turned 18 on Wednesday and drew two walks to go along with his base knock and a hit-by-pitch. (Scorching hot Diowill Burgos went 0-for-1 with a pair of free passes and for July is now batting .391/.483/1.043 with just three strikeouts in 30 trips to the dish.)

Starter and losing pitcher Hancel Rincon couldn’t finish the third inning, as he allowed five runs in 2 2/3 frames. The 17-year-old righty fanned two and walked one, and is yet to issue more than one walk in any of his eight appearances as starter or reliever. The only unscored upon bullpenner was 19-year-old righty Larimel Soriano, who lowered his ERA to 1.10 with his pair of goose egg innings.

Thursday’s game: vs. DSL Phillies White, pitcher TBA, 9:30 a.m. CT.


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