photos: Delvin Perez (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system went 6-3 on Thursday. Our Player of the Day is State College shortstop Delvin Perez, who reached base five times, including via his game-deciding two-run double.
Results from games played Thursday, July 12th.
The Redbirds took up right where they left off before the Triple-A All-Star break, with a win over the Storm Chasers. The 6-3 victory was either the first of a four-game road series and the sixth of a nine-game home-and-away set between the two teams. Memphis (57-34) holds a 12 ½-game lead over both Round Rock (TEX) and Nashville (OAK) in the American Southern Division.
Austin Gomber (W, 6-3) blanked Omaha through five innings but departed after surrendering a three-run long ball with one gone in the sixth. The lefty gave up six hits and a walk. Tyler Webb struck out five over 2 2/3, permitting a hit. Matt Bowman worked around a two-out double by fanning three for his first save.
Memphis put on quite an offensive display, with eight of nine starters garnering at least one of the team’s 15 hits. Luke Voit led the way, going 3-for-5 with a solo shot, his seventh Triple-A home run. Adolis Garcia launched a two-run blast, one of his two hits in four at bats with two runs scored.
Four other Redbirds had two hits apiece: Patrick Wisdom, Carson Kelly, Oscar Mercado and Edmundo Sosa. All but Mercado did it in four at bats while Mercado had five at bats. Wisdom doubled twice and drew his team’s only base-on-balls, joining Kelly by crossing home once. Mercado, Sosa and Kelly each drove in one.
Friday’s game: at Omaha (40-49) (KC), 7:05 pm CT, Kevin Herget (5-6, 3.75)
An unearned tally provided the difference as the S-Cards were clipped by the Travelers, 6-5. Springfield (5-15) has lost the first two games of the series with two remaining and is tied with Northwest Arkansas (KC) for last place in the North Division, 9 ½ games behind Tulsa.
Defensive impairment aside, Springfield’s offensive ineptitude was glaringly obvious as they fell despite outhitting their opponents, 13 to seven. Evan Mendoza and John Nogowski had three hits apiece in four at bats with a walk, Mendoza driving in two and Nogowski scoring one. Three batters separated those two from the only other player with more than one hit, Johan Mieses, who went 2-for-3 with a base-on-balls. Jeremy Martinez’ only hit in five at bats was a two-run home run, his second of the season.
Austin Warner hurled the first six innings, permitting four runs on six hits and a free pass. He plunked two batters too as his Double-A record dropped to 0-3. Ramon Santos and Hector Mendoza each tossed an inning. Santos gave up two runs with the deciding unearned tally the result of a throwing error by shortstop Tommy Edman, his 15th miscue of 2018.
Friday’s game: at second-place Arkansas (11-7) (SEA), 7:10 pm CT, Sam Tewes (0-2, 5.09)
Brian O’Keefe’s three-run blast propelled the Beach Birds to a 4-2 victory over Fort Myers and a three-games-to-one series win. Palm Beach (10-11) claimed sole possession of second place and trail Charlotte (TB) by a game in the South Division.
O’Keefe’s long ball, his only hit in four at bats, came with Chase Pinder (single) and Dylan Carlson (walk) aboard and gave the Cards a 3-0 lead after one. Carlson reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored. He was the only Beach Bird with more than one of seven team hits.
Jesus Cruz (W, 2-0) had a triumphant return to Palm Beach after four starts for Peoria, holding the third-place Miracle (9-12) to two hits and a base on balls in 5 1/3. His sole tally allowed resulted from a lead-off walk, single and sac fly. Cruz struck out five and hit one batter.
Four Palm Beach relievers followed Cruz to the mound. Jacob Patterson went 1 2/3 innings, issuing two free passes and stranding two inherited runners. Jason Zgardowski tossed a clean eighth but was one of three pitchers needed to successfully navigate the ninth. Zgardowski got the hook after permitting a lead-off single. Colton Thomson retired his first two batters but was yanked after back-to-back singles, the latter of which scored Zgardowski’s runner. Eric Carter retired his only batter for his first save of 2018.
Friday’s game: at fifth-place St Lucie (7-13) (NYM), 6:30 pm ET, TBA
Sloppy defense and a misfiring offense led by the Chiefs’ 6-1 home loss to the Captains. Peoria’s (10-9) third straight loss, and fourth in their last five games, have dropped them to fourth in the Western Division, three games behind Beloit (OAK) and Cedar Rapids (MIN).
The Chiefs committed three errors, one each by third baseman Elehuris Montero, catcher Alexis Wilson and second baseman Irving Lopez, leading to three unearned runs. Wilson was also charged with two passed balls.
Peoria outhit Lake County, nine to eight, but went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven. The only two Chiefs with more than one hit were Yariel Gonzalez and Wood Myers. Both went 2-for-4 with Myers scoring his team’s only run.
Alex Fagalde bore most of the brunt of his team’s bobbles with half of the four runs he yielded over five innings being unearned. Fagalde struck out five with four hits and three walks allowed. Kodi Whitley and C.J. Saylor each pitched two innings. Whitley was charged with two runs, one earned, on two hits and a base-on-balls.
Friday’s game: vs. Lake County (11-10) (CLE), 7:00 pm CT (Angel Rondon, league debut)
State College 10 vs. Vermont 9
The Spikes finished on top of a combined 27-hit slugfest, slipping past the Lake Monsters, 10-9, to even the home series at one game each with one on tap. The victory moved State College (11-15) into a fourth-place tie with West Virginia (PIT), 5 ½ in back of Mahoning Valley (CLE).
The contest featured three lead changes, with the most important in the eighth, when Player of the Day Delvin Perez’ ground-rule double drove in two and flipped an 8-7 deficit into the final margin of victory. Perez had a perfect night at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a walk, double, run scored and two RBI while batting seventh.
Three Spikes had two hits each: Brandon Benson, Stanley Espinal and Joe Gomez. All three touched home at least once with Gomez knocking in two. Benson drew one free pass while Espinal worked two of State College’s eight walks to go with 14 hits.
However, things did not go so swimmingly on the mound. Diego Cordero did not have an auspicious New York-Penn League debut, surrendering eight runs on nine hits and a base-on-balls in just 4 1/3. One of those nine hits was a two-run home run.
Troy Montemayor recorded five outs, but not before giving up a run on three hits and allowing one inherited runner to score. Cory Malcom (W, 1-0) twice retired the side in order before Kevin Hamann pitched a clean ninth for his fourth save.
Friday’s game: vs. Vermont (13-13) (OAK), 7:05 pm ET, Chris Holba (1-1, 2.19)
Elizabethton 7 at Johnson City 2
The JC-Cards fell to the Twins for the third straight game, this time by a 7-2 score. One game remains in the series. Johnson City (9-12) is mired in fourth place, four games behind Elizabethton.
A bright light in the loss was starter Colin Schmid, who tossed four strong frames in his first start after five relief appearances. Schmid held the Twins to a run on four hits and did not issue a free pass.
Mike Brettell (L, 0-1) did not fare as well, surrendering five runs on seven hits during his two innings on the bump. The four hits Juan Alvarez allowed during his two-inning stint resulted in one tally. Edwar Ramirez worked around a hit and walk for a scoreless ninth.
Kevin Woodall went 2-for-4, including a double, and collected the Cards’ lone RBI, scoring Leandro Cedeno, who also had a two-base hit.
Friday’s game: vs. first-place Elizabethton (13-8) (MIN), 7:00 pm ET, TBA
GCL Cardinals 12 at GCL Mets 2
The GCL Cardinals (15-6) thumped the Mets (13-8), 12-2, to widen their lead over their closest division rival to two games in the standings.
The Gulf Birds were aided by three Mets’ bobbles that led to six unearned tallies. The visitors generated seven hits with Victor Garcia and Brandon Purcell having two apiece. The team was also aided by three long balls, the biggest being Purcell’s grand slam that made it 11-1 at the seventh’s midpoint and was four of his five RBI. Garcia went yard as well, his blast coming with a runner on. Luken Baker opened the sixth with his first home run as a pro, his only hit in three at bats, although he did work a free pass.
Memphis rehabber Derian Gonzalez worked around a lead-off walk for a scoreless first. Regular starter Brian Pirela took over the next inning, tossing five strong frames while giving up one unearned run on four hits and two walks with four K’s. Francisco Justo got a three-inning save, fanning four and yielding a solo shot that was one of two hits allowed to go with a base-on-balls.
Friday’s game: off
DSL Cardinals Blue 5 vs. DSL Nationals 4
A five-run third lifted the C-Blue over the Dominican Nationals, 5-4. The win allowed the second-place DSL Cardinals (23-12) to keep pace with the DSL Twins, whom they trail by a game in the standings.
Ramon Mendoza and Ramon Gomez each had two of the team’s seven hits. Mendoza drove in one in four at bats and Gomez doubled with a walk and stolen base in three at bats. But the big blow was a two-run double by Diowill Burgos, his only hit in four at bats. Burgos came around to score the third’s final tally.
Angel Ortega was credited with his first win by tossing a scoreless fifth in which he issued one free pass. Ortega pitched in relief of Angel Cuenca, who went the initial four innings, yielding a three-run first plus another tally in the third on six hits and two walks. Cuenca struck out five.
Ramon Fernandez made his professional debut with two clean frames, with the right-hander working around three walks. Luis Tena fanned three over the final two innings for his first save.
Friday’s game: at fourth-place DSL Nationals (19-16), 10:30 am ET, Hector Soto (4-2, 3.06)
DSL Cardinals Red 7 at DSL D-backs2 6 (10 innings)
The C-Red came out on top of a see-saw battle, topping the D-backs2, 7-6, in 10. The Cardinals Red (19-16) are in fourth place in the San Pedro Division, 1 ½ games behind tri-leaders Brewers, Phillies White and Rangers2.
The contest featured four lead changes but the Red took the final lead, scoring two in the top of the 10th to go up 7-5, then holding on for the victory. The only C-Red player with a multi-hit performance was right fielder Luis Montano, who singled twice in five at bats with a base-on-balls and RBI. Four of Montano’s teammates had one hit apiece, including catcher Jesus Orecchia who went 1-for-3 with a double, two walks and a run scored. Defensively, Orecchia was charged with his third error on an attempted pickoff play that went awry.
Jose Moreno tossed a quality start, permitting three runs on six hits and a free pass through six while fanning five. Moreno left with a 5-3 lead but two unearned tallies charged to Roy Garcia (BS, 2) sent the game into extras. Dionys Rodriguez tossed the ninth and 10th, yielding an unearned score on a two-out single, but closed out the game for his second win against no losses.
Friday’s game: vs. sixth-place DSL D-backs2 (15-20), 10:30 am ET, TBA
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