photo: Jake Dahlberg (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system went 5-3 on Monday as Memphis and Springfield mounted successful late comebacks. Player of Day Jake Dahlberg pitched seven strong innings, but State College dropped a 2-1 decision.
Results from the games played Monday, July 16th.
A big eighth inning comeback gave the Redbirds a 6-4 victory over the Cubs, the first of four games at AutoZone Park between the two teams. Memphis’ (60-35) lead in the American Southern Division is up to 14 games over Nashville (OAK).
Down 4-1 with six outs to go, the home team put up a five spot on five hits and a fielding error. Memphis had been held to just three hits up to that point but finished with eight to go with eight walks.
The only Redbird with more than one hit was shortstop Edmundo Sosa, who singled twice in three at bats with a walk, run scored and two RBI. Adolis Garcia and Rangel Ravelo each went 1-for-4 with a double. Garcia knocked in one and Ravelo worked a free pass. After back-to-back games, rehabbing outfielder Tyler O’Neill did not play on Monday.
The Redbirds’ pitching arsenal featured three recent returns from the St. Louis staff and a waiver claimee. Luke Weaver’s first and only start since being temporarily reassigned included seven strikeouts in four innings with a two-run bomb surrendered in his final frame that was one of his three hits yielded.
Left-hander Tyler Webb’s third appearance since joining the organization went just like his previous ones, two innings of scoreless ball. Matt Bowman was touched for two runs on three hits and a walk in 1 2/3. Bowman fanned three.
John Brebbia (W, 1-0) retired his only batter faced, stranding two inherited runners and making him the pitcher when his teammates rallied. Former St. Louis Cardinal Edward Mujica tossed a one-two-three ninth for his 10th save.
Tuesday’s game: vs. Iowa (34-60) (CHC), 7:05 pm CT, Austin Gomber (6-3, 3.69)
Springfield 10 vs. Northwest Arkansas 6 (10 innings)
Johan Mieses’ grand slam in the 10th lifted the S-Cards over the even more struggling Naturals, 10-6. Springfield (7-17) has won the first two of the four games between the two squads and is in third place in the North Division, 11 ½ games in back of Tulsa (LAD).
The big bomb capped a five-run 10th that transformed a potential 6-5 loss into a walk-off victory. It was Mieses’ second hit of the game to go with a single in five at bats and one of the team’s three home runs. Victor Roache launched a long ball with the bases clear, one of his two hits in three at bats. The left fielder worked two free passes and touched home three times.
The final S-Card to go yard was catcher Jeremy Martinez, who blasted his third home run of 2018 with Lane Thomas (single) aboard. Thomas and Martinez each scored two runs.
Jake Woodford struggled in his return to Springfield after his Triple-A stint, permitting five runs, four earned, on five hits through five. Two of the five scores were generated by a long ball.
Austin Sexton recorded five outs, giving up two hits. Junior Fernandez tossed 2 1/3 scoreless frames, permitting two hits but stranding his only inherited runner. Mieses’ big slam turned Hector Mendoza (W, 2-1) into the winning pitcher after the righty was charged with the unearned tally in the visitor half of the 10th.
Tuesday’s game: vs. fourth-place Northwest Arkansas (4-18) (KC), 6:30 pm CT, Anthony Shew (4-5, 4.82)
The PB-Cards survived a late rally to top the Flying Tigers, 4-3, in the series opener and halt a three-game losing skid. Palm Beach (11-14) is in a three-way tie for second with Bradenton (PIT) and Fort Myers (MIN), all three teams trailing Charlotte (TB) by three games.
Defensive miscues played a large role as each team’s offense scored only one earned run. The Beach Birds took advantage of Lakeland’s third-inning throwing error to put two on for Andy Young who smashed a bases-clearing triple. J.B. Woodman’s single brought Young home for a 3-0 lead after three.
Casey Meisner (W, 5-2) held that lead easily through the first five of his 6 1/3 innings on the bump. Meisner surrendered a solo home run in the sixth but exited after permitting a single and base-on-balls the next frame. The Texan struck out five with four hits and three walks allowed.
Yeison Medina was the unfortunate recipient of his team’s defensive lapses, unable to work around two errors. The second bobble allowed both of Meisner’s runners to score, cutting the home team’s lead to a single tally. But Medina prevented further damage during his 1 1/3-inning stint, yielding a hit and base-on-balls. Eric Carter issued a free pass with one gone but retired his final two batters for his second save.
The PB-Cards were held to just five hits, including Kramer Robertson’s lead-off single in the sixth. A walk to Young advanced Robertson 90 feet before a wild pitch moved him to third, from where he scored on Ryan McCarvel’s sac fly. Second baseman Young and third baseman Danny Hudzina committed the defensive lapses.
Tuesday’s game: vs. Lakeland (14-9) (DET), 12:00 pm ET, Jesus Cruz (2-0, 4.50)
The Chiefs were held to just four hits in their 4-0 defeat by Fort Wayne (13-12) (SD). Third-place Peoria (13-10) still claimed the home series, two-games-to-one, and trail both Beloit (OAK) and Cedar Rapids (MIN) by three games in the West Division.
Alvaro Seijas (L, 2-6) tossed a quality effort, yielding two runs on five hits and three free passes over six innings. The 19-year-old struck out six. C.J. Saylor surrendered a seventh-inning solo blast before Fabian Blanco was touched for a tally in the eighth, the first of his two innings of work.
All four of Peoria’s hits were singles and they managed just two walks. Only two runners reached second base all evening.
Tuesday’s game: Off
A ninth-inning tally resulted in a 2-1 loss by State College and a three-game series sweep by the visiting ValleyCats (18-12) (HOU). It was the fourth consecutive loss by the Spikes (11-19), now tied for last place.
Player of the Day Jake Dahlberg was stellar over seven innings, permitting just one run on a hit, three walks and a sac fly. The run was unearned due to a throwing error by the southpaw, who fanned eight with six ground- and four fly-ball outs.
Kevin Hamann took the loss, his first in as many decisions, after allowing a run on three hits and a base-on-balls over 1 2/3. The run scored on a single given up by Cory Malcom, who stranded a second inherited runner when he recorded the ninth’s final out.
The Spikes’ sole run was generated on back-to-back doubles by Edwin Figuera and Brady Whalen in the first. State College managed just seven hits in total, led by Whalen, who doubled twice. Second baseman Figuera committed his eighth and ninth miscues.
Tuesday’s game: at West Virginia (11-19) (PIT), 7:05 pm ET, Diego Cordero (0-0, 16.62 ERA)
Johnson City 5 at Burlington 6
The Appy Birds bullpen could not hold a three-run ninth-inning lead, and the Cards fell to the Royals, 6-5, in the decisive third game of the series. Johnson City (10-15) is in fourth place in the West Division, six games behind Elizabethton (MIN).
Parker Kelly (BS, 1) (L, 1-1) was responsible for the walk-off loss, giving up four runs, the capper of which was a two-run home run. Kelly retired two batters, yielding a walk, double, two-run single and the bomb.
Kyle Leahy went the initial 5 2/3, holding Burlington (6-21) to two runs on six hits and two walks, including a solo long ball. He struck out five. Enrique Perez (1 1/3) and Evan Sisk kept their opponents off the board during the next 2 2/3 innings, with Perez leaving Leahy’s last runner on base.
Johnson City accumulated 11 hits, paced by Brandon Riley and Donivan Williams, who posted nearly identical lines – 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored. Riley added a walk. Catcher Carlos Soto singled once in four at bats with a sac fly and drove in three.
Tuesday’s game: Off
GCL Cardinals 10 vs. GCL Nationals 3
The Gulf Birds pounded out 15 hits on their way to a 10-3 romp over the fourth-place Nationals (9-15). The Cardinals (17-7) sit atop the East Division, three games in front of the Mets.
All nine starters either garnered at least one hit or drove in a run, led by designated hitter Josh Shaw, who went 3-for-5 with a double and run scored. Left fielder Andrew Warner reached base four times with two singles in two at bats, two free passes, a run scored and an RBI.
First baseman Luken Baker headed his team’s RBI stat sheet, going 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and three driven in. Three other Gulf Cardinals also had two hits apiece: shortstop Mateo Gil, center fielder Diomedes Del Rio and second baseman Kevin Vargas.
Derian Gonzalez’ rehab continued with two scoreless frames to begin the game. The righty struck out three and gave up two hits. Regular starter Cole Aker (W, 3-0) tossed the next three frames, limiting the opposition to a run on two hits, four walks and a balk.
Chris Rivera shut down the Gulf Nationals on two hits over two innings but Starlin Balbuena did not fare so well in his mound debut. Balbuena allowed each of his four batters to reach, two on hits and two via free passes, and two scored. Chris Hunt inherited a bases-loaded with no one out mess and minimized the damage to only one runner crossing home plate. Hunt pitched the final two frames, giving up a hit and walk.
Tuesday’s game: vs. GCL Mets (14-10), 12:00 pm ET, TBA
DSL Cardinals Blue at DSL Mets1 – suspended
Monday morning’s contest between the C-Blue and DSL Mets1 was suspended due to rain after four with the C-Blue trailing 2-1. The game’s completion has not been indicated but is likely to occur as part of a twin bill on Tuesday, July 17th. The second-place DSL Cardinals Blue (24-12) trail the DSL Twins by a game in the South Division.
The C-Blue pounced for a first-inning tally and the 1-0 score held until the home half of the fourth, when the Mets1 scored twice against starter Julio Puello. Puello yielded five hits during his four-inning stint but took advantage of a caught stealing and double play to minimize the damage.
Tuesday’s game: vs. third-place DSL Mets1 (21-15), 10:30 am ET, Francis Ventura (1-2, 4.91)
DSL Cardinals Red 2 vs. DSL Tigers1 0 (5 innings)
The C-Red blanked the Tigers1 in a rain-shortened five-inning affair. The DSL Cardinals Red (21-16) are in fourth place in the very competitive San Pedro Division with only 1 ½ games separating them from the division’s co-leaders, the Brewers and Rangers2.
The only two batters to reach against starter Ludwin Jimenez (W, 2-2) during his five innings of work came when the 17-year-old hit them with pitches. Both base runners were erased, one in an attempted steal of second and the other on Jimenez’ pick off move to second after the righty uncorked a wild pitch that advanced the runner into scoring position. Jimenez gave up neither a hit nor a walk.
All of the home team’s scoring occurred in the first, when the C-Red generated all three of their hits during the abbreviated contest. Left fielder Joerlin De Los Santos opened with a single to left and raced home on a double by shortstop Franklin Soto, his fifth of the season. Two outs later, center fielder Adanson Cruz’s single drove in Soto – and that was the ball game.
Tuesday’s game: at eighth-place DSL Tigers1 (14-23), 10:30 am ET, Martin Cordova (4-0, 0.39)
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