photo: Leonel Sequera (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 3-2 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Peoria’s Leonel Sequera, pitched six scoreless innings with five strikeouts for the win. Other standouts: Bligh Madris, Ramon Mendoza, Jurrangelo Cijntje, Jon Jon Gazdar, Yordalin Peña and J.P. Cabrera.
Results for games played on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
Memphis Redbirds 6, Charlotte Knights 8
The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds dropped a close contest to the Charlotte Knights in front of a sellout crowd at AutoZone Park on Saturday.
Mason Molina started for Memphis in his Triple-A debut. The left-hander pitched four innings and allowed three runs on six hits, three walks, and eight strikeouts.
A new arm joins the flock 👏
Congratulations to Mason Molina on making his Triple-A debut tonight!#GoBirds pic.twitter.com/mloaiMPCHI— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) July 5, 2026
Tink Hence struck out two in a scoreless fifth inning. Scott Blewett surrendered four runs in the sixth, taking the loss. Cade Winquest and Jared Shuster each threw a shutout inning. Ryan Murphy gave up an insurance run in the ninth.
Charlotte struck first with two runs in the top of the first inning.
Memphis trimmed the lead in half to 2-1 in the third. Colton Ledbetter hit a lead-off double and moved to third base on a groundout. Ledbetter scored on a groundout from Victor Scott II.
Charlotte took the run back in the fourth to move ahead 3-1.
Memphis tied the game with a pair of runs in the home fifth. Ramon Mendoza opened the inning with a home run, his sixth with Memphis.
RAMON MENDOZA @LennysSubs LONGBALL!#LennysLongball pic.twitter.com/YVwUodC0yt
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) July 5, 2026
Ledbetter and Rivas followed with back-to-back singles. Scott II was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ledbetter crossed home plate on a sacrifice fly from Thomas Saggese.
The Knights jumped ahead 7-3 with four runs in the top of the sixth.
Memphis plated a run in the home half of the frame to remain within three at 7-4. With two outs, Bligh Madris blasted his 14th home run.
BLIGH LETS A @LennysSubs LONGBALL FLY!#LennysLongball pic.twitter.com/09PKdJ60MN
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) July 5, 2026
Charlotte scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth to take an 8-4 lead into the bottom of the frame.
Down to their last three outs, the Redbirds looked to rally.
Ledbetter singled and Rivas walked to put the first two Redbird hitters on base and they advanced on a ground out. Saggese lined a single to bring Ledbetter home. Rivas crossed home plate on a wild pitch to pull Memphis within two at 8-6, before back-to-back strikeouts ended the game.
The Redbirds scored six runs on nine hits. Mendoza and Madris each hit a solo home run. Saggese singled and tallied two RBI. Ledbetter was 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored. Scott II notched an RBI.
On the bases, Cesar Prieto was caught stealing second.
On defense, second baseman Rivas committed a fielding error.
Memphis is 6-5 in the second half and 51-35 overall. They will look to secure the series win on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: vs. Charlotte. LHP Brycen Mautz (0-3, 2.83) vs. RHP Mason Adams (2-2, 4.40) 1:05 PM CT.
Springfield Cardinals 7, Arkansas Travelers 5
The Double-A Springfield Cardinals edged the Arkansas Travelers at Route 66 Stadium on Saturday, for their fourth consecutive win.
Jurrangelo Cijntje made his 16th start for Springfield. The switch-pitcher faced 23 batters right-handed and two hitters left-handed. Cijntje threw six scoreless innings on three hits, three walks and nine strikeouts.
Take a bow Jurrangelo Cijntje! Unreal Fourth of July performance: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 9 K pic.twitter.com/oHv4y2Ck3n
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) July 5, 2026
Tyler Bradt allowed four runs in the seventh inning in relief of Cijntje, but still received the win. Lefty Jack Findlay yielded a run across 1 ⅔ innings. Randel Clemente secured the final out for his third save with Springfield this season.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning, when the Cardinals broke through with four runs. Miguel Ugueto singled and moved to third on a Ryan Campos double. Deniel Ortiz walked to load the bases. Tre Richardson III lined a single to bring Ugueto home. Jon Jon Gazdar grounded a single to plate Campos and Ortiz. Dakota Harris connected for a third consecutive single to score Richardson III and extend the lead to 4-0.
Springfield rallies for four to take the lead! pic.twitter.com/GbDxUAl167
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) July 5, 2026
Arkansas answered with four runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game.
Springfield immediately regained the lead with three runs in the bottom of the frame.
Travis Honeyman singled and scored on Ugueto’s double.
Miguel Ugueto comes up clutch and gives Springfield the lead right back! pic.twitter.com/eNayEHRKVV
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) July 5, 2026
Ugueto scored on a wild pitch. With two outs, Richardson III reached on a fielding error and scored on a double from Gazdar for a 7-4 Cardinals lead.
Clemente escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to seal the win in front of over 6,000 fans.
The Cardinals scored seven runs on 11 hits. Gazdar was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Ugueto went 2-for-4, including a double, two runs scored, and an RBI. Richardson III singled, scored twice, and drove in a run. Harris singled and notched an RBI.
The Cardinals did not steal a base or commit an error.
Springfield is 9-2 in the second half and 40-39 overall. They hold a one-game lead in the Texas League North Division. The Cardinals would take five of six from Arkansas with a win on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: vs. Arkansas. LHP Cooper Hjerpe (2026 Springfield debut) vs. RHP Adam Leverett (2-3, 4.60) 6:05 PM CT.
Peoria Chiefs 2, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 0
Following a 90-minute weather delay, the High-A Peoria Chiefs shut out the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at Dozer Park on Saturday night.
Leonel Sequera started his 15th game for the Chiefs. The right-hander threw six scoreless innings on three hits, two walks and five strikeouts. Sequera earned his second win of 2026.
Leonel Sequera had an outing worthy of some fireworks.
6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K pic.twitter.com/p3LaedPjjP
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) July 5, 2026
José Davila fired a shutout seventh frame in relief. Christian Worley fanned the side in a shutout eighth. Patrick Galle tossed a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his fourth save with Peoria.
The Chiefs opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Ian Petrutz singled, stole second, and took third on a balk. Cameron Nickens hit a one-out single to bring Petrutz home.
Cameron Nickens puts the Chiefs in front early!
1-0 Peoria. pic.twitter.com/fudQkgnGu8
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) July 5, 2026
The Chiefs doubled the lead in the home seventh. Nickens walked and took second on a wild pitch. With one out, Nickens scored on two consecutive wild pitches for a 2-0 Peoria lead.
Chiefs pitching held Wisconsin to 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and just four singles in the contest.
Peoria scored two runs on six hits. Petrutz was a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored. Nickens walked, singled, scored a run, and drove in a run. Jalin Flores doubled for the team’s lone extra-base hit.
On the bases, Petrutz swiped his second bag of 2026 with Peoria and was caught stealing. Sammy Hernandez swiped his ninth base.
On defense, Jose Cordoba nailed a runner at second base from right field to highlight an errorless night for the Chiefs.
Peoria is 6-7 in the second half and 38-41 overall. The Chiefs look to gain the series split with a win on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: vs. Wisconsin. RHP Jacob Odle (4-4, 2.78) vs. RHP Josh Knoth (2-0, 3.58) 2:05 PM CT.
Palm Beach Cardinals 5 at Lakeland Flying Tigers 7
The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals fell to the Flying Tigers in Lakeland on Saturday.
Sem Robberse started for Palm Beach as he works to rejoin the Triple-A Redbirds. The right-hander threw 1 ⅔ innings and allowed three runs on six hits, no walks and two strikeouts. Robberse took the loss.
Antoni Cuello recorded the final out of the second inning. Andrew Dutkanych IV followed and yielded three runs over 2 ⅔ innings. Jesús García followed with an inning of scoreless baseball. Yadiel Batista gave up a run over 2 ⅓ frames.
Lakeland scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning and added a run in the fourth to grab a 4-0 lead.
Palm Beach entered the run column in the fifth. With two away, Johnfrank Salazar ripped a double and scored on a Sebastian Dos Santos single.
The Flying Tigers scored twice in the home fifth to extend the lead to 6-1.
Palm Beach answered with two runs in the sixth. Jonathan Mejía walked and came home on Yordalin Peña’s 11th home run of the year, a two-run shot.
Lakeland moved ahead 7-3 in the seventh.
Palm Beach narrowed the Lakeland lead to two runs in the eighth. Ryan Mitchell, Brayden Smith and Mejía took consecutive walks to load the bases. Peña scorched a double to score Mitchell and Smith and bring the Cardinals within two. Two strikeouts and a groundout halted the rally. Palm Beach did not threaten in the ninth.
The Cardinals scored five runs on just four hits. Peña was 2-for-4, including a double, a home run, and four RBI. Dos Santos singled and notched an RBI. Salazar walked, doubled, and scored. Smith and Mejía each drew two walks and scored.
The Cardinals did not steal a base.
On defense, left fielder Mitchell made a throwing error.
Palm Beach is 9-5 in the second half and 42-38 overall. They hold a 1.5 game lead in the Florida State League East Division. The Cardinals will look to split the series with a win on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: at Lakeland. TBA vs. LHP Nathan Shinn (1-0, 5.68). 11:00 AM CT.
FCL Cardinals 4, FCL Marlins 2 (7 innings)
The Florida Complex League Cardinals edged the FCL Marlins in seven innings at home on Saturday.
Branneli Franco started his fourth game in his eighth appearance for the Cardinals. The right-hander pitched 1 ⅔ innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits, three walks and one strikeout.
Alejandro Lóaiza secured the final out of the second inning via a strikeout. Earle Zulueta tossed a scoreless third and picked up his first professional win. Jan Cabrera fired two shutout frames with three strikeouts. Brailyn Paulino threw a scoreless eighth. Jarol Baéz struck out two and slammed the door in the ninth for his first save of the year.
The Marlins struck first with a run in the top of the first inning.
The Cardinals tied the game in the home half of the frame. Rehabber Tai Peete walked, stole second and moved to third on a groundout from fellow rehabbing outfielder Chase Davis. Peete scored on a wild pitch.
The Marlins regained the lead with a run in the second.
The Cardinals jumped ahead with a two-run third. Miguel Hernández and Cristofer Lebrón hit back-to-back singles. Kenly Hunter grounded into a forceout. Hunter moved into scoring position with a steal of second base. With two outs, J.P. Cabrera lined a single to bring Lebrón and Hunter home and move the Cardinals ahead 3-2.
The Cardinals plated an insurance run in the home sixth. Cabrera doubled and scored on a Daniel Rojas single to extend the Cardinals lead to 4-2.
The Cardinals held the Marlins to just 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position in the win.
The FCL Cardinals scored four runs on seven hits. Cabrera was 2-for-2, including a walk, a double, a run scored, and two RBI. Lebrón was 3-for-3 with a run scored. Rojas and Hernández each collected a single.
On the bases, Peete stole his first bag in his rehab assignment. Lebrón swiped two bases for 14 steals on the year. Hunter snagged his 12th base.
On defense, shortstop Hernández made a throwing error. Catcher Cabrera was tagged with a passed ball.
The FCL Cardinals are 14-25 on the season. They are off Sunday and will play a home contest with the FCL Nationals on Monday.
Monday’s game: vs. FCL Nationals. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 AM CT.
DSL Cardinals at DSL Twins (suspended)
The Dominican Summer League Cardinals’ road contest with the DSL Twins was suspended on Saturday due to lightning in the area. The game is scheduled to be completed on August 18.
It will resume with two outs in the top of the fourth inning with the Cardinals ahead 5-3.
The DSL Cardinals are 13-11 on the season. They are off Sunday and will play a road contest with the DSL Rangers Blue on Monday.
Monday’s game: at DSL Rangers Blue. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 AM CT.
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