Cardinals Minor League Notebook – June 14, 2026

photo: Luis Estrella/X

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 1-5 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, DSL OF Luis Estrella, crushed a grand slam, his first career home run, in a five-hit, five-RBI game. Other standouts: Domenic Picone, Trey Paige, Tre Richardson III, Jesús Báez, Andrew Bolívar and Michael Cordero.

Results for games played on Saturday, June 13, 2026.

Memphis Redbirds 1 at Norfolk Tides 2

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds dropped a close contest to the Tides in Norfolk on Saturday, snapping their five-game win streak.

Brandt Thompson started his first game at the Triple-A level. The right-hander threw four innings and allowed two runs on six hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. Thompson took the loss.

Jared Shuster tossed two scoreless innings with three strikeouts in relief of Thompson. Max Rajcic fanned two in a shutout seventh. Scott Blewett fired a scoreless eighth inning with a pair of K’s.

The Redbirds opened the scoring in the top of the first inning. Thomas Saggese lined a one-out single. Leo Bernal ripped a double to bring Saggese home.

Leonardo Bernal

Norfolk moved ahead 2-1 in the second. The game remained a one-run contest heading into the ninth inning, with Memphis looking to regain the lead.

With two outs, Colton Ledbetter and Matt Koperniak walked. César Prieto grounded out to first base to strand the tying run at second base in the loss.

The Redbirds scored one run on six hits. Bernal doubled for the team’s lone extra-base hit and drove in a run. Jeremy Rivas was 2-for-3. Ledbetter walked and singled. Koperniak drew two walks.

On the bases, Ledbetter swiped his 10th bag.

On defense, catcher Yohel Pozo was tagged with an error on catcher’s interference. The Redbirds turned three double plays.

Memphis is 42-26 on the season. They hold a one-game lead in the International League West Division. The Redbirds will look to secure five of six in Norfolk with a win on Sunday.

Sunday’s game: at Norfolk. LHP Pete Hansen (1-1, 3.74) vs. RHP Chris Kachmar (1-0, 1.13) 12:05 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals 2, Amarillo Sod Poodles 6

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals fell to the Amarillo Sod Poodles by a 6-2 score at Route 66 Stadium on Saturday night.

Chen-Wei Lin made his ninth start and 12th appearance for Springfield. The right-hander tossed four innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on four hits, five walks, and five strikeouts. Lin took the loss.

Andrew Schultz surrendered two runs and walked three while recording just two outs in relief of Lin. Domenic Picone struck out five across 2 ⅔ scoreless no-hit innings.

Domenic Picone

D.J. Carpenter threw the final two innings without allowing a run.

Amarillo pounced early with a three-run top of the first inning.

Springfield moved within two with a run in the home second as Trey Paige launched his fourth home run of the year, a solo shot.

Trey Paige

The Sod Poodles added a run in the third and a pair of runs in the fifth to move ahead 6-1.

Springfield plated a run in the home seventh to chip into the gap as Jon Jon Gazdar hit his fifth home run of the year, a solo blast.

Jon Jon Gazdar

Springfield was unable to respond further in the 6-2 loss.

The Cardinals scored two runs on eight hits. Paige was 2-for-3, including a double, a solo home run and a walk. Gazdar hit a solo home run. Dakota Harris was 2-for-4. Graysen Tarlow recorded a double. The lineup drew just two walks and struck out 11 times.

On the bases, Harris swiped his 17th bag.

On defense, catcher Ryan Campos made a throwing error. Second baseman Harris made a nice pick to start a double play.

Dakota Harris

Springfield is 27-34 on the season. The Cardinals will look to secure the series split with a win on Sunday.

Sunday’s game: vs. Amarillo. LHP Mason Molina (1-2, 3.31) vs. LHP Avery Short (2-1, 3.02) 6:05 PM CT.

Peoria Chiefs 4 at South Bend Cubs 6

The High-A Peoria Chiefs’ late comeback fell short against the South Bend Cubs in Saturday’s road contest as they fell, 6-4.

Jacob Odle made his third start for Peoria. The right-hander recorded just two outs and  was roughed up for five earned runs on three hits, three walks, and no strikeouts, taking the loss.

Rubén Menes pitched 2 ⅓ scoreless innings in relief of Odle. Gerardo Salas yielded a run over 1 ⅔ innings. Christian Worley struck out two across 1 ⅓ shutout frames. Dominic Freeberger fanned two across two scoreless innings.

The Cubs grabbed a 5-0 lead after one inning.

Peoria entered the run column in the second as Tre Richardson III crushed his 11th home run of the season, a solo shot.

Tre Richardson

Peoria added a run and set a team record in the third. Jesús Báez rocketed a solo home run. His 14th long ball of the year tied his career-high and set the Chiefs single-season High-A home run record.

Jesus Baez

The Cubs plated a run in the fifth to extend their lead to 6-2.

Down to their last three outs, the Chiefs looked to rally. José Suárez lined a one-out single. Richardson III scorched his fifth double of the season to score Suárez. Sammy Hernandez hit a two-out single to plate Richardson III and put the Chiefs within two. From there, the rally fell short in the 6-4 loss.

Peoria scored four runs on eight hits. Richardson II was 2-for-4, including a double, a home run, two runs scored, and two RBI. Báez hit a solo home run. Hernandez singled and drove in a run. The lineup struck out eight times without drawing a walk.

The Chiefs did not steal a base.

On defense, pitcher Salas picked a runner off second base. Pitcher Freeberger picked a runner off first base. No errors were committed.

Peoria is 32-30 on the season. The Chiefs will look to split the series with a win on Sunday.

Sunday’s game: at South Bend. RHP Blake Aita (2-2, 3.23) vs. RHP Alfredo Romero (2-1, 5.21) 1:05 PM CT.

Palm Beach Cardinals 1, St. Lucie Mets 10

As the bullpen faltered, the Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals were crushed by the St. Lucie Mets at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Saturday.

Jack Martinez started his 12th game for the Cardinals. The right-hander pitched 4 ⅓ innings and allowed one run on three hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts. Martinez took the tough loss.

Jack Martinez

Liam Best surrendered three runs and walked five while recording just one out in relief of Martinez. Dylan Driessen yielded a run across 1 ⅓ innings. Justin Militello gave up four runs over 1 ⅔ frames. Hunter Kublick allowed a run across the final 1 ⅓ innings.

St. Lucie broke the scoreless tie with four runs in the top of the fifth inning.

The Cardinals took one run back in the home half. Yordalin Peña roped his 10th double of the year and moved to third on a Trevor Haskins groundout. Heriberto Caraballo brought Peña home on a second consecutive groundout to put Palm Beach on the board.

The Mets scored one run in the sixth, two runs in both the seventh and eighth, and an insurance run in the ninth to pull away 10-1. The Cardinals were unable to answer.

Palm Beach scored one run on four hits. Peña doubled and scored. Haskins doubled. Ryan Weingartner and Michael Dattalo singled. Caraballo recorded the team’s lone RBI.

The Cardinals did not steal a base and turned two double plays in an errorless outing.

Palm Beach is 31-31 on the season. The Cardinals will look to take the series finale on Sunday.

Sunday’s game: vs. St. Lucie. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 AM CT.

FCL Cardinals 4 at FCL Marlins 3

The Florida Complex League Cardinals edged the FCL Marlins in a road contest on Saturday.

Earle Zulueta made his fourth start in his sixth appearance of 2026 for the Cardinals. The right-hander tossed four innings and allowed three runs on six hits, one walk, and a career-high eight strikeouts, doubling his previous career-high of four.

Victor Santos threw two shutout frames in relief of Zulueta as he works to rejoin the Memphis Redbirds. Giovanni Vargas fanned two in a scoreless seventh. Andrew Bolívar fired two shutout innings with four strikeouts to collect his first professional save.

Andrew Bolivar

The Cardinals struck first with three runs in the top of the second inning. Miguel Hernández doubled. Kenly Hunter legged out an infield single before the runners advanced on a double steal. Bracewell Taveras doubled home Hunter and Hernández to put the Cardinals in front. Daniel Rojas hit a second consecutive double to plate Taveras for a 3-0 lead.

Bracewell Taveras

The Marlins scored a run in the home second and two in the third to tie the game at three.

The Cardinals regained the lead with a run in the fourth. Hunter began the inning with a double. J.P. Cabrera lined a single to bring Hunter home.

Despite the Marlins collecting four hits with runners in scoring position, they were unable to score past the third inning as the Cardinals’ pitching held strong.

The FCL Cardinals scored four runs on seven hits. Taveras doubled, scored a run, and notched two RBI. Rojas collected a double and an RBI. Cabrera singled and notched an RBI. Hunter was 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, and two runs scored. Hernández doubled and scored.

Hunter stole two bases to increase his season total to eight. Hernández swiped third base for his seventh steal. Sebastian Dos Santos snagged his 10th base. Cristofer Lebrón was caught stealing second base.

On defense, catcher Cabrera picked a runner off second base to highlight an errorless team performance.

The FCL Cardinals are 10-18 on the season. They are off Sunday and Monday as they prepare for a home contest with the FCL Marlins on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game: vs. FCL Marlins. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 AM CT.

DSL Cardinals 13 at DSL Rangers Red 15

The Dominican Summer League Cardinals were walked-off by the DSL Rangers in a wild high-scoring contest on Saturday.

Jose Vega made his second career start for the Cardinals. The right-hander pitched 3 ⅔ innings and allowed three runs on two hits, two walks, and three strikeouts.

Juan Santillán yielded a run and struck out three over 2 ⅓ innings in relief of Vega. Kriscol Peralta gave up two runs and recorded just two outs. Shortstop Jesús Pérez made his professional pitching debut and allowed nine runs across two innings, taking the loss.

The Cardinals’ bats were hot early in a six-run top of the first inning. Yeferson Portolatin legged out a leadoff infield single and stole second. Christopher Vargas walked before the runners moved up on a wild pitch. Michael Cordero launched a three-run home run, his second of the year, to put the Cardinals in front.

Michael Cordero

Luis Estrella and Misael Sánchez singled. Lucas Takahashi reached on a throwing error, with Estrella scoring. Takahashi stole second. Héctor Cabrera earned an infield single to plate Sánchez. Diego Conseción lined a single to bring Takahashi home and extend the lead to 6-0.

The Rangers Red trimmed the lead in half with two runs in the third and a run in the fourth.

The Cardinals took a run back in the sixth. Vargas walked and moved to third on two wild pitches. Estrella grounded a single to score Vargas and move the Cardinals in front 7-3.

The Rangers Red plated a run in the home sixth, two in the seventh, and six in the eighth to take their first lead of the game at 12-7.

Down to their final three outs, the Cardinals looked for another big inning. Cabrera was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on two consecutive wild pitches. Conseción and Portolatin walked to load the bases. Vargas lined a single to score Cabrera and Conseción. Cordero blooped a single to reload the bases. Estrella crushed a grand slam, his first career home run, to empty the bases and give the Cardinals a 13-12 lead. Sánchez singled, Takahashi walked, and Cabrera was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs but were all stranded.

Luis Estrella

The Rangers Red hit a two-out, three-run home run for the walk off win.

The DSL Cardinals scored 13 runs on 15 hits. Estrella went 5-for-6, including a double, a grand slam, two runs scored, and five RBI. Cordero was 3-for-6, including a double, a home run, two runs scored, and three RBI. Vargas drew two walks, singled, scored three runs, and drove in two runs. Takahashi walked three times, scored a run, and notched an RBI. Cabrera drew two walks, scored a run, singled, and drove in a run. Conseción walked, singled, scored a run, and drove in a run. The lineup tallied seven hits with runners in scoring position.

On the bases, Portolatin swiped his fourth bag of the year. Takahashi stole his first base.

The Cardinals did not commit an error.

The DSL Cardinals are 6-4 on the season. They are off Sunday and will play a home contest with DSL Colorado on Monday.

Monday’s game: vs. DSL Colorado. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 AM CT.

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