Cardinals Minor League Notebook – June 15, 2022

photo: Gordon Graceffo (Springfield Cardinals)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 4-2 on Tuesday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day is Springfield starter Gordon Graceffo, who pitched seven scoreless innings on three hits with six strikeouts. Other standouts include Ali Sanchez, Moises Gomez, Tyler Reichenborn and Trent Baker.

Results from games played Tuesday, June 14.

Memphis 7, Nashville 3

The Memphis Redbirds defeated the first place Nashville Sounds in a Tuesday night contest at AutoZone Park. Aaron Brooks took the mound for Memphis. The right hander pitched five innings and gave up two runs on five hits, struck out five and walked one. Brooks got the win, his second of the season.

Tommy Parsons threw two scoreless innings of relief. Kodi Whitley surrendered one run in the ninth. Zach McAllister got the final out of the ninth to earn his first save.

Memphis took the lead in the third with two runs. Evan Mendoza singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Ben DeLuzio singled. Lars Nootbaar plated Mendoza on a sac fly. DeLuzio scored on a wild pitch.

The Sounds tied it at 2-2 in the fifth. The Cardinals regained the lead 5-2 on a three-run home run by Ali Sanchez in the home half of the fifth.

Ali Sanchez

The lead increased to 7-2 in the sixth on a solo long ball by Conner Capel and another sac fly from Nootbaar.

Nashville scored one run in the ninth, but the Memphis bullpen held on for the win.

DeLuzio went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Mendoza was 2-for-2 with two runs scored. Sanchez had three RBI and Nootbaar plated two.

On the base paths, DeLuzio stole his 19th base of the season.

Memphis has a record of 36-25 and is in second place in the International League West, 0.5 game back of first place Nashville.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Nashville, RHP James Naile (2-2, 3.68) vs. Tyler Herb RHP (0-2, 6.48) 7:05 CT.

Springfield 3, Corpus Christi 0

The Cardinals blanked the Hooks in a 3-0 shutout at Hammons Field on Tuesday night. Gordon Graceffo started for Springfield. The right hander pitched seven scoreless innings, allowed three hits and fanned six to earn his second Double-A win.

Gordon Graceffo

Grant Black relieved and threw a scoreless eighth. Freddy Pacheco tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his eighth save in 10 opportunities.

The Cardinals scored first with a fifth inning solo home run by Malcom Nunez. Matt Koperniak hit a long ball in the seventh to make it 2-0. An eighth inning home run by Moises Gomez plated the third and final run.

Moisés Gómez

Gomez was 2-for-4 with the home run and a double.

In the field, Jordan Walker made his 15th error of the season, a fielding miscue. Pedro Pages picked a runner off first base.

Springfield is 24-34 on the season and sits in last place in the Texas League North, nine games back of first place Wichita.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. Corpus Christi, Kyle Leahy RHP (3-6, 6.28) vs. TBA 6:35 CT.

Peoria 7, West Michigan 8

The Chiefs were edged by the Whitecaps in a Tuesday night game at Dozer Park. John Beller started for Peoria in place of Dionys Rodriguez but did not get out of the first inning. The left hander gave up three runs on two hits and three walks in 2/3 of an inning.

Rodriguez relieved Beller and surrendered four runs in 5 1/3 innings. Levi Prater threw two scoreless innings. Gianluca Dalatri allowed one run in the ninth and took the loss, his second of the season.

West Michigan took a 3-0 lead in the first. The Chiefs scored one in the home half of the inning. Mike Antico singled and stole second base. Tyler Reichenborn singled to plate Antico.

Peoria put four runs on the board in the third to take a 5-3 lead. Thomas Francisco and Reichenborn hit two-run singles. Francisco drove in a sixth run in the fifth on a sac fly.

The Threshers regained the lead with four runs scored in the fifth. The Chiefs tied it at 7-7 in the seventh. Mack Chambers singled and Antico was hit by a pitch. A sac bunt by Reichenborn moved the runners. Aaron Antonini was hit by a pitch and Chambers scored.

A solo home run in the ninth put West Michigan by a run and Peoria was unable to rally in the bottom of the inning.

Tyler Reichenborn

Reichenborn went 2-for-3 with a walk and three RBI. Francisco also plated three.Antico was 2-for-5 and Chambers was 2-for-5. L.J. Jones 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

On the base paths, Antico stole his 28th base of the season. Hernandez swiped two bags. Antonini was caught stealing for the second time.

In the field, Chambers made a fielding error. Prater picked a runner off first base.

Peoria is 25-33 and is in fifth place in the Midwest League West, 15 games back of first place Cedar Rapids.

Wednesday’s game:  vs. West Michigan, RHP Austin Love (3-6, 7.20) vs. Ty Madden RHP (3-4, 3.58) 11:05 am CT.

Palm Beach 4 at Clearwater 1

The Palm Beach Cardinals were victorious over the Threshers in a 4-1 road contest on Tuesday night. Trent Baker took the mound for Palm Beach. The right hander pitched seven innings, gave up one run on four hits, struck out four and walked one to earn his fourth win of the season.

Trent Baker

Edgar Manzo tossed two scoreless innings of relief for his second save of the season.

The game was scoreless until the fifth inning when the Beach Birds scored. Adanson Cruz singled and advanced to second on a balk. Cruz came home on a single by Brady Whalen.

The Cardinals increased the lead to 2-0 in the sixth. Brandon Hernandez singled and Cruz singled. Darlin Moquete plated Hernandez on a single.

Clearwater finally scored in the seventh. Palm Beach made it 3-1 in the eighth on an RBI single by Cruz. The fourth and final Cardinal run came in the ninth on an RBI single by Aaron McKeithan.

McKeithan went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Cruz was 3-for-4 with one driven in. Whalen was 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. Osvaldo Tovalin was 2-for-5.

On the base paths, Elijah Cabell stole his first base of the season. Matt Chamberlain swiped this third base. Tovalin was picked off and caught stealing for the first time.

Palm Beach is 25-31 on the season and is in third place in the FSL East, 12.5 games back of first place St. Lucie.

Wednesday’s game:  at Clearwater, Tink Hence RHP (0-1, 0.75) vs. Eiberson Castellano RHP (1-0, 2.12) 11:00 am CT.

FCL Cardinals 9, FCL Mets 3

The Florida Complex League Cardinals (5-2) defeated the Mets on Tuesday morning on the back fields of Roger Dean Stadium. Rehabbing Peoria pitcher Jack Ralston tossed the first scoreless inning with no hits allowed and one strikeout.

Another pitcher on a rehab assignment, Springfield’s Griffin Roberts, followed with a scoreless inning. Chris Holba threw a scoreless inning. Yonael Dominguez surrendered one run in three innings of relief and got the win, his first of the season.

Edwin Nunez allowed one unearned run in the seventh. Alejandro Cervantes relinquished a run in the eighth. Brayan Ramirez tossed a scoreless ninth.

The Cardinals put up seven runs in the first inning. Lizandro Espinosa led off with a walk. Carlos Linarez doubled, and Espinoza scored on a single by Francis Reynoso. Luis Pino walked. Jose Cordoba singled and Linarez scored. Patrick Romeri (also on a rehab assignment from Palm Beach) plated Reynoso on a bases loaded walk. Pino scored on a walk from Javier Bolivar. Espinoza singled to score Cordoba and Romeri. Bolivar scored on a Linarez single.

The Mets scored one run in the fourth and another in the seventh. The Cardinals plated their final two runs in the home half of the seventh on RBI doubles by Cordoba and Romeri.

Jose Cordoba

Linarez was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Cordoba was 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and two runs scored. Espinoza and Romeri each drove in two.

In the field, Nunez made a throwing error and Reynoso had a fielding miscue. Holba picked a runner off first base.

Wednesday’s game:  Off day.

DSL Cardinals 3 at DSL Texas Blue 7

The Dominican Summer League Cardinals (2-6) fell to the Texas Blue in a 7-3 Tuesday morning contest. Juan Salas started for the Cardinals. The right hander pitched three scoreless innings, allowed one hit and struck out three.

Juan Salas

Jovi Galvez relieved and surrendered five runs, two earned on two hits and walked four to suffer his second loss of the season. Miguel Martinez allowed one run in two innings of relief. Samuel Fabian relinquished one unearned run in the final two innings.

The Cardinals took a 1-0 small ball lead in the second inning. Miguel Vargas drew a walk, advanced to second and third on wild pitches and scored on a balk.

The Cardinals added two more in the fourth to make it 3-0. Vargas again led off the inning with a walk, then stole second base. Yancel Guerrero was hit by a pitch. After a rain delay, the game resumed, and Keshawn Rombley walked. Marcelo Perez also walked, and Vargas scored. Guerrero scored on a force out by Jonathan Mejia.

The lead evaporated in the fifth when Texas put up five runs to take a 5-3 lead. They added one run in the sixth and one run in the seventh to increase the lead to the final tally of 7-3.

The Cardinals scored their three runs without a hit. The offense was held to only two hits in the game, a double by Yordalin Pena and a single from pinch hitter Jose Suarez.

On the base paths, Vargas stole his first base of the season. In the field, Elias Reynoso had a throwing error and a fielding error. Perez had a fielding miscue. Pena had an outfield assist at second base, and catcher Alejandro Loaiza had a passed ball.

Wednesday’s game: Off day.


Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation

Palm Beach Cardinals Notebook – 2022 Week 8


Now Available – 2022 Cardinals Prospect Guide

The Cardinal Nation 2022 Prospect Guide is back for its fifth year. It includes 276 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of color photos. Order your PDF or printed book copy today!

Special! Now through Father’s Day only, the spiral-bound version is 20% off!

Order TCN’s 2022 Cardinals Prospect Guide


Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Follow Marilyn Green on Twitter @Marilyncolor.

© 2022 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.