photo: Jimmy Crooks (Memphis Redbirds)
The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 2-2 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Memphis catcher Jimmy Crooks, slugged two home runs and drove in three. Other standouts include Michael McGreevy, Jon Jon Gazdar, Cade McGee, Alan Reyes, Juan Rujano, Michael Cordero and Sebastian Dos Santos.
Results for games played on Saturday, June 14.
Memphis Redbirds 3 at Gwinnett Stripers 0
The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds blanked the Stripers in Gwinnett on Saturday to clinch the series.
Michael McGreevy started for the Redbirds. The right-hander fired six scoreless innings on three hits, no walks and six strikeouts. With the win, McGreevy improved to 7-1 on the season.
Ryan Fernandez fanned two over 1 ⅔ innings in relief of McGreevy. Left-hander Oddanier Mosqueda recorded the final out of the eighth. Gordon Graceffo tossed a scoreless ninth inning to collect his first save of the season, and the second of his MiLB career.
Memphis scored first, in the top of the fourth inning. Jimmy Crooks launched his eighth home run of 2025, a solo shot.
JIMMY JACK GETS THE SCORING STARTED!
HIS 8TH @HueysRestaurant HOMER! pic.twitter.com/Pwxd6fEUAc
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) June 14, 2025
The Redbirds added a pair of runs in the fifth inning to extend the lead to 3-0. Thomas Saggese doubled and crossed home plate on Crooks’ second home run of the game, a two-run blast.
CROOKS GOES BIG FLY AGAIN!
2ND @HueysRestaurant HOMER OF THE GAME! pic.twitter.com/RXAwSbzgkJ
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) June 14, 2025
Memphis’ pitching did not allow a hit with runners in scoring position in the shutout win.
The Redbirds scored three runs on seven hits. Crooks was 2-for-4, two home runs, a solo shot and a two-run blast, for three RBI. Saggese doubled and scored a run. Nathan Church tallied two singles.
The Redbirds did not steal a base nor commit an error on defense.
Memphis is 38-28 on the season. They will look to take five of six at Gwinnett with a win on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: at Gwinnett, RHP Zach Plesac (0-1, 9.00) vs. RHP Hurston Waldrep (4-5, 6.35) 12:05 PM CT.
Springfield Cardinals vs. Tulsa Drillers (suspended)
The Double-A Springfield Cardinals’ contest with the Tulsa Drillers at Hammons Field was suspended in the bottom of the second inning due to rain. It will resume on Sunday at 12:05 PM CT as part of a doubleheader, with a seven-inning contest to follow the conclusion of Saturday’s game.
The game will pick up in a 1-1 tie with runners at first base and second base for Springfield. Noah Mendlinger walked to lead off the bottom of the first. Leonardo Bernal reached base on a fielder’s choice play, and swiped second base, with Mendlinger home on the play via a passed ball for a first inning run.
Springfield is 36-25 on the season. They will look to sweep the doubleheader, and the series, on Sunday.
Sunday’s game (following the conclusion of Saturday’s suspended game): vs. Tulsa, RHP Hancel Rincon (1-0, 1.80) vs. LHP Jackson Ferris (3-4, 5.73) 1:05 PM CT.
Peoria Chiefs 0 at Cedar Rapids Kernels 8
The High-A Peoria Chiefs were shut out by the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Chen-Wei Lin started for Peoria. The right-hander pitched four innings and allowed three runs on five hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. Lin took the loss.
Angel Gonzalez surrendered five runs while recording just two outs in relief of Lin. Zack Showalter followed with two strikeouts across 1 ⅓ scoreless innings. Dionys Rodriguez tossed two scoreless frames.
The Chiefs threatened in the top of the first inning. Jon Jon Gazdar hit a lead-off single, and advanced to third on groundouts by Travis Honeyman and Ian Petrutz, but he was stranded.
Cedar Rapids plated a run in the first and a pair in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead. The Kernels widened the lead to 8-0 in the fifth.
The Chiefs attempted a rally in the sixth inning. Petrutz drew a walk, and Josh Kross singled to put two runners on. Both were left on base.
Down to their last three outs, Peoria tried again to stage a comeback. Tre Richardson singled, and took second base on defensive indifference. The Chiefs’ final out came via strikeout.
The Chiefs scored no runs on six hits, all singles. Gazdar had his second consecutive three-hit game. Kross was 2-for-4. Richardson singled in the ninth inning.
The Chiefs did not record a stolen base.
On defense, Won-Bin Cho nailed a runner at home plate from left field. Catcher Kross was charged with a passed ball.
Peoria is 25-37 on the season. They will look to salvage the series finale and take two of six from Cedar Rapids on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: at Cedar Rapids, RHP Jose Davila (2-2, 6.61) vs. RHP Jose Olivares (1-2, 5.16) 1:05 PM CT.
Palm Beach Cardinals 4, Lakeland Flying Tigers 7
The Low-A Palm Beach Cardinals fell to the Lakeland Flying Tigers at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Saturday.
Nelfy Ynfante made his fifth start for Palm Beach. The right-hander tossed 3 ⅓ innings and allowed four runs on five hits, three walks, and three strikeouts. Ynfante took the loss.
Yordy Herrera yielded three runs across two innings in relief of Ynfante. Alan Reyes fanned three and allowed just one hit over three scoreless frames in his Palm Beach debut.
Lakeland took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first before Palm Beach split the lead in half in the bottom of the frame. Bryce Madron hit a lead-off single, and Deniel Ortiz singled to put runners at the corners. Luis Pino brought Madron home with a sacrifice fly.
The Flying Tigers plated two runs in the second inning, and a trio of runs in the fifth to stretch their lead to 7-1.
Down by six, Palm Beach tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth. Ortiz lined his second single of the game. Pino reached base on a fielding error. Cade McGee lifted a ball out of the park for a three-run home run, but Palm Beach was unable to rally further in the loss.
The Cardinals scored four runs on six hits. McGee blasted a three-run home run. Ortiz was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Pino scored a run and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
The Cardinals did not steal a base.
On defense, pitcher Ynfante committed a pickoff error. Pino threw a runner out at home plate from right field. The Cardinals turned two double plays.
Palm Beach is 29-32 on the season. They will look to secure the series victory on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: vs. Lakeland. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 AM CT.
FCL Cardinals (off day)
The Florida Complex League Cardinals are off on Saturday and Sunday, as they head home to Roger Dean Stadium Complex for a doubleheader with the FCL Astros on Monday.
The FCL Cardinals are 12-13 on the season following a win over the FCL Mets on Friday.
Monday’s games: vs. FCL Astros. Pitching probables have not been announced for either game of Monday’s doubleheader. First pitch for game one is slated for 9:00 AM CT, with game two following shortly after the conclusion of game one.
DSL Cardinals 15 at DSL Colorado 2
The Dominican Summer League Cardinals crushed DSL Colorado in a road contest on Saturday.
Daniel Gomez made his first professional start. The right-hander pitched four shutout innings on four hits, one walk and seven strikeouts.
Jarol Baez struck out four but allowed three runs across three innings in relief of Gomez. Pedro Olivero tossed a scoreless eighth inning. Jesus Garcia made his season debut and fanned two in a scoreless ninth inning.
The Cardinals scored a run in the top of the first inning. Yeferson Portolatin reached base on a fielding error. Juan Rujano singled to advance Portolatin to third. Yaxson Lucena single to bring Portolatin home.
The Cardinals doubled the lead in the second inning when Michael Cordero launched his first professional home run, a solo shot.
The Cardinals’ bats caught fire in a nine-run fifth inning.
Portolatin led off with a walk. Rujano singled, with Portolatin to third base due to a throwing error. Lucena singled in Portolatin for the second time in the game. Cristofer Lebron lined a double to plate Rujano, with Lucena to third. Brayan Amoroso walked to load the bases. Jesus Perez hit a ground ball single to drive in Lucena with the bags still loaded. Cordero drew a walk to bring Lebron to the plate. Sebastian Dos Santos tallied the second double of the inning to score Amoroso and Perez to stretch the lead to 8-0, with Cordero to third base. Kenly Hunter lined a single to allow Cordero and Dos Santos to touch home plate and put the Cardinals in double digits in the run column, with Hunter out at second base. Rujano had his second hit of the inning. His first professional home run, a solo shot, moved the Cardinals to an 11-0 lead.
Colorado scored its first run in the bottom of the fifth.
The Cardinals continued to add to the immense lead with four runs in the sixth. Amoroso singled, and moved to second base on a Cordero walk. Dos Santos singled in Amoroso. Hunter brought in Cordero and Dos Santos with a single, and advanced to second base via a fielding error. Hunter moved to third on a wild pitch. Portolatin walked to put runners on the corners. Rujano lined his fourth hit of the game, a single, to score Hunter and break the game further open at 15-1.
The Cardinals’ hot hitting propelled them to a statement win.
The DSL Cardinals scored 15 runs on 18 hits. Rujano was 4-for-5, including his first career home run, two runs scored, and two RBI. Cordero was 2-for-3, including two walks, his first career long ball, three runs scored, and two RBI. Dos Santos went 2-for-5, including a double, two runs scored, and three RBI. Hunter drove in three runs on two singles and scored a run. Lebron tallied two doubles, one run scored, and one RBI. Eight Cardinals hitters recorded two or more hits, and seven drove in at least one run. The Cardinals hit .500 with runners in scoring position, at 9-for-18.
The Cardinals did not record a stolen base nor commit an error on defense.
The DSL Cardinals are 6-4 on the season. They are off Sunday and will head home to the St. Louis Cardinals DR Complex for a contest with the DSL Rangers Blue on Monday.
Monday’s game: vs. DSL Rangers Blue. Pitching probables have not yet been announced. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 AM CT.
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