The St. Louis Cardinals farm system was 3-3 on Wednesday with Johnson City splitting their season’s first two games, Springfield losing in a walkoff, and the DSL squads going 2-1 with a Blue doubleheader sweep. Our Player of the Day is DSL Blue right fielder Gustavo A. Rodriguez who excelled in both halves of his twin bill, scoring a combined five runs on five hits, including his seventh, eighth, and league-leading ninth doubles in 13 games.
Results for games played Wednesday, June 19th.
Memphis OFF
The 29-43 Redbirds had a travel day Wednesday as they prepare to face the Dodgers affiliate in a five-game weekend set in Oklahoma City.
Thursday’s game: at Oklahoma City, Mike Hauschild (0-1, 34.71) 7:05 CT.
Springfield slid to 30-42 on the year and 0-2 in the second half with a Wednesday road heartbreaker at Midland, succumbing 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth. Angel Rondon started for the S-Cards, permitting four runs in 5 2/3 innings, albeit with seven whiffs and just one walk – a vast improvement over the uncharacteristic half dozen free passes in his last outing. The 21-year-old righty allowed eight hits, seven of which were singles, and threw 95 pitches on the night.
Kodi Whitley took the loss in relief, logging 1 2/3 innings with three strikeouts, no walks, and no earned runs. However, he allowed two hits in the ninth and the walkoff run scored on shortstop Rayder Ascanio’s fielding error.
Third baseman Jose Martinez had three hits for Springfield including a double, while solo homers were clubbed by backstop Brian O’Keefe, right fielder Johan Mieses, and first sacker Zach Kirtley. Dylan Carlson had a hit and drew his team’s only base on balls, but was picked off first base by RockHounds catcher Collin Theroux to short circuit a possible fifth inning rally.
Thursday’s game: at Corpus Christi, Tommy Parsons (1-0, 2.84) 6:15 CT.
Jupiter at Palm Beach RAIN
Palm Beach was rained out on Wednesday. The postponed game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, July 13th. The Beach Birds now hit the road for a series at Dunedin against the Blue Jays’ affiliate.
Thursday’s game: at Dunedin, Perry DellaValle (2-3, 2.51) 5:30 CT.
Peoria OFF
Peoria enjoyed the final day off of the three-day Midwest League All-Star break. The second half of the 2019 schedule begins Thursday night at Dozer Park.
Thursday’s game: vs. Cedar Rapids, pitcher TBA, 6:35 CT.
Williamsport at State College RAIN
State College vs. Williamsport was rained out on Wednesday. The two teams will make up the game as part of a doubleheader consisting of two seven-inning games on Thursday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Thursday’s games: vs. Williamsport, Inohan Paniagua (0-0, 5.79)/Francis Ventura (0-0, 0.00) 4:00 CT.
Pulaski 5 at Johnson City 1 (Game 1, seven innings)
Johnson City lost its season opener, falling 5-1 at home in seven innings to the Pulaski Yankees early Wednesday evening. No Johnson City hitter had more than one safety, and left fielder Diomedes Del Rio registered the sole extra base hit, a third inning triple that led to his scoring his team’s only tally. Mateo Gil singled and had a sac fly for his club’s only RBI, but the shortstop committed a fielding error as well.
Righty Jose Moreno started and took the loss for Johnson City, going 4 2/3 and conceding all five runs, three earned, on six hits including two longballs. The 18-year-old Venezuelan did fan six batters without issuing a walk. Wilfredo Periera and Saniel Santana provided yeoman work out of the bullpen, yielding just a pair of singles while blanking the Yanks over the remaining 2 1/3 innings.
Johnson City 3, Pulaski 1 (Game 2, seven innings)
Leveling their record at 1-1, Johnson City won the back half of their Wednesday night home twin bill, 3-1, over the Pulaski Yankees. Righty Francisco Justo was the starter and winner, going a career-high five innings, fanning four Yankees and permitting three hits, two walks, and one run, earned. The substantial 20-year-old Bronx native (6′ 4″ and 217) was St. Louis’ 12th round pick in 2018. Converted outfielder Walker Robbins mopped up with brio, allowing no runners in two stanzas and striking out four of the six men he faced.
Center fielder Jhon Torres doubled in three at-bats, scoring one run and driving in another to lead the Johnson City attack. The squad’s only other hits were recorded by third baseman Liam Sabino (1-for-3) and designated hitter Chandler Redmond, who had a perfect evening with a double, walk, and hit by pitch in three trips.
Thursday’s game: vs. Pulaski, Julio Puello (season debut), 5:30 CT.
DSL Brewers 4, DSL Cardinals Red 0
The DSL Cardinals Red team fell to 6-10 on Wednesday morning, suffering a 4-0 whitewash at the hands of the home DSL Brewers. Righty starter Ludwin Jimenez was the tough-luck loser, allowing just one run on a first inning solo shot, and fanning six while walking one man over five innings. The 17-year-old lowered his ERA to 3.15 on the nascent season. Three runs, two earned, scored during Luis Garcia’s two frames as the Brewers pulled away. Righty Ramon Fernandez bounced back from a terrific shelling, pitching a shutout inning with a whiff and a pair of groundouts.
Diowill Burgos swung the big bat, going 4-for-4 but getting no support whatsoever. The 18-year-old Dominican left fielder is now mashing .390/.493/.627 with a dozen walks versus only eight strikeouts, after struggling to a line of .210/.310/.371 a year ago, with 72 whiffs in just 56 games. Third baseman Erick Thomas contributed his team’s only other hit, a single.
Thursday’s game: vs. DSL Tigers1, pitcher TBA, 9:00 a.m. CT.
DSL Cardinals Blue 11, DSL Twins 3 (Game 1, seven innings)
In the first game of a twin bill, the DSL Cardinals Blue team hammered the visiting Twins 11-3 in a Wednesday morning tilt, raising their season record to 9-4. Contributors were numerous, with multi-hit games from center fielder Hansel Otamendi, right fielder Darlin Moquete (who also had an outfield assist and stolen base), catcher Luis Rodriguez (three RBI), and Player of the Day and cleanup hitter Gustavo A. Rodriguez, who singled, doubled, scored two and drove in one in his fifth straight two-hit game. Shortstop Darlin Del Villar only went 1-for-4, but he tripled, walked, swiped a base, scored three times, and plated a pair of teammates.
Starting pitcher and winner Gustavo J. Rodriguez was the happy recipient of all that support, getting the win with five innings of two-run baseball. The 18-year-old Venezuelan stringbean (6′ 3″ and 160) struck out five men against two walks, and now sports a 1.93 ERA across three solid starts. Victor Villanueva finished the game with two fairly painless frames, allowing one harmless run and whiffing two with no walks.
DSL Cardinals Blue 8 at DSL Twins 4 (Game 2, seven innings)
The rampaging DSL Cardinals Blue (10-4) finished their Wednesday sweep in style, whipping the Twins by a comfortable 8-4 margin. Just-turned-17-year-old Engels Martinez started and got the win despite surrendering four runs over five innings, while fanning just one to match his one walk. The young Dominican righty also tossed three wild pitches and balked once before being relieved by southpaw and relative elder statesman Cristoffer Zapata (age 20), who held the Twins at bay by fanning three unfortunates in two innings of one-hit baseball.
Right fielder and Player of the Day Gustavo A. Rodriguez singled once, doubled twice, and scored thrice to spearhead the Blue assault and continue his scalding hot streak. Over his last six games, the 19-year-old Rodriguez is 13-for-23 with seven two-baggers, lifting his season mark to .385/.393/.596, albeit with 15 strikeouts versus just a pair of free passes. Catcher Diego Velasquez (age 17) went 0-for-3 to lower his average to an even .400, but he did gun down the Twins’ only would-be base thief.
Thursday’s game: at DSL Rockies, pitcher TBA, 9:00 CT.
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