photo: Jordan Walker (Palm Beach Cardinals)
The St. Louis Cardinals system went 0-4 on Saturday. Our Player of the Day is Palm Beach DH Jordan Walker, who was 3-for-4 including a solo home run and two runs scored in the Cardinals’ one run loss to Daytona.
Results for games played Saturday, June 19.
The Redbirds (16-25) were defeated by the Indians on Saturday night at Victory Field by the score of 11-5. Crooked numbers against Memphis pitching spurred the victory for Indianapolis.
Bernardo Flores Jr. made the start for the Redbirds and the left hander cruised through the first three innings. His offense gave him a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a solo home run by Kramer Robertson.
In the fourth inning, the Indians scored three runs off Flores on two long balls. Memphis regained the lead in the top of the fifth on a three-run home run by Justin Williams.
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a home run!
Justin Williams launches a ⚾️ into orbit and we’ve got the lead back!
It’s another @IntlPaperCo home run 💪 pic.twitter.com/m7rdXwLcmK
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) June 20, 2021
Flores’ night was through after five and Seth Elledge took over in the sixth inning. Elledge gave up consecutive singles, doubles and a walk. The next batter, a defensive replacement at third base for the Indians, hit a grand slam off to left field. Indianapolis was not finished and proceeded to score two more runs in the sixth off Elledge on two singles, a walk, and double. The Indians led Memphis 9-4.
The Redbirds added one more run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Lars Nootbaar. The Indians increased their lead by two runs in the eighth off reliever Garrett Williams for the final score of 11-5.
Elledge did not record an out in the sixth inning and was replaced by Brandon Waddell, who pitched two scoreless innings. Elledge was charged with the blown save and the loss.
Memphis scored five runs on 10 hits. Robertson was 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. Nootbaar was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Williams had three RBI on the home run, his only hit of the game.
Sunday’s game: at Indianapolis, Zack Thompson LHP (0-5, 9.55) vs. TBD 12:35 CT.
The Cardinals (14-26) fell to the Wichita Wind Surge on Saturday night in Game 5 of the six-game series at Riverfront Stadium. Springfield starter Dalton Roach suffered his fourth loss of the season in the 7-4 defeat.
Roach tossed six innings and gave up five runs on seven hits. The right hander fanned seven and walked three. Roach pitched four scoreless innings before the Wind Surge got to him in the bottom of the fifth for two runs. He threw a scoreless sixth but could not record an out to start the seventh. The first three hitters he faced singled, walked, and doubled to plate two runs. Reliever Ramon Santos allowed the remaining inherited runner to score.
The Cardinals scored one run each in the third and fourth innings on an RBI double by Luken Baker and a solo home run by Aaron Antonini. Wichita carried a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth and added to it with two runs off reliever Salvador Justo.
Springfield cut the lead to 7-4 in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by Alec Burleson and an RBI double by Baker. Burleson and Baker were both 2-for-5 on the night and Antonini was 2-for-3.
Second sacker Nick Dunn snatched his second base of the season. Roach picked off a runner at first base. Two errors were made by Nick Raposo (catcher interference and a throwing error). Brendan Donovan also made a throwing error.
Sunday’s game: at Wichita, Domingo Robles LHP (1-2, 4.22) v. Jordan Balazovic RHP (0-0, 3.72) 1:05 CT.
The Chiefs fell victim to a Snappers walloping on Saturday night at Dozer Park in the fifth game of the six-game series. Peoria put eight runs on the board but were outslugged by Beloit.
Six of the Chiefs eight runs were scored via the long ball. Leandro Cedeno (sixth inning) and Moises Castillo (ninth inning) each obliterated a baseball for a three-run home run. A two-run single by Malcom Nunez was the first scoring of the game for Peoria in the third inning. Cedeno, Castillo, and Nunez were the only Chiefs who had hits in the game, with two each and Cedeno extended his on-base streak to 16 games.
Three run blast for @learcedeo!#SoundTheAlarm x @CardsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/avYdYjjiq5
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) June 20, 2021
First HR of the year for Moises Castillo!#SoundTheAlarm x @CardsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/6s2zKXaHKg
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) June 20, 2021
Peoria sent six pitchers to the mound. Starter Logan Gragg pitched only 1 2/3 innings and took the loss. Gragg gave up eight runs on eight hits and struck out one. Enmanuel Solano was next with two runs yielded in 1 2/3 innings. Freddy Pacheco also tossed 1 2/3 innings, but they were scoreless. Nathanael Heredia hurled two scoreless frames before Jacob Schlesener surrendered four runs and retired only one hitter in the eighth. Fabian Blanco pitched the final 1 2/3 innings and yielded one run.
Nunez was caught stealing for the second time of the season. Catcher Zade Richardson had a passed ball.
Sunday’s game: vs. Beloit, Nick Trogrlic-Iverson RHP (2-1, 5.56) v. TBD 1:35 CT.
The Cardinals (13-28) and the Tortugas battled in a second slugfest in this six-game set, with Palm Beach coming out on the short end of this one with a one run loss. The Cardinals had defeated Daytona 11-10 just two days earlier.
Beach Birds pitching surrendered 10 runs on just six hits but issued eight free passes. Starter Edgar Manzo yielded six runs on four hits in just 1 2/3 innings. Luis Ortiz followed Manzo and surrendered three runs in two innings pitched. Edwin Nunez tossed 2 1/3 innings and gave up just one run, while Gianluca Dalatri relinquished no runs in the final two innings. Manzo took the loss, his second of the season.
The Palm Beach offense scored nine runs on 14 hits but whiffed 14 times as well and went 5-for-19 with runners in scoring position. Franklin Soto blasted a three-run home run to left center field to get the Cardinals on the board in the second. Matt Koperniak added a solo home run in the fourth, and Carlos Soto followed with an RBI single in that inning.
- Soto hit a two-run long ball in the sixth, and Jordan Walker smashed a solo shot, also in the sixth. Koperniak doubled in the eighth to plate the final Beach Bird score.
Jordan Walker may only be 19, but this is a grown man dinger #Cardinals pic.twitter.com/JyR9r5EXDR
— Keanan Lamb (@keananlamb) June 20, 2021
Walker went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. C. Soto, Jacob Buchberger, Todd Lott, and Koperniak each had two hits. F. Soto and C. Soto drove in three each.
Sunday’s game: at Daytona, TBD (PB) vs. Stevie Branche RHP (3-0, 4.05) 4:35 CT.
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