St. Louis’ minors went 4-4 on Tuesday and Springfield’s North squad dropped a close Texas League All-Star Game. Our Player of the Day is Dominican Summer League Blue right-hander Hector Soto, who allowed just one run on two hits over seven innings.
Results from the games played Tuesday, June 26th.
Memphis 11 at Colorado Springs 4
Tuesday was the Night of the Long Ball in the mountains as the Redbirds flew past the Sky Sox, 11-4, evening the series at one game each with two to play.
Memphis (47-31) launched four home runs, accounting for eight of their 11 tallies. Two homers generated a five-run ninth that broke open a competitive 6-4 contest and finished a late rally by the visitors. Tyler O’Neill and Randy Arozarena both went yard that frame, O’Neill with Rangel Ravelo and Luke Voit (both singles) aboard while Arozarena capped the scoring with Patrick Wisdom (double) on base. Wisdom and Voit each left the ballpark earlier in the game, Wisdom’s occurring with O’Neill (ground-rule double) aboard.
The visitors banged out 14 hits, led by Voit, who went 3-for-5 with a double and home run, four runs scored and the lone RBI. Three Redbirds had two hits apiece: O’Neill, Wisdom and Max Schrock, who singled twice in five at bats. Adolis Garcia’s only hit in four at bats was his second triple of 2018, although the right fielder did walk once and drive in two.
Daniel Poncedeleon lasted six innings, more than long enough to qualify for the win, his sixth in nine decisions. The righty allowed four runs on five hits and a walk, including a two-run bomb in his final inning of work.
Landon Beck recorded two outs, giving up a hit, before Sean Gilmartin retired all four batters faced. Andrew Morales tossed a clean ninth.
Wednesday’s game: at Colorado Springs (42-34) (MIL), 1:30 pm CT, Chris Ellis (0-0, 3.00)
Springfield – off for Texas League All-Star Game
Springfield was idle on Tuesday due to the 2018 Texas League All-Star Game, which took place at Security Bank Ballpark, home of the Midland RockHounds. The contest was played to a 2-2 tie after nine innings, so the outcome was decided in a unique manner – a home run contest between Springfield Cardinals outfielder Victor Roache and Corpus Christi first baseman Taylor Jones. Jones won the contest to give the South squad the victory.
Five S-Cards participated for the North team. Right fielder Lane Thomas and left fielder Roache each started. Thomas went 1-for-4 while playing the entire game and Roache was hitless in two at bats before being replaced. Shortstop Tommy Edman pinch hit and took over at short, going 0-for-2.
Relievers Ramon Santos and Yeison Medina both tossed a clean frame, Santos walking one and Medina giving up a hit and walk. Both pitchers were late replacements for three S-Cards originally named to the team but were promoted to Memphis prior to participating: Jake Woodford, Conner Greene and Chris Ellis. Connor Jones was also named to the squad but reportedly declined to take part.
Wednesday’s game: Off
Palm Beach (3-2) opened their three-game home series with Bradenton by downing the Marauders, 8-3.
Evan Guillory (W, 1-0) had mixed results in his first Florida State League start. On the one hand, the 22-year-old came within one out of qualifying for a quality start by holding his foes to three runs over 5 2/3. On the other hand, Guillory gave up 10 hits during that span, although he did not issue a free pass.
Jacob Patterson retired all four batters faced, striking out three. Thomas St. Clair and Junior Fernandez each hurled an inning. St Clair walked two and Fernandez maneuvered around a hit and free pass.
The Beach Birds’ 11-hit attack was spearheaded by Andy Young, who went 3-for-5 with a double and run scored. Chase Pinder singled twice in three at bats with two walks and two RBI but had a rough night on the base paths, being picked off and caught stealing. J.B. Woodman went 2-for-4 with two driven in, the final PB-Card with a multi-hit game.
Wednesday’s game: vs. Bradenton (1-4) (PIT), 6:30 pm ET, Sam Tewes (1-1, 8.16)
The Chiefs (4-2) were mauled at home by the Cougars for the second straight day, this time losing 11-2.
Franyel Casadilla (L, 0-1) was ineffective in his full-season debut, surrendering seven tallies, six earned, on 12 hits and two walks through five. Zach Prendergast gave up four more runs on five hits and two walks in 2 2/3. His final two runners crossed under Patrick Dayton’s watch, as Dayton allowed two of three inherited runners to score.
Both of Peoria’s tallies were generated by Elehuris Montero, who went yard for the eighth time this season. The home run came with Scott Hurst (triple) aboard and was Montero’s only hit in four at bats. First baseman Yariel Gonzalez doubled twice in three at bats with a base-on-balls, the only Chief with more than one of the team’s seven hits.
Wednesday’s game: vs. Kane County (3-3) (ARI), 7:00 pm CT, Johan Oviedo (3-6, 5.43)
The Spikes’ (3-9) ninth-inning rally was not enough as they were downed by the Muckdogs, 4-3, completing a three-game sweep by Batavia (6-5) (MIA) in State College.
Winston Nicacio was charged with the loss, his second against no wins, despite a fine effort. The righty struck out six over six innings, permitting two runs on six hits and two walks. Two unearned runs during Kevin Hamann’s two-inning stint proved to be the difference. Will Changarotty faced the minimum in the ninth.
State College had nine hits, with three Spikes garnering two hits apiece: Wood Myers, Andres Luna and Delvin Perez. All three players went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Myers doubled once and Luna knocked in one and added a stolen base. Defensively, shortstop Perez and left fielder Walker Robbins were each charged with an error, as Robbins’ miscue led to the two unearned scores.
Wednesday’s game: Off
Johnson City 9 at Elizabethton 2 (mid-sixth) – Game 1
Johnson City at Elizabethton – Game 2 – postponed
The scheduled double-header for Johnson City (3-4) at Elizabethton (5-2) evolved into a single rain-shortened contest, which was won by the JC-Cards, 9-2. The second game will be rescheduled for a later time.
The Appy Birds pounced for seven runs in the first before adding single scores in the third and sixth. Leandro Cedeno and Donivan Williams each went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Cedeno walked and launched his fourth home run of 2018 and Williams doubled. Five players had one hit each, including Jonatan Machado and Brian Sanchez, who both touched home once and drove in two.
Noel De Jesus (W, 2-0), the Appalachian League’s reigning Pitcher of the Week, hurled all five frames. The 21-year-old gave up six hits, the two earned runs and did not issue a free pass. He struck out three.
Wednesday’s game: Off
GCL Nationals 8 at GCL Cardinals 7
A five-run ninth spun a win into a defeat as the Gulf Cardinals (6-1) dropped an 8-7 decision to the Nationals (3-4).
The combination of Cole Aker and Edgar Escobar were responsible for the loss, with Escobar (BS, 1) (L, 0-1) getting the L added to his stats. Aker pitched a clean eighth but retired only one batter the next inning, yielding four runs on five hits. Escobar let all three inherited runners score plus an unearned run of his own, giving up a bases-clearing double, single and committing a throwing error on an attempted pickoff at second.
That spoiled a solid outing by Enmanuel Solano, gave up three runs on five hits and a walk over seven innings. Solano shut down the Nationals for five frames after yielding a two-run first until allowing another tally in the seventh.
Solano departed in line for the loss with his team down 3-1 before the offense exploded for six runs in the eighth. The home team gathered 12 hits in all, with Mateo Gil, Victor Garcia and Josh Shaw each having two hits. Garcia did the most damage, going 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI.
Wednesday’s game: vs. GCL Mets (4-3), 12:00 pm ET, Wilfredo Pereira (1-0, 1.29)
DSL Cardinals Blue 4 vs. DSL Nationals 2
Hector Soto tossed seven outstanding frames as the DSL Cardinals Blue (15-6) defeated the Nationals, 4-2.
Player of the Day Soto (W, 3-1) limited his opponents to just two hits, one of which left the ballpark with no one aboard. The 19-year-old issued one free pass with four strikeouts. Saniel Santana was touched for a tally on two hits and two walks while retiring two. Leonardo Taveras left the sacks jammed full of Santana’s runners, walking one over the final 1 1/3 innings for his first save.
Second baseman Pablo Gomez and left fielder Diowill Burgos were the only two C-Blues with more than one hit, both going 2-for-4. Burgos doubled but was caught stealing in his only attempt. Center fielder Diomedes Del Rio’s lone hit in four at bats was his eighth triple of 2018 which scored two, snapping a one-all tie in the seventh. Del Rio subsequently scored via a wild pitch.
Wednesday’s game: at DSL Nationals (13-8), 10:30 am ET, Julio Puello (1-0, 0.64)
DSL Cardinals Red 1 at DSL D-backs2 6
The DSL Cardinals (10-11) fell to the D-backs2, 6-1, halting their six-game winning streak.
The visitors managed just three hits, including a long ball by first baseman Cristhian Longa. It was his third home run of the season. The C-Reds did work 10 walks but a lack of hitting rendered those walks unproductive. Shortstop Franklin Soto worked three of the free passes and stole his ninth base of 2018.
Luis Ortiz (L, 0-1) tossed the initial four innings, yielding three runs on five hits and two walks. Jhon Victorino was charged with three tallies in the fifth on four hits and a free pass. Dionys Rodriguez issued two bases-on-balls over two frames while Rodard Avelino worked around a hit and walk.
Wednesday’s game: vs. DSL D-backs2 (9-12), 10:30 am ET, Ludwin Jimenez (0-1, 5.06)
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