Cardinals Minor League Notebook – June 3, 2019

photo: Williams Perez (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

Springfield notched the St. Louis Cardinals organization’s sole win on a 1-4 Sunday behind Williams Perez’ pitching and strong defense. Alex Reyes contributed to Memphis’ losing skid reaching 12, Palm Beach suffered a twin bill sweep and Peoria could not sustain an early advantage.

Results from games played Sunday, June 2nd.


Oklahoma City 8 at Memphis 2   

Rangel Ravelo (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Redbirds fell prey to the home run, resulting in an 8-4 Sunday loss to the Dodgers at AutoZone Park.  Memphis’ 12-game losing streak, one short of the team record, leaves them 11 games behind Iowa (CHC) in the American Northern Division standings and just a half of a game ahead of fourth (and last) place Nashville (TEX).

Five of the seven tallies surrendered by Alex Reyes (L, 1-1) during his 4 2/3-inning stint resulted from three long balls.  The righty allowed seven hits and three walks in all and threw 51 of his 88 pitches for strikes.  Tommy Layne retired his only batter to finish the fifth.

Making his first relief appearance of 2019 and only his second in 47 career games, Evan Kruczynski gave up a run in the sixth without a hit.  His first batter reached on a free pass, advanced to second via a sac bunt and was wild pitched to third before scoring on a sac fly.  The lefty allowed a hit and two walks in three frames with three K’s.  Chris Beck tossed a clean ninth.

The top of the order generated five of Memphis’ six hits, beginning with TCN’s Player of the Month for May Rangel Ravelo.  The first baseman and number three batter went 3-for-4 with a double and drove in Tommy Edman once.  Edman, the Redbirds’ lead-off hitter, scored both of his squad’s tallies, singling and doubling in four at bats.  Defensively, Ravelo took part in both of the Redbirds’ double plays and Edman was part of one of them.

Monday’s game:  Off


Springfield 6 vs. Northwest Arkansas 1      

Williams Perez (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Former major-leaguer Williams Perez pitched six plus successful frames as the S-Cards flew past the Naturals, 6-1, and salvage the third and final game of the home series.  Fourth-place Springfield (23-33) is within a game of elimination for first-half playoff contention.

Player of the Day Perez (W, 6-2) held third-place Northwest Arkansas (23-32) (KC) to a seventh-inning solo shot, one of the nine hits and four walks yielded in 6 2/3.  The veteran was aided by three double plays turned by his defense plus a successful run down between third and home.

Kodi Whitley retired four batters, giving up one hit and stranding an inherited runner.  Seth Elledge tiptoed around a lead-off double in the ninth.

The home team was outhit eight to 11 but capitalized on two Naturals’ miscues to score three unearned tallies.  Chris Chinea and Irving Lopez had productive days at the plate. Chinea went 2-for-4 with a double and solo home run that was one of his two runs scored.  Lopez doubled twice in three at bats at the bottom of the order, scored one and drove in two.  Defensively, in addition to the aforementioned double plays, centerfielder Dylan Carlson was credited with an outfield assist at first.

Monday’s game:  at second-place Tulsa (29-26) (LAD), 7:05 pm CT, Roel Ramirez (1-0, 4.88)


Palm Beach 7 at Florida 9 – Game 1   
Palm Beach 0 at Florida 4 (7) – Game 2

Luken Baker (Palm Beach Cardinals)

The Palm Beach Cardinals were swept in a Sunday double-header at Florida, 9-7 and 4-0.  The three-game series sweep by the Fire Frogs (23-33) (ATL) leaves Palm Beach (32-23) in a three-way tie for first with Bradenton (PIT) and Fort Myers (MIN).

The opener completed Saturday’s contest which was suspended due to rain after one inning with the PB-Cards trailing 2-0.  The visitors never overcame that hole, leaving Saturday starter Perry DellaValle with his third loss in five decisions thanks to a two-run long ball.

Highly touted Griffin Roberts took the mound when play resumed on Sunday and gave up five tallies on nine hits and two walks in his four-inning 2019 debut.  The right-hander threw 68 pitches, 45 for strikes, with one strikeout, four ground- and three fly-ball outs.

Ramon Santos was charged with two runs on three hits, including a solo home run, while fanning three in two frames. He also hit one batter.  Zach Prendergast worked around a hit and walk for a scoreless eighth.

Palm Beach garnered eight hits with three players having two hits apiece in four at bats:  Luken Baker, Julio Rodriguez and Zach Kirtley.  All three players doubled once with Baker adding a double and a three-run bomb making up one of his two runs scored while Rodriguez and Kirtley each touched home once.

Ben Yokley (Johnson City Cardinals)

The visitors outhit their hosts six to three in the finale but stranded seven.  Lead-off hitter Chase Pinder was the only Beach Bird with a multi-hit performance, singling twice in three at bats with a walk.

Ben Yokley initiated the bullpen start and acquitted himself quite well.  The Colorado native struck out five over three scoreless innings while the only batter to reach against him was on a free pass.

Ronnie Williams (L, 1-2) did not fare as well, permitting three runs on two hits, a walk and run-scoring balk in his inning of work.  Mitchell Osnowitz got a quick hook after sandwiching two walks around a stolen base and strikeout.  One of his two base runners came around to score after Patrick Dayton yielded a single to his first batter.  It was the only hit Dayton allowed over 1 2/3 innings.

Monday’s game:  vs. Lakeland (23-32) (DET), 6:30 pm ET, TBA


Peoria 5 at Wisconsin 8       

Leandro Cedeno (Peoria Chiefs)

The Chiefs could not hold an early lead, falling to the Timber Rattlers, 8-5.  The loss prevented Peoria (24-31) from claiming a three-game road sweep.

Peoria’s bats came out swinging against Wisconsin (26-29) (MIL), pushing across five runs in the first three innings for a 5-1 lead.  But the Timber Rattlers chipped away at that lead by scoring in each of the next four frames.

Leandro Cedeño was the only Chief with more than one of the team’s seven hits. The first baseman went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run.  Nolan Gorman’s only hit in three at bats was his 10th blast of 2019, a two-run shot to put Peoria up 2-0 after one.  Gorman worked a base-on-balls as well and crossed home twice.  Center fielder Brandon Riley went 1-for-3 with a walk, double, run scored and stolen base.

But Diego Cordero (L, 2-5) could not keep Wisconsin at bay, giving up six tallies on eight hits and three base-on-balls in 4 1/3.  It was the 21-year-old’s second sub-par outing in his last three starts.

Freddy Pacheco recorded the fifth’s final two outs but not before issuing two free passes that forced across one of two inherited runners.  Fabian Blanco was tagged for a run on a hit and three walks in just two-thirds of an inning and it would have been worse but for Franyel Casadilla stranding the sacks full of Blanco’s runners.   Casadilla allowed a run on three hits in the seventh before Cole Aker tossed a scoreless eighth.

Monday’s game:  Off


DSL Cardinals Blue – off

With the Dominican Summer League idle on Sunday, the DSL Cardinals Blue get ready to face the DSL Angels in their season opener on Monday morning.

Monday’s game: at Angels (1-0), 10:30 am ET, TBA


DSL Cardinals Red – off

The DSL Cardinals Red (1-0) took Sunday off as usual after winning their season opener on Saturday and make their home debut on Monday.

Monday’s game: vs. Brewers (0-1), 10:30 am ET, TBA


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