photo: Edmundo Sosa (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)
A night of big offensive efforts in St. Louis’ minors led to a 4-2 mark on Tuesday. Edmundo Sosa, Blake Drake and Lane Thomas all had hot nights at the plate for Springfield as did Peoria’s Zach Kirtley. Springfield was joined in the win column by Palm Beach, Peoria and the DSL Cardinals Blue but Memphis and the DSL Cardinals Red fell.
Results from the games played Tuesday, June 5th.
The Redbirds began their three-game home series versus Tacoma by absorbing a 5-0 defeat. Memphis (35-24) holds a 5 ½-game advantage over second-place Nashville (OAK) in the American Northern Division.
All four runs charged to John Gant (L, 4-1) were produced by a third-inning grand slam but were unearned due to third baseman Patrick Wisdom’s fielding error. The right-hander gave up six hits and two walks over six frames in his return to the Memphis rotation, striking out five.
Reliever Arturo Reyes was charged with an unearned tally as well in the eighth, his second inning of work. Shortstop Wilfredo Tovar was charged with interference which put the Rainiers’ runner in position to score on a subsequent hit.
A bright spot for Memphis’ pitching was Conner Greene’s Triple-A debut. Greene tossed a one-two-three ninth, sandwiching a swinging K in between fly outs to center and left.
The home team managed just three hits, doubles by Oscar Mercado and Tyler O’Neill and a single by Tovar. Catcher Carson Kelly was hitless in three at bats in his first game back with Memphis.
Wednesday’s game: vs. Tacoma (29-30) (SEA), 7:05 pm CT, Daniel Poncedeleon (4-2, 2.48)
Springfield 12 at Northwest Arkansas 5
The S-Cards banged out 17 hits, flying past the Naturals, 12-5, the first of their four-game road series. Springfield (29-28) maintains a half of a game lead over second-place Arkansas in the North Division of the Texas League.
The offense was led by tri-Players of the Day Edmundo Sosa and Blake Drake, who had four hits apiece. Sosa doubled twice in six at bats, crossed home once and drove in two while Drake went 4-for-5 with a three-run home run comprising one of his two runs scored and three of his five RBI.
Drake was joined in the home run club by Lane Thomas, our third Player of the Day. Thomas went yard twice, once with a runner aboard, going 3-for-6 with two runs scored and four knocked in. Chris Chinea, the final S-Card with more than one hit, singled and doubled in four at bats with a walk and three runs scored.
Jake Woodford won for the third time in nine decisions despite compiling a mediocre line of five runs allowed on seven hits and three walks in five plus. Two of his seven hits were solo long balls.
Springfield’s bullpen was unscored upon the rest of the way. Landon Beck tossed two scoreless frames, leaving one of two inherited runners aboard. Colton Thomson and Yeison Medina each hurled a clean inning, with Medina working around two hits.
Wednesday’s game: at Northwest Arkansas (27-30) (KC), 7:05 pm CT, Mike O’Reilly (0-1, 5.84)
The Cards’ big offensive night produced a 6-4 victory over the Miracle, Palm Beach’s third straight win. Second-place Palm Beach (32-21) has taken their first two games of the four-game set and climbed to within a half of a game of Jupiter (MIA) in the standings.
It was the night of the long ball for the Beach Birds as four players went yard, accounting for five of the six scores. Shane Billings was at the forefront, going 3-for-5 with a double and solo shot to finish a triple shy of the cycle.
Johan Mieses, J.B. Woodman and Andy Young each sent one out, Young’s his only hit in four at bats. Dylan Carlson joined Mieses and Woodman with two hits each and stole a bag. Seven PB-Cards had at least one of the team’s 12 hits.
The game marked the return of starter Sam Tewes to the mound after an absence of over six weeks. It took 73 pitches, 48 strikes, for Tewes to navigate through four innings, the righty yielding single scores in his first and last innings of work. Tewes gave up five hits and issued one free pass.
Regular starter Jake Walsh (W, 2-1) finished the game, fanning five over five innings. Walsh allowed seven hits and a walk, resulting in single tallies in the sixth and ninth.
Wednesday’s game: at sixth-place Fort Myers (23-33) (MIN), 7:00 pm ET, Austin Warner (3-1, 2.51)
Evan Guillory’s arm and Zach Kirtley’s bat led the Chiefs over the Cougars, 7-4, in the road series opener. Peoria (33-25) took sole possession of first place with the win, a half of a game ahead of Clinton (SEA) and a game in front of Quad Cities (HOU).
Guillory (W, 6-3) blanked Kane County on five hits and two walks over six innings. The 22-year-old struck out four with seven ground- and five fly-ball outs. Guillory threw 60 of his 91 pitches for strikes.
Levi MaVorhis did not retire a batter, permitting four runs on four hits and a base-on-balls. His last runner scored via a sac fly with Bryan Dobzanski on the mound. Dobzanski retired all six batters faced, stranding one inherited runner. Kodi Whitley faced the minimum in the ninth for his first save.
Kirtley was an extra-base machine, going 3-for-5 with three doubles and three runs scored. Three Chiefs had two hits each: Yariel Gonzalez, Matt Fiedler and Jose Martinez. Gonzalez knocked in one, Martinez scored one time and Fielder swiped a base. Dennis Ortega’s only hit in four at bats was a solo blast, his third home run of 2018.
Wednesday’s game: at fourth-place Kane County (29-27) (ARI), 6:30 pm CT, Jesus Cruz (Peoria debut)
DSL Cardinals Blue 16 vs. DSL Phillies Red 7
The Dominican Cardinals Blue (2-1) used two big innings to pound the DSL Phillies Red, 16-7.
The home team conducted a 16-hit festival with most of the results occurring in the six-run first and seven-run fifth. All nine starters generated at least one hit, led by 18-year-old Jean Selmo, taken out of the Arizona organization in the December 2017 Rule 5 draft. The left fielder went 3-for-5 with a base-on-balls, double, two runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base.
Another standout was center fielder Carlos Soler, one of five C-Blues with two hits each. Soler singled and tripled in four at bats, walked twice, touched home two times and drove in two. The 18-year-old was credited with an outfield assist at second but was nailed in an attempted steal of home.
Starter Emmanuel Solano (W, 1-0) tossed a quality effort in his first start of 2018, yielding five runs, three earned, on eight hits over six innings. He did not issue a free pass.
Miguel Yedis, Larimel Soriano and Freddy Pacheco each tossed an inning. Yedis and Soriano both gave up a run while Pacheco pitched a clean ninth.
Wednesday’s game: at DSL Phillies Red (0-3), 10:30 am ET, TBA
DSL Cardinals Red 9 at DSL Phillies White 11
The Dominican Cardinals Red (1-2) suffered an 11-9 walk-off loss at the DSL Phillies White on Tuesday.
Down 8-2 after six, the visitors rallied for seven runs over the last three frames to go up 9-8 with three outs to go. But reliever Jose Geronimo (L, 0-1) was bitten by the error bug, resulting in three unearned tallies. Three of the Cardinals Red’s five miscues in the game occurred in the ninth.
Allinson Benitez started, permitting five runs, two earned, on four hits and three bases-on-balls over three plus. Roy Garcia left Benitez’ final runner on base but was charged with three runs on a hit plus three walks in 2 2/3. The hit was a big one, a two-run long ball.
16-year-old righty Miguel Maiz did well in his maiden professional appearance, working around two hits in 1 2/3 and stranding two inherited runners. Geromino recorded three outs but gave up two hits, threw a wild pitch and watched his teammates bobble three plays.
Designated hitter Alexander Samuel paced his team’s 10-hit attack, going 3-for-5 with a double and run scored. Three players had two hits apiece: left fielder Joerlin De Los Santos, third baseman Francisco Hernandez and second baseman Elvin De Jesus. De Los Santos was one of four C-Reds with a stolen base.
Wednesday’s game: vs. DSL Phillies White (3-0), 10:30 am ET, TBA
Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation: Former Cards Scout Blood High on Gorman
Not yet a member?
Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system. Annual members may purchase our new 193-page 2018 Prospect Guide for less than half price. Our limited edition printed version is sold out.
© 2018 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.