photo: Ramon Mendoza (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system was 1-0 on Friday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Memphis 3B Ramon Mendoza, was 3-for-4 including a double, home run and two RBI. Other standouts included four Redbirds pitchers who kept Gwinnett off the board, led by Richard Fitts.
Results for the Triple-A game played on Friday, March 27, 2026.
The Redbirds shut out the Stripers by a 3-0 score in Gwinnett on Friday night. This was the opening day of Memphis’ season.
Starter Richard Fitts pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings, allowed two hits, walked four and struck out three. He threw 76 pitches, 47 for strikes.
97 mph heater from Dick Fitts freezes Brewer Hicklen. This is Fitts' 2nd K of the evening through one inning pic.twitter.com/e0TBWlbthl
— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) March 27, 2026
Packy Naughton relieved Fitts and threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win.
Tonight’s appearance marked LHP Packy Naughton’s first at any level since July 5, 2024.
He retired all four batters faced and earned his first win since May 24, 2022. 💪 https://t.co/mLsFOFAuLT
— Cardinals Player Development (@CardsPlayerDev) March 28, 2026
Luis Gastelum hurled 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Luis Gastelum has his first AAA strikeout!
He goes to the 94 mph fastball to freeze Sandy Leon who was certainly sitting on that 80 grade changeup of Gastelum's. pic.twitter.com/VkLsoGqlHh— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) March 28, 2026
Gordon Graceffo tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the save.
Memphis scored one run in each of the second, fourth and fifth innings. Ninth place hitter Ramon Mendoza was 3-for-4 with two RBI, including a double and a solo home run.
WE HAVE OUR FIRST HOMER OF THE MiLB SEASON FOR THE CARDS!
Ramon Mendoza crushes this hanging curve for the dong.
Savant is delayed in giving any additional info pic.twitter.com/6QmvZiqoRD— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) March 27, 2026
Blaze Jordan was 2-for-4. Bryan Torres drew three walks.
Jimmy Crooks hit a missile to the opposite field for Memphis’ second solo home run of the evening.
JIMMY CROOKS HOMER!!!!
LOVE TO SEE THIS.
Crooks takes the 94 mph sinker from the lefty and goes with it.
107.9 mph off of the bat, 414 ft shot pic.twitter.com/gU4t0bVAbj— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) March 28, 2026
The offense had a total of eight hits, mostly helped by the long ball as they went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leaving 10 runners on base.
Joshua Baez and Torres each swiped a bag. The game lasted two hours and 53 minutes on a balmy 80 degree night in Georgia at first pitch.
The fans were treated to a bat dog retrieving bats in the bottom of the first and fourth innings.
Bravo to Joe the bat dog for his service to my video feed. A real hero. pic.twitter.com/9aSKkpA6v6
— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) March 28, 2026
Memphis will play two more games with Gwinnett before heading home for their first first game series of the season with the Norfolk Tides starting Tuesday.
Saturday’s game: at Gwinnett, Bruce Zimmermann LHP (0-0, 0.00) vs. Carlos Carrasco RHP (0-0,0.00) 5:05 CT.
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