photo: Johnny Rodriguez and Victor Roache (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)
Outfielder Victor Roache’s multi-home run performance led Springfield to the system’s sole win on Monday’s two-game schedule for the St. Louis Cardinals system. Memphis was blanked while both Palm Beach and Peoria were idle.
Results from the games played Monday, April 30th.
The Redbirds (17-8) were shut out by the Dodgers, 6-0, in the first of a four-game set between the leaders of the American Northern and American Southern Divisions.
Memphis batters mustered just four hits, all singles, and did not work a free pass.
Kevin Herget took the loss, his second in three decisions, in a bullpen start by Redbirds’ hurlers. Two of the three runs charged to the right-hander over three frames resulted from a long ball, one of five hits and one walk permitted.
Andrew Morales had mixed results in his return to Triple-A, striking out six in three innings but yielding three tallies on four hits, including a solo shot. Arturo Reyes was touched for a tally on two hits and a base-on-balls over two before Edward Mujica faced the minimum in the ninth.
Tuesday’s game: vs. Oklahoma City (18-4) (LAD), 6:35 pm CT, John Gant (3-0, 2.25)
Player of the Day Victor Roache twice went yard as the S-Cards rallied past the Travelers, 8-4, for a three-games-to-one home series win. The victory allows second-place Springfield (13-9) to keep pace with first-place Tulsa (LAD), a team they trail by just one-half of a game.
Both of Roache’s bombs came with a runner aboard, accounting for half of his team’s scores. The left fielder’s first long ball scored John Nogowski (walk), giving Springfield a brief 2-0 lead through four.
But Arkansas (11-11) (SEA) responded with four runs against reliever Ian McKinney (W, 1-0) in the southpaw’s 2018 return to Double-A. McKinney permitted three runs in the fifth, the first of his four-inning stint, plus another tally the next stint. The 23-year-old yielded four hits, including a solo shot, and two free passes while fanning three. He pitched in relief of Ramon Santos, who was given a spot start after seven relief appearances. Santos hurled the first three innings, allowing four hits and a walk.
Down 4-2 after six, the S-Cards flipped the lead with a four-run seventh which was capped by Roache’s second home run, again with Nogowski (single) aboard. Nogowski figured in the eighth’s scoring, as well. After Edmundo Sosa’s RBI single brought Jeremy Martinez (single) home, Nogowski strode to the plate with the sacks jammed and two away. The first baseman was hit by a pitch, forcing in his team’s last run.
Springfield banged out 11 hits, led by Tommy Edman who reached base four times out of the lead-off slot. Edman went 3-for-4 with a walk and run scored, his multi-hit effort joined by Roache, Martinez and Luke Dykstra, who had two hits apiece.
But Springfield may have saved the best for last, the very last. After Estarlin Arias pitched a one-two-three eighth, the righty loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. Exit Arias and enter Hector Mendoza (S, 3) who benefited from his team’s rare triple play, this one scored 4-6-3-1-5-4-6.
Tuesday’s game: at fourth-place Northwest Arkansas (7-16) (KC), 7:05 pm CT, Conner Greene (2-1, 3.26)
Palm Beach – off
Palm Beach (13-11) takes its modest two-game winning streak to Osceola County Stadium, home of the Florida Fire Frogs, for a three-game series.
Tuesday’s game: at Florida (8-16) (ATL), 6:31 pm ET, Evan Kruczynski (3-0, 2.73)
Peoria – off
After a rather brutal seven-game road trip during which Peoria claimed only two wins, the Chiefs (10-11) open a six-game home stand against Eastern Division rivals West Michigan (DET) and South Bend (CHC).
Tuesday’s game: vs. West Michigan (14-9), 6:30 pm CT, Jake Walsh (1-0, 1.61)
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