photo: Alex Reyes (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The 2-1 Wednesday across the St. Louis Cardinals system included a dominating win by Jack Flaherty and Memphis plus two extra-innings games, which Peoria won and Palm Beach lost. St. Louis prospect Alex Reyes passed his first rehab test. The two standout pitchers may soon be in competition for a big-league rotation spot.
Recaps from games played on Wednesday, May 9.
Memphis Redbirds 7 at Oklahoma City Dodgers 2
Powered by Jack Flaherty’s dominant outing and offensive production throughout the lineup, the Redbirds enjoyed a 7-2 win over the Dodgers in Oklahoma City.
Flaherty, our Player of the Day, fanned a career-high 13 batters in 6 2/3 innings, during which he held the Dodgers to two runs. Picking up the win, Flaherty improved to 4-1 on the season with Memphis. Andrew Morales and Edward Mujica combined for 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to polish out the victory.
The Redbirds collectively went 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position and benefited from solo homers from second baseman Wilfredo Tovar and left fielder Adolis Garcia. First baseman Luke Voit went 4-for-5 including three doubles, two runs batted in, and two runs scored. Shortstop Yairo Munoz and right fielder Tyler O’Neill batted in a run each, and center fielder Oscar Mercado scored twice.
Thursday’s game: Austin Gomber (2-1, 3.19) at Oklahoma City Dodgers, 7:05 PM Central time.
Springfield Cardinals off
The Double-A Cardinals were off Wednesday as they travel to Little Rock for a series with the Arkansas Travelers. That set will open on Thursday evening at 7:10 PM Central time with Chris Ellis (2-0, 2.03) as Springfield’s starting pitcher.
Jupiter Hammerheads 10 at Palm Beach Cardinals 2 (10 innings)
With nine runs in the 10th inning, the Hammerheads put an emphatic end to what was a 1-1 tie through the first nine innings against Palm Beach. Jupiter won the game by a 10-2 final score.
Alex Reyes made his first official rehab appearance as Palm Beach’s starter. Reyes logged 3 1/3 innings, throwing 43 strikes in 67 pitches, shutting the Hammerheads out on four hits and one walk with six strikeouts.
Editor’s note: I was in attendance and was impressed with the sharpness of his varying offerings. My only concern is an ongoing one with Reyes, and that is pitch efficiency. Ideally, he would have gone five innings on 67 pitches. His next start will be in Peoria in five days before moving on to Springfield, Memphis and St. Louis, where he could soon be in a competition with Flaherty for the next rotation opening.
Reyes showing all his pitches in the first including several 99mph fastballs. Gave up double on cutter at 89. 2 Ks including 81 mph curve.
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) May 9, 2018
Regular starter Ian Oxnevad took the mound after Reyes and went six innings – the first five scoreless. Oxnevad retired just one batter in the 10th, and Austin Sexton was called up to record the final outs. Oxnevad was charged with six runs (five earned), and Sexton surrendered four earned runs in the fateful frame. In the inning, the Hammerheads drew three walks and had six hits.
The Cardinals stranded 10 runners on Wednesday, with only two hits with runners in scoring position. Catcher Jose Godoy and left fielder Shane Billings each had two hits; first baseman Stefan Trosclair and right fielder Dylan Carlson scored one run apiece. Center fielder Johan Mieses walked twice, accounting for two of Palm Beach’s five free passes.
Thursday’s game: Anthony Shew (2-1, 1.99) at Bradenton Marauders, 5:30 PM Central time.
Peoria Chiefs 5 at Bowling Green Hot Rods 4 (10 innings)
After plating a run in the ninth to tie the game, the Chiefs scored the go-ahead tally in the top of the 10th to defeat the Hot Rods, 5-4, in Wednesday’s series finale.
Alvaro Seijas started for the Chiefs and turned in five innings of three-run ball. Seijas gave up nine hits and walked three batters but was helped by a double play and the Hot Rods’ lack of timely hitting: Bowling Green had just one hit out of 13 at-bats with runners in scoring position, stranding a dozen runners on the bases. Bryan Dobzanski allowed one run across two frames in relief of Seijas, and Kodi Whitley improved to 3-0 on the year with three scoreless frames to close out the win.
Chiefs catcher Dennis Ortega had three base hits, and third baseman Elehuris Montero scored three runs. Second baseman Irving Lopez knocked in the tying run with a one-out single in the ninth as part of his 2-for-4 day. Right fielder Bryce Denton was credited with the game-winning RBI, as his fielder’s choice drove in Peoria’s fifth and final run.
Thursday’s game: Zach Prendergast (3-1, 2.65) at Dayton Dragons, 6:00 PM Central time.
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