photo: Michael Curialle (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system went 1-3 as The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Peoria 3B Michael Curialle, had four hits including three home runs and drove in seven. Other Sunday standouts include Luken Baker, Nathan Church and Trey Paige.
Results from games played on Sunday, May 12.
On Sunday at AutoZone Park, the Memphis Redbirds (18-18) fell to the Norfolk Tides (19-18, BAL) 8-5 with the longball playing a major factor. Starter Adam Kloffenstein threw seven innings, allowing four runs on four hits including three home runs while walking one and striking out seven.
The Tides opened the scoring in the first with a two-run long ball.
Alfonso Rivas III and Jordan Walker’s RBI singles tied the game at two apiece in the third.
8-game hit streak for Walker!
We are tied! pic.twitter.com/6lQxmXwz6z
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) May 12, 2024
A solo homer for Norfolk allowed them to take a one-run lead in the top of the fifth.
Walker re-tied the game with his sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth.
Another solo homer for the Tides in the sixth gave them a one-run lead again.
Memphis tied it in the seventh with Luken Baker’s blast to left center.
BAKER DOES IT AGAIN@HueysRestaurant HOMER IN BACK-TO-BACK DAYS pic.twitter.com/4wDDRvzQSa
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) May 12, 2024
Connor Thomas replaced Kloffenstein in the eighth, and he allowed a solo home run to the first batter he faced. He later yielded a two-RBI single and an RBI single to give the Tides an 8-4 lead.
Memphis tried to regain the momentum in the ninth on Baker’s RBI double, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit.
Baker went 3-for-4 with a homer, two doubles, a walk, two RBI, and two runs scored. Rivas III was 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Walker was 2-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and two RBI while extending his hitting streak to eight games. The Redbirds totaled five runs on 12 hits with a walk and 14 strikeouts.
Thomas took his first loss this season, pitching one inning and allowing four runs on five hits while striking out two. Jacob Bosiokovic threw a scoreless inning, yielding no hits and no walks while striking out two. Memphis gave up eight runs on nine hits while walking one and striking out 11.
The Redbirds dropped the series, winning only two of the six games against the Norfolk Tides. Memphis will begin a home series at AutoZone Park against the Gwinnett Stripers (19-19, ATL) on Tuesday.
Memphis will play a doubleheader on Tuesday against Gwinnett due to a game originally postponed on April 21.
Tuesday’s games: vs. Gwinnett, RH Gordon Graceffo (3-3, 4.93) vs. Dylan Dodd LHP (2-3, 4.35) 5:05 CT (Game 1). at Gwinnett, RH Sem Robberse (4-1, 2.81) vs. Zach Logue LHP (0-3, 2.73).
Springfield 5 at NW Arkansas 11
The Springfield Cardinals (20-12) were crushed by the NW Arkansas Naturals (16-15, KCR) 11-5 on Sunday at Arvest Ballpark. Starter Tink Hence took his second loss this season, pitching 3 2/3 innings, allowing nine runs, none earned, on six hits while walking three and striking out one.
The Naturals scored three in the first on a sacrifice fly and two RBI singles to take the early lead. They were unearned due to a fielding error by second baseman Ramon Mendoza, just back from Memphis.
The Cardinals chipped away at the deficit, as Mendoza’s two-RBI double cut the Naturals’ lead to 3-2.
In his first game back with Springfield, Ramon Mendoza rips a two-run double to get us on the board early. pic.twitter.com/I4XJ9iMJWA
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) May 12, 2024
Springfield tied the game in the third with Jimmy Crooks’ RBI single.
We're tied!
Jimmy Crooks comes through again with an RBI single to tie the game at three. pic.twitter.com/9j5rvbTZsn
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) May 12, 2024
Bryan Torres’s sacrifice fly allowed the Cardinals to take a 4-3 lead in the top of the fourth.
However, NW Arkansas put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fourth. Hence committed a throwing error on a fielders’ choice that allowed the first runner to score. An RBI single, an RBI forceout, and another RBI single ended Hence’s day on the mound and brought in Andrew Marrero. Marrero didn’t stop the bleeding as he allowed a two-RBI double and a two-run bomb to right field to make the score 11-4.
Nathan Church’s RBI double in the seventh was the only offense Springfield could generate after the eight-run fourth inning.
Church went 3-for-4 with a triple, a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Mendoza was 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, two RBI, and scored once. Mike Antico was 2-for-4 and scored once. The Cardinals totaled five runs on 12 hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts.
Marrero threw 2 1/3 innings, charged with two runs, none earned, on two hits with two strikeouts. Jack Ralston pitched two scoreless innings, yielding a hit and two walks while striking out one. Springfield gave up 11 runs, none earned, on nine hits while walking five and striking out four.
The Cardinals lost four of the six games in their series against the NW Arkansas Naturals. Springfield will begin a homestand at Hammons Field on Tuesday against the Midland Rockhounds (21-12, OAK).
Tuesday’s game: vs. Midland, RH Tekoah Roby (2-1, 5.97) vs. TBA 11:15 CT.
The Peoria Chiefs (12-21) dominated the Beloit Sky Carp (17-15, MIA) 9-3 on Sunday at ABC Supply Stadium led by Michael Curialle’s three-home run day. Starter Wilfredo Pereira threw four innings, allowing no runs on one hit while walking one and striking out three.
Curialle’s three-run bomb in the top of the first opened the scoring.
Osvaldo Tovalin’s third-inning single plated the eventual game-winning run. Curialle extended the lead with a two-run homer to center and Anyelo Encarnacion’s RBI triple added another insurance run.
In the fifth, Curialle’s two-run moonshot made it 9-0.
Michael Curialle's first 15 games: 0 HR, 7 RBI
Michael Curialle's through 5 innings today: 3 HR, 7 RBI
The @Cardinals prospect is teeing off for the @peoriachiefs this afternoon! pic.twitter.com/SbiFRqzf8N
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) May 12, 2024
Reliever Roy Garcia pitched the seventh and eighth. In the eighth, he allowed an RBI forceout to make the score 9-1. Tyler Bradt took the ninth and gave up two RBI singles to cut Peoria’s lead to 9-3.
Tanner Jacobson earned his first win this season, pitching two innings, and allowing no runs on one hit while striking out three. Garcia gave up one run on two hits while striking out three. Bradt yielded two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out two. The Chiefs allowed three runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out 11.
Curialle went 4-for-5 with three homers, seven RBI, and three runs scored. Tovalin was 1-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Encarnacion hit 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI. Peoria totaled nine runs on 14 hits with three walks and 11 strikeouts.
The Chiefs won four of the six games against the Beloit Sky Carp. Peoria begins a homestand at Dozer Park against the West Michigan Whitecaps (15-18, DET) on Tuesday.
Tuesday’s game: vs. West Michigan, LHP Cooper Hjerpe (0-1, 4.34) vs. TBA 11:05 CT.
The Palm Beach Cardinals (18-15) lost to the Jupiter Hammerheads (21-12, MIA) 6-4 on Sunday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Starter Chen-Wei Lin pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits while walking four and striking out none.
The Cardinals took an early lead in the second on Chase Adkison’s RBI groundout and Trey Paige’s RBI single.
The Hammerheads earned one back in the fourth when Lin walked in a run.
A wild pitch in the fifth allowed Lizandro Espinoza to cross the plate to make it 3-1.
Jupiter tied the game in the sixth with an RBI double and an RBI groundout.
A passed ball in the top of the seventh scored Miguel Villarroel to give the Cardinals the lead.
Augusto Calderon replaced Lin in the sixth and continued pitching into the bottom of the seventh when he gave up an RBI double. Zach Showalter took over and allowed an RBI single and a sacrifice fly as the Hammerheads assumed the lead.
Calderon took his fourth loss this season, throwing one inning, and allowing two runs on one hit while hitting a batter and striking out one. Showalter pitched 1 2/3 innings, yielding one run on three hits while walking two and striking out four. The Cardinals gave up six runs, five earned, on seven hits while walking six and striking out five.
Paige went 3-for-4 with his sixth double this season and an RBI. Espinoza was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and a run scored. Johnfrank Salazar was 1-for-4 with a double and scored once. Palm Beach totaled four runs on 10 hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.
Palm Beach split the series with Jupiter at three games apiece. The Cardinals will begin a homestand on Tuesday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium against the St. Lucie Mets (12-21, NYM).
Tuesday’s game: vs. St. Lucie, RH Gerardo Salas (1-1, 1.80) vs. TBA 4:00 CT.
Florida Complex League Cardinals – off Sunday and Monday
The 4-3 rookie league Cardinals play their eighth game of the 2024 season on Tuesday at Roger Dean against the Mets (3-2, NYM).
Tuesday’s game: at FCL Mets, RH Nelfy Ynfante (0-0, 4.50) vs. TBA 11:00 CT.
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