photo: Alex Reyes (Allison Rhoades/Peoria Chiefs)
The St. Louis Cardinals system just missed a three-game Monday sweep as Springfield’s pen had a major letdown. Memphis picked up a close win behind Tyler O’Neill’s two home runs and great relief work, led by Edward Mujica. Player of the Day Alex Reyes dominated Class-A hitters on his road back to St. Louis and Peoria’s Julio Rodriguez also went deep twice.
Results from the games played Monday, May 14th.
Tyler O’Neill provided all of the required offense as the Redbirds edged the Sounds, 2-1, halting a four-game losing skid. Although first-place Memphis (23-16) increased its lead over second-place Nashville to three games, the Redbirds trail in the current series, one-game-to-two with one contest on tap.
O’Neill went yard twice, upping his home run total to 13, which is within one of the league lead. The right fielder garnered a third of his team’s hits in three at bats and struck out once.
Take a listen to what @toneill21 had to say after his 2-home run day!
He has 13 💣 in 27 games with Memphis! pic.twitter.com/P1toQgCOzd
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) May 14, 2018
Making his first start since May 3rd after spending time on the Temporary Inactive list, Dakota Hudson battled control issues. The Tennessee native issued six free passes in five plus frames but only yielded one run, thanks to Edward Mujica. Hudson allowed three hits, his only tally coming via a long ball, and fanned four.
Three of the six bases-on-balls given up by Hudson occurred to open the sixth, leading to Mujica’s entry. The veteran reliever did a great job in stranding all three runners on two swinging K’s and a fly out to center.
The balance of the bullpen’s performance was equally as solid. Ryan Sherriff struck out the side in the seventh before Preston Guilmet retired all six batters faced for his seventh save.
Tuesday’s game: vs. Nashville (19-18) (OAK), 11:05 am CT, Austin Gomber (2-2, 4.25)
The S-Cards’ bullpen blew a seven-run lead, resulting in a 9-8 loss to the Drillers in the series’ opener. The defeat drops Springfield (19-17) into a three-way tie for first with Tulsa and Arkansas (SEA).
The visitors appeared to be cruising towards victory at the sixth’s midpoint, holding an 8-1 advantage. Ramping back up after a recent DL stint, starter Connor Jones was done after five innings and just 54 pitches. However, a trio of Springfield relievers imploded, thanks to some Tulsa long ball.
Two of the three runs charged to Ian McKinney in just a third of an inning were products of a home run that was one of his three hits allowed. Estarlin Arias recorded five outs but not before permitting a tally on two hits. Then Ramon Santos (BS, 1) (L, 0-2) served up a big fat gopher ball with the bases loaded in the eighth. Hector Mendoza retired his only batter to finish the inning.
The S-Cards were outhit 11 to seven and also had some help, as only three of their eight runs were earned. Randy Arozarena accounted for half of his team’s tallies, going 3-for-5 with a double, run scored and three RBI. The right fielder was the only Springfield player with more than one hit.
Tuesday’s game: at Tulsa (19-17) (LAD), 7:05 pm CT, Chris Ellis (2-0, 2.90)
Palm Beach at Clearwater – postponed
The first of four games between Palm Beach (21-14) and Clearwater was rained out as were all but one of Monday’s Florida State League contests. It has been re-scheduled as part of a double header on Tuesday, May 15th – weather permitting, of course.
Tuesday’s games: at Clearwater (15-21) (PHI). Game one – 5:00 pm ET, Austin Warner (1-1, 3.86)/Jesus Cruz (1-0, 4.05)
Alex Reyes tossed five dazzling frames and Julio Rodriguez went yard twice as the Chiefs downed the LumberKings, 5-2, the first of four games between the two clubs at Dozer Park. The win by Peoria (18-16), their fifth straight, keeps them in third, 1 1/2 games behind Clinton.
Player of the Day Reyes (W, 1-0) was dominant, striking out 12 and allowing just one hit and two walks. The righty threw 80 pitches, 51 for strikes, including multiple 99 and 100 mph offerings, in his second rehab start. His next start is scheduled for Saturday, May 19th, for Springfield.
All 12 of @Cardinals pitcher @AlexReyes_67 strikeouts for the Chiefs tonight! Final line 5 IP, 1 H, O R, O ER, 2 BB, 12 K. He was light's out! #catchthefun #STLCards pic.twitter.com/8LBiXSOsWi
— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) May 15, 2018
Johan Oviedo, the regularly scheduled starter, took over pitching duties the rest of the way. The 20-year-old fanned six while permitting two solo shots but did not issue a free pass.
While Reyes was shutting down his opponents on the mound, Peoria’s bats struck for at least one run in the second through fifth innings. Rodriguez got the scoring started with a bomb in the second before adding another one in the fourth, both with the bases empty. The catcher then just missed his third long ball before his final hit in four at bats was his fourth double of 2018. Yariel Gonzalez, one of six Chiefs with one hit each, capped his team’s scoring with a solo shot in the fifth.
Tuesday’s game: vs. Clinton (19-14) (SEA), 11:00 am CT, Evan Guillory (3-2, 3.53)
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