Cardinals Minor League Notebook – May 19, 2022

photo: Matt Koperniak (Springfield Cardinals)

The St. Louis Cardinals system went 1-3 on Wednesday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day is LF Matt Koperniak, who went 4-for-5 with a steal and run scored in Springfield’s extra inning loss. Other standouts include Alec Burleson, L.J. Jones, Edwin Nunez and Wade Stauss.

Results from games played Wednesday, May 18.



Memphis 3 at Gwinnett 4

The Memphis Redbirds were edged by the Gwinnett Stripers in a one run game on Wednesday night. Recently sent down by St. Louis, Jake Woodford took the mound for Memphis. The right hander pitched three innings, gave up two runs on four hits and walked two.

Angel Rondon relieved and surrendered one run in two innings pitched. James Naile threw the sixth and seventh innings and allowed one run. Zach McAllister tossed a scoreless eighth. Naile took the loss, his second of the season.

Gwinnett took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, then increased the lead to 3-0 in the fourth. Memphis finally answered with a three-run home run by Alec Burleson in the sixth to tie the game at 3-3.

Alec Burleson

The Stripers regained the lead with one run in the seventh. The Redbirds were unable to respond.

Nolan Gorman went 3-for-4, all singles. Burleson was 2-for-4 with three RBI. The offense scored three runs on six hits, struck out 12 times and was 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

On the base paths, Burleson stole his second base of the season. In the field, Scott Hurst had an outfield assist at third base.

Memphis has a record of 21-17 and is in third place in the International League West, five games back of first place Nashville.

Thursday’s game:  at Gwinnett, Zack Thompson LHP (2-0, 3.86) vs. Huascar Ynoa RHP (1-2, 6.41) 6:05 CT.

Springfield 6 at Wichita 7 (11 innings)

The Double-A Cardinals suffered a heartbreaking walk off loss to the Wind Surge in an extra innings road contest on Wednesday night. Edgar Escobar started for Springfield. The right hander pitched four innings, gave up two runs on six hits and fanned five.

Tyler Pike surrendered two runs in the fifth. Grant Black added two scoreless innings. Kevin Marnon hurled a scoreless eighth. Johan Quezada allowed two run in his two innings pitched. Freddy Pacheco gave up the walk off home run in the 11th and took the loss, his third of the season. Pacheco was also tagged with a blown save.

Wichita got on the board first with two runs in the first inning. The Cardinals tied it up 2-2 in the third on a long ball by Jordan Walker.

The Wind Surge regained the lead with two scores in the fifth. Wichita held a 4-2 lead until the ninth when Springfield knotted it up despite not getting a hit. Delvin Perez led off with a walk, and Jonah Davis reached on an error. Jordan Walker drew a walk to load the bases. Moises Gomez was hit by a pitch and Perez scored. Davis came home on a bases loaded walk.

Neither team scored in the 10th. In the top of the 11th, Irving Lopez, who started the inning on second base, came home on a double play ball from Walker. Gomez then hit a solo home run to put the Cardinals up 6-4. It was his 17th of the season.

In the home half of the 11th, Pacheco could not protect the two-run lead. Via a walk and a three-run home run, Wichita walked it off 7-6.

Leadoff man and left fielder Matt Koperniak went 4-for-5 with a run scored and his sixth stolen base of the season. Nick Dunn was 2-for-5. Walker and Gomez each drove in two. The Cards fanned 14 times, went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12.

Matt Koperniak

Springfield is 14-21 and is in last place in the Texas League North, eight games back of first place Wichita.

Thursday’s game:  at Wichita, Connor Lunn RHP (2-3, 4.70) vs. Simeon Woods Richardson RHP (2-1, 2.20) 7:05 CT.

Peoria 1 at Beloit 4

The Peoria Chiefs could only scratch one run out of six hits in a loss to the Sky Carp in Beloit. Starter Logan Gragg pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up two runs on five hits and struck out three. Gragg took the loss, his fourth of the season.

Nathanael Heredia surrendered two runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief. Wilfredo Pereira tossed a scoreless eighth.

The Chiefs scored their only run in the fourth inning. Mike Antico began with a triple. Thomas Francisco was hit by a pitch. L.J. Jones singled to plate Antico.

In the sixth, Beloit posted three runs to take the lead. The Sky Carp added a fourth run in the seventh.

Jones went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Tommy Jew and Masyn Winn doubled.

LJ Jones IV

On the base paths, Jew stole his 10th base of the season. In the field, Winn made a throwing error. Matt Chamberlain had an outfield assist at third base, and Jew had an outfield assist at home.

Peoria is 14-21 on the season and stands in fourth place in the Midwest League West, 10 games back of first place Cedar Rapids.

Thursday’s game:  at Beloit, Michael McGreevy RHP (2-1, 2.52) vs. LHP Dax Fulton 6:35 CT.

Palm Beach 4, Bradenton 2

The Palm Beach Cardinals defeated the Bradenton Marauders in a 4-2 contest In Roger Dean Stadium on Wednesday night. Zane Mills started for Palm Beach. The right hander pitched five innings and gave up two runs on eight hits, struck out six and walked two.

Edwin Nuñez

Edwin Nunez threw two scoreless innings to earn his first win. The righty struck out four, yielded no hits and walked just one. Bryan Pope tossed two scoreless innings and was awarded his first save.

The Beach Birds scored first. In the second inning, Jeremy Rivas reached on a fielding error. Aaron McKeithan singled, and the runners advanced on a sac bunt by Wade Stauss. Ramon Mendoza grounded out to third and Rivas scored.

Bradenton plated a run in the fourth to tie the game and took a 2-1 lead in the fifth. The Cardinals answered in the sixth with two to take a 3-2 lead. Osvaldo Tovalin led off with a single. Rivas followed with a walk. McKeithan singled to load the bases. Stauss drove in two on a double.

Wade Stauss

Palm Beach added a fourth run in the eighth. Brady Whalen singled and stole second base. Whalen scored on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt.

The Cardinals scored four runs on seven hits. McKeithan went 2-for-4. Stauss drove in two.

On the base paths, Rivas stole his fifth base of the season. Whalen swiped his second base. In the field, Mendoza made a fielding error.

Palm Beach is 13-22 and is in last place in the Florida State League East, 11.5 games back of first place St. Lucie.

Thursday’s game:  vs. Bradenton, Carlos Guarate RHP (0-3, 5.40) vs. TBA 5:30 CT.


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