photo: Alfonso Rivas (Memphis Redbirds)
The St. Louis Cardinals system was 1-4 on Wednesday as offense was scarce below Triple-A. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Memphis 1B Alfonso Rivas, was 4-for-4 including three doubles, a walk and three RBI. Other standouts include Gordon Graceffo, Darlin Saladin and Augusto Calderon.
Results for games played Wednesday, May 1.
The Memphis Redbirds defeated the Knights in a 7-3 road win on Wednesday. Starter Gordon Graceffo pitched five innings, gave up two runs, one earned, on four hits, struck out five and walked two to earn his third win of the season.
Victor Santos threw two scoreless innings of relief. Chris Roycroft surrendered one run in the eighth. Ryan Loutos tossed a scoreless ninth.
Memphis went up 1-0 in the first inning. César Prieto drew a walk and came home on a double by Alfonso Rivas. The Redbirds added two runs in the third. Arquímedes Gamboa reached on an error. Thomas Saggese singled. Rivas plated Gamboa and Saggese with a double.
Do you want to see Rivas double?
Do you want to see him do it again? pic.twitter.com/VGRshA6XRQ
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) May 1, 2024
Charlotte cut the lead to 3-2 in the fourth, but Memphis made it 4-2 in the sixth on a solo home run by Saggese.
In the top of the eighth, Rivas doubled and was driven in by Matt Koperniak’s single to widen the lead to 5-2. In the home half of the eighth, the Knights scored one run.
The Redbirds increased the lead to 7-3 in the ninth on a two-run home run by Victor Scott II.
Rivas was 4-for-4 including three doubles, a walk and three RBI. Koperniak was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Saggese was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Scott was 2-for-2 with two RBI.
In Game 2 of his rehab stint from St. Louis, center fielder Dylan Carlson led off and went 0-for-3 before being replaced by Scott in the seventh inning.
On the base paths, Koperniak and Jared Young were each caught stealing. In the field, Gamboa made a throwing error.
Memphis is 13-15 for the season.
Thursday’s game: at Charlotte, Sem Robberse RHP (3-0, 1.82) vs. TBD (CHT) 6:04 CT.
The Cardinals were blanked by the Drillers in an 11-0 road blowout on Wednesday. Starter Tekoah Roby pitched 4 1/3 innings, gave up six runs on nine hits, struck out three and walked two. Roby took the loss, his first of the season.
Nick Raquet threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. Andrew Marrero surrendered one run in the seventh. Jack Ralston yielded four runs in the eighth.
Tulsa scored three runs in the second inning and added two in the third for a 5-0 lead. Tulsa continued to add on with single runs in the fifth and seventh, and four runs in the eighth.
Springfield’s offense was held to three hits. R.J. Yeager doubled and Matt Lloyd and Jeremy Rivas singled. The team was 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.
On the base paths, Mike Antico stole his first Double-A base of the season. In the field, Nathan Church made a fielding error.
Springfield is 15-8 on the season.
Thursday’s game: at Tulsa, Edwin Nuñez RHP (0-1, 8.44) vs. Orlando Ortiz-Mayr RHP (1-1, 5.59) 7:00 CT.
The Peoria Chiefs were edged by the Kernels in a 2-1 pitching duel in Iowa on Wednesday. Starter Cooper Hjerpe pitched four innings, gave up two runs on one hit, struck our four and walked three. Hjerpe took the loss, his first of the season.
Wilfredo Pereira and Tyler Bradt each threw two scoreless innings of relief.
Cedar Rapids went up 2-0 in the third inning. Peoria scored their only run in the fifth. Brody Moore doubled, stole third and came home on a single by Zach Levenson.
Levenson hits a perfectly placed line drive to center field and Moore scores to put the Chiefs on the board in the top of the fifth!!
PEO 1 | CR 2
– – –#peoriachiefs #TopDogs pic.twitter.com/dRJcnyJap2— Peoria Chiefs (@peoriachiefs) May 2, 2024
The Chiefs had one run on five hits. Moore was 2-for-3 as the only Chief with multiple hits. The offense was 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.
On the base paths, Leonardo Bernal stole his first base of the season. Moore swiped his fifth bag. Alex ladisernia stole his third base.
In the field, Bradt picked a runner off first base.
Peoria is 8-15 for the season.
Thursday’s game: at Cedar Rapids, Cade Winquest RHP (0-2, 2.45) vs. Miguelangel Boadas RHP (1-2, 5.14) 6:35 CT.
Palm Beach 1, Daytona 2 (seven innings, Game 1)
The Palm Beach Cardinals lost to the Tortugas in the first game of a twin bill at Roger Dean on Wednesday. Starter Gerardo Salas pitched four innings, gave up two runs on six hits, struck out two and walked three. Salas took the loss.
Augusto Calderon finished with three hitless and scoreless innings of relief. The right-hander walked one and fanned four.
The Beach Birds scored their only run in the first inning. Sammy Hernandez was hit by a pitch. Kade Kretzschmar singled. Jose Cordoba singled and Hernandez came home.
Daytona put up two runs in the second to lead 2-1. Neither team scored in the final five innings.
Palm Beach had one run on four hits. Cordoba was 2-for-3 with an RBI. The offense was 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base.
Palm Beach 0, Daytona 1 (seven innings, Game 2)
The Cardinals were blanked by the Tortugas in the second game of the twin bill on Wednesday. Starter Darlin Saladin pitched six scoreless innings, allowed three hits, struck out nine and walked one.
Gustavo Rodriguez relieved and surrendered the only run of the game in the seventh. He took the loss.
The Beach Birds were held scoreless as they scattered six hits. Lizardo Espinoza was 2-for-3 as the only Cardinal with multiple hits. The offense was 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.
Palm Beach is 14-9 for the season.
Thursday’s game: vs Daytona, RH Jason Savacool (1-0, 5.56) vs. TBD 5:30 CT.
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