Cardinals Minor League Notebook: May 21, 2018

photo: Dakota Hudson (Scott Rovak/USA TODAY Sports)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 2-2 on Sunday as Player of the Day Dakota Hudson and Evan Guillory sparked Memphis and Peoria to wins. Springfield dropped a home twin-bill to slide into second place and Palm Beach was unable to play for the second straight day.

Recaps from games played on Sunday, May 20.


Memphis Redbirds 6 at Colorado Springs Sky Sox 1

Dakota Hudson (Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports)

Powered by another quality start from Dakota Hudson and offensive contributions throughout the batting order, the Redbirds cruised to a 6-1 win over the Sky Sox in Colorado Springs. Memphis (26-18) took three of four in the weekend series.

Hudson, our Player of the Day, improved to 5-1 on the season with six frames of work, during which he allowed one run and fanned seven. With only 66 strikes out of his 106 pitches, Hudson walked four batters and was aided by the defense, as the Redbirds turned two double plays. Preston Guilmet logged two scoreless innings in relief before Edward Mujica posted a zero in the ninth.

Shortstop Alex Mejia led the way with three hits, while center fielder Oscar Mercado, third baseman Patrick Wisdom, and catcher Andrew Knizner each had two. First baseman Rangel Ravelo, left fielder Randy Arozarena, and Wisdom scored two runs apiece, and second baseman Max Schrock, right fielder Adolis Garcia, Mercado, Wisdom, Mejia, and Knizner each batted in a run. The Redbirds combined to go 4-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

Monday’s game: Austin Gomber (2-3, 4.61) vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers, 6:35 PM Central time.


Edmundo Sosa (Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports)

Game One: Northwest Arkansas Naturals 6 at Springfield Cardinals 3

With two runs in each of the third, fourth, and fifth innings, the Naturals were 6-3 winners in the opening game of Sunday’s doubleheader.

Cardinals starter Connor Jones allowed four runs on nine hits – all earned – and picked up the “L”. Yeison Medina worked an inning and allowed a run before Landon Beck pitched 2 1/3 frames of scoreless relief.

Edmundo Sosa, the second baseman, went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer. Right fielder Blake Drake batted in the Cardinals’ third run.

Game Two: Northwest Arkansas Naturals 4 at Springfield Cardinals 1

With three runs in the first inning, the Naturals were 4-1 winners over the Cardinals in the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader at Hammons Field. It was the reschedule of the April 25 postponement.

Spot starter Jacob Evans worked five innings of three-run ball. Evans fanned six batters, but dropped to 0-3 on the year with the loss.

Springfield’s only run of the game was driven in by Sosa, the shortstop in the second game.

With the pair of Sunday losses, the 22-21 Cardinals have fallen to second place, a half-game behind Tulsa.

Monday’s game: Chris Ellis (2-0, 4.33) vs. Northwest Arkansas Naturals, 11:10 AM Central time.


Palm Beach Cardinals rained out

For the second straight day, weather stopped play at Roger Dean. The Sunday doubleheader between the Bradenton Marauders and Cardinals was cancelled due to wet grounds. As the clubs do not play again in the first half, it will not be rescheduled.

The Cardinals will play in Lakeland against the Tigers on Monday, with Austin Warner (2-1, 3.48) taking the mound at 5:30 PM Central time.


Peoria Chiefs 3, Kane County Cougars 2 (11 innings)

Evan Guillory (Peoria Chiefs)

Thanks to eight frames of one-run ball from Evan Guillory and a Peoria run in each of the final three frames, the Chiefs enjoyed a 3-2 comeback extra-innings win over the Cougars at Dozer Park on Sunday.

Guillory’s lone blemish was a solo homer in the top of the fourth inning. Guillory fanned seven batters his second start of eight innings this year. Levi MaVorhis pitched a scoreless ninth but allowed a run in the 10th, and Bryan Dobzanski picked up his second win of the year after posting a zero in the 11th. The trio held Kane County to just four hits.

A sacrifice fly from shortstop Jose Martinez tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, as center fielder J.R. Davis scored. First baseman Zach Kirtley’s RBI single in the 10th tied the game at two runs apiece, following Kane County’s run in the top of the inning against MaVorhis. With the score still knotted at two, Martinez popped another sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 11th, bringing in Davis again for the game-winning run. Davis paced the offense with three hits and two runs scored on the afternoon.

Monday’s game: Paul Balestrieri (4-2, 3.24) at Beloit Snappers, 6:30 PM Central time.


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