photo: Aaron Antonini (Memphis Redbirds)
The St. Louis Cardinals system went 1-3 on Friday. Our Player of the Day is Springfield catcher Aaron Antonini, who was 3-for-4 with an RBI in the Double-A Cardinals win at Wichita.
Results of games played Friday, May 28.
Memphis 2 at Gwinnett 8 (six innings)
The Redbirds (8-14) were the losers to Gwinnett in a contest that was called early due to rain. After a delay, the decision was made to end the game after six innings.
Memphis scored first in the third inning on a two-run home run by Matt Szczur, the outfielder’s second long ball in two nights. The Stripers answered in the bottom half of the third with four runs off Redbirds starter Tommy Parsons. Gwinnett added to their lead with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. The right hander went five innings and gave up six runs on seven hits that included two long balls and he took the loss. Roel Ramirez relieved in the sixth and surrendered two runs.
Evan Mendoza and Kramer Robertson each had two hits. Szczur had two RBI. Robertson stole his second base of the season.
Saturday’s game: vs. Gwinnett, Connor Thomas (Triple-A debit) vs. TBA 5:05 CT.
The Cardinals (6-15) beat the Wind Surge on Friday night behind five scoreless innings from Dalton Roach, who earned his first win in his first start of the season.
The Springfield offense took an early lead with two runs in the second inning. Nick Plummer led off with a single and later scored on a single by David Vinsky. Aaron Antonini plated Nick Dunn, who reached on an error, on a single to center.
The Cardinals added to their lead in the third when Ivan Herrera singled and scored on a fielding error. In the seventh, Nolan Gorman hit his third home run of the season, a solo shot, to increase the lead to 4-0.
The Wind Surge finally got on the board in the home seventh with a run against Cardinal reliever Ramon Santos. Santos yielded a second run to Wichita in the bottom of the eighth.
The Cardinals added an insurance run in the ninth on an RBI single by Juan Yepez, plating Gorman who singled to start the inning.
Edgar Escobar tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his first save. Springfield pitchers fanned 11 and walked four. Gorman, Yepez, and Vinsky each had two hits. Antonini was 3-for-4. Gorman and Antonini each made a throwing error.
Saturday’s game: at Wichita, Domingo Robles LHP (0-0, 2.81) vs. Josh Winder RHP (1-0, 0.93) 6:05 CT.
Peoria 4 at Beloit 5 (10 innings)
The Chiefs (7-14) were edged by the Snappers on a walk off in the 10th inning on Friday night. It was a hard-fought contest with Peoria tying it up several times, but Beloit prevailed in the end.
The Snappers took the early 1-0 lead in the first inning off starter Michael YaSenka. Over his five innings, the right-hander surrendered two runs on five hits, fanned nine and walked two.
The Chiefs got on the board in the fourth to tie the game 1-1. Malcom Nuñez singled to start the inning, and Francisco Hernandez doubled. Nuñez scored from third on a ground out by Brendan Donovan. Beloit regained the lead with one run in the bottom of the inning.
Peoria answered in the top of the fifth, knotting it up for the second time on an RBI double by Nuñez. The scored remained tied 2-2 until the Snappers scored two runs in the seventh against reliever Logan Gragg.
The Chiefs were undeterred as they added one in the eighth and one in the ninth to tie the game for the third time and send it into extra innings. Chandler Redmond plated Donovan on a single in the eighth, and Tyler Reichenborn walked and scored on a double by Cristhian Longa in the ninth. Peoria reliever Freddy Pacheco kept Beloit off the board in the eighth and ninth.
The Chiefs did not score in the top of the 10th. Wilfredo Pereira yielded the walk off run in the bottom of the inning on a walk, single and sac fly and took the loss. Peoria pitchers gave up 11 hits but struck out 16.
Nunez, Longa, and Chandler Redmond each had two hits. The offense struck out 19 times. Zade Richardson snatched his first base of the season. Donovan and Nunez both made throwing errors. Reichenborn had an outfield assist at second base.
Saturday’s game: at Beloit, Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (0-2, 3.43) vs. Zach King 4:05 CT (Game 1 DH)
Game 2: Jack Ralston (0-2, 3.14) vs. Alberto Guerrero.
Palm Beach (6-16) was defeated by Bradenton on Friday with a lack of timely hitting the deciding factor for the Beach Birds.
The Cardinals offense out hit the Marauders 11 to 5 but could only scratch two runs across the plate. Every spot in the lineup had at least one hit, but with runners in scoring position, the offense was 2-for-12 and stranded 10 runners.
Bradenton scored one in the first against Palm Beach starter Levi Prater. Prater tossed 4 2/3 innings and surrendered the one run on two hits. The left hander fanned 10 and walked four.
The Beach Birds first tied the game in the third inning, then took the lead in the fourth. In the third, L.J. Jones plated Masyn Winn on a single to center. Winn had reached on a single and advanced on a balk. In the fourth, Todd Lott led off with a double and was brought home on a single by Tommy Jew.
The Cardinals maintained the 2-1 lead until the bottom of the seventh. Palm Beach reliever Jose Moreno surrendered the tying run on a walk, a hit by pitch, and a single. With the score tied 2-2 going into the ninth, the Cardinals were unable to score. Bradenton plated two in the bottom of the ninth to walk it off against reliever Edgar Manzo, who took the loss.
Jones and Jacob Buchberger each had two hits. The three Cardinal pitchers collectively punched out 13 and walked nine.
Saturday’s game: at Bradenton, Ludwin Jimenez (0-2, 3.86) vs. TBA 5:05 CT.
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