photo: Jacob Buchberger (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-2 on Sunday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Springfield’s Jacob Buchberger, was a triple shy of the cycle with three runs and a stolen base. Other standouts include Matt Koperniak, Jordan Walker, Noah Mendlinger and Michael Curialle.
Results from games played Sunday, May 28th.
The Memphis Redbirds (27-24) defeated the Norfolk Tides (BAL, 35-15) at AutoZone Park on Sunday night.
Starter Zack Thompson was touched for two runs in four innings. The left-hander yielded five hits, four walks and three strikeouts. Kyle Leahy pitched a scoreless inning and earned his third win of the season.
The Redbirds scored seven runs between the third and sixth innings. In the third, Iván Herrera doubled to tie the game. Luken Baker gave Memphis the lead and Jordan Walker added another run via single.
Herrera ties it up with his 15th double of the season! pic.twitter.com/bxbu6IN477
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) May 29, 2023
Matt Koperniak singled in two runs in the fourth to make the score 5-2. Moisés Gómez blasted a solo shot in the fifth, his 10th of the year. Koperniak singled again in the sixth to score another run. Baker plated one more in the eighth via single.
Moises Gomez: Got the Power pic.twitter.com/DrN1fDoPnY
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) May 29, 2023
In relief, Ryan Loutos struck out one in an inning. Kodi Whitley tossed two scoreless innings and Jake Walsh threw a scoreless ninth.
Koperniak went 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. Herrera, Walker and Kramer Robertson all had two hits. Masyn Winn hit his third triple of the year and Robertson came across three times. The lineup recorded 12 hits and three walks.
Herrera and Walker both stole a bag. Walker threw a runner out at third from right field.
Memphis went 2-4 against the International League first-place Tides this week. They are in third place in the International League West.
Tuesday’s game: at Omaha, TBA vs. TBA 7:05 CT (The Redbirds are off Monday)
The Springfield Cardinals (21-24) topped the Wichita Wind Surge (MIN, 20-24) on Sunday night at Hammons Field.
Starter Kenny Hernandez tossed six innings and gave up four runs, three earned, on seven hits, two walks and six strikeouts. The left-hander is 5-1 this season for the Cardinals.
The lineup struck in the second inning with five runs. Jose Alvarez and Arquímedes Gamboa each singled to score a run. Mike Antico hit a three-run home run, his seventh of the year. Jacob Buchberger blasted a solo homer in the third, his eighth of 2023.
We blinked and Mike Antico makes it a 5-0 ballgame⁉️ pic.twitter.com/cx8yocDEnk
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) May 28, 2023
After Irving Lopez doubled and Antico walked in the fourth, Noah Mendlinger hit a three-run shot, his second in Double-A this year. The 22-year-old now has a 1.126 OPS in 44 Double-A at-bats. Lopez walked with the bases loaded in the fifth inning.
NO(ah) DOUBT ABOUT THAT ONE‼️
This 3-run shot from Mendlinger is home run #3️⃣ for the Cardinals tonight 😏
We’re up 9️⃣ – 1️⃣! pic.twitter.com/UJ1WFgdhPB
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) May 29, 2023
Chris Roycroft surrendered a run in two innings on three hits and two strikeouts. Nick Trogrlic-Iverson pitched a scoreless ninth.
Mendlinger recorded three hits, three RBI and a run scored. Buchberger had three hits, an RBI and three runs. Gamboa had the only other multi-hit game with two. The lineup had 12 hits, four walks and 10 runs in the series finale.
Buchberger took his sixth bag of the season.
The Cardinals went 4-2 against Wichita this week and are in third place of the Texas League North.
Tuesday’s game: at Amarillo, TBA vs. TBA 7:05 CT (The Cardinals are off Monday)
The Peoria Chiefs (21-24) fell to the Great Lakes Loons (LAD, 30-15) at Dozer Park on Sunday.
Trent Baker yielded five runs in five innings on six hits and a walk. TCN’s no. 26 prospect fanned two and took his third High-A loss.
After the Loons scored five runs by the fifth inning, the Chiefs scored a run in the home half. Darlin Moquete grounded into a double play to plate Thomas Francisco (single). Nathan Church scored in the eighth inning after Jimmy Crooks grounded into a force out.
Out of the bullpen, Leonardo Taveras gave up a run in three innings but struck out five. Alfredo Ruiz had a perfect ninth.
Francisco, Aaron McKeithan, Ramon Mendoza and Tyler Reichenborn all recorded two hits for Peoria. The lineup recorded 11 hits but went 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
Church was caught stealing for the ninth time this season. Moquete recorded an outfield assist.
After winning the first game, the Chiefs went 1-5 against the Loons this week. They sit in fifth place in the Midwest League West.
Tuesday’s game: at Wisconsin, TBA vs. TBA 6:40 CT (The Chiefs are off Monday)
The Palm Beach Cardinals (26-19) lost to the Tampa Tarpons (NYY, 18-27) on Sunday afternoon at Roger Dean Stadium.
Starter Max Rajcic yielded an unearned run in only three innings on a hit and one walk. TCN’s no. 19 prospect struck out six but took his second loss of the season.
Jose Davila was touched for two runs, one earned, on six hits and two walks in four innings. The right-hander struck out five. Joseph King fanned three in two scoreless innings.
The Beach Birds scored their only run in the ninth inning after an attempted comeback. R.J. Yeager singled and advanced to second on an error. Michael Curialle singled to score one and Won-Bin Cho walked. With two out and the go-ahead run at the plate, Chris Rotondo lined out and the contest concluded.
Curialle recorded two of the four Cardinal hits. Yeager and Joshua Baez had the other two and Cho walked twice. The lineup went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position with four hits and seven walks. Tampa turned four double plays.
Rajcic, Cho and Leonardo Bernal all committed errors.
Palm Beach went 2-4 against the Tarpons this week but are still in first place in the Florida State League East.
Tuesday’s game: vs. Daytona, TBA vs. TBA 4:00 CT (The Cardinals are off Monday)
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book copy today!
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
https://thecardinalnation.com/order-tcns-2023-cardinals-prospect-guide/
Not yet a member?
Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
Follow Luke Kotcher on Twitter @luke_kotcher.
© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or republished.