photo: Scott Hurst (Allison Rhoades/Peoria Chiefs)
St. Louis’ system went 3-2 on Tuesday, with Peoria taking two and Memphis finishing a very successful homestand with another win. Player of the Day Scott Hurst sparked the Chiefs’ Game 1 walk-off win.
Results from the games played Tuesday, May 29th.
Memphis 3 vs. Colorado Springs 2
A wild pitch proved to be the difference in the Redbirds’ 3-2 home victory over the Sky Sox on Tuesday. Memphis (33-20) took the series over Colorado Springs (27-23) (MIL), four-games-to-one and finished the homestand 7-2.
Luke Voit scored what ended up being the game-winning tally after a wild pitch with two gone in the sixth. Voit reached base via the second of three straight singles, eventually advancing to third. It was the first baseman’s only hit in three at bats to go with one base-on-balls.
But it was Patrick Wisdom who provided most of his squad’s offensive pop, singling twice in four at bats and accounting for two of Memphis’ three runs. His first single drove in Oscar Mercado (walk) for a 1-0 lead after one and his second hit resulted in the third baseman ultimately scoring ahead of Voit in the sixth to knot the game at two all. In the process, Wisdom extended his hitting streak to 14 games. The Redbirds managed just seven hits in total.
That was more than sufficient offense to make a winner out of Kevin Herget, who tossed six strong frames for his third win in seven decisions. Herget was touched for two runs on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts. His quality start was Memphis’ 10th straight.
Hector Mendoza navigated around a walk and hit batsman for a scoreless seventh but Sean Gilmartin needed help the next inning. A free pass and wild pitch put the potential tying run in scoring position, bringing closer Preston Guilmet into the contest. Guilmet retired all four batters faced for his league-leading 11th save.
Wednesday’s game: at New Orleans (23-28) (MIA), 7:00 pm CT, Daniel Poncedeleon (3-2, 2.61)
Corpus Christi 11 at Springfield 4
An all-round dismal pitching effort by the S-Cards resulted in an 11-4 defeat at the hands of the Hooks in the home series opener.
Facing Corpus Christi for the second time in a week, Conner Greene did not finish the second inning. Greene was yanked after four outs, having given up four runs, three earned, on four hits and three walks.
Landon Beck was the sole bright light among Springfield’s pitchers on the evening. Beck shut down the Hooks over the next 2 2/3, stranding two of three inherited runners.
The same cannot be said of the bullpen trio of Yeison Medina, Ramon Santos and Jacob Evans. Medina tossed a clean fifth but the floodgates opened in the visitors’ six-run sixth. Medina, who did not retire any of the four batters faced that inning, was charged with four of the scores, three of them crossing the plate with Santos on the mound. Santos was touched for two runs himself, the first of his two-inning stint. Evans allowed a run over the final two frames.
Down 4-2 at the second’s midpoint, Granden Goetzman halved that deficit with one swing of the bat. The home run came with Evan Mendoza aboard. Mendoza was aboard again in the fourth when Chris Chinea’s fifth long ball of the season temporarily tied the game at 4-4 and got Greene off the hook for the loss.
Goetzman and Mendoza were the only S-Cards with a multiple hits. Goetzman added a single to his bomb in four at bats while Mendoza singled twice in three at bats with a walk.
Wednesday’s game: vs. Corpus Christi (30-21) (HOU), 6:30 pm CT, Jake Woodford (2-5, 3.98)
Charlotte 7 at Palm Beach 2 (10)
The bullpen could not hold a ninth-inning lead as Palm Beach (26-20) went on to lose 7-2 in 10. It was the first game of three at Roger Dean versus the Stone Crabs.
Starter Casey Meisner and reliever Jesus Cruz combined to hold Charlotte to a single tally through the first eight frames, handing a 2-1 lead over to Jacob Patterson. But Patterson yielded a single to his first batter, with the runner advancing to second due to Kramer Robertson’s throwing error. The Texas native got the hook in favor of Austin Sexton after issuing a base-on-balls. Sexton could not record three outs before one of Patterson’s runners touched home, sending the game into extras.
The 10th got really ugly for the home team. Sexton (BS,1) (L, 1-2) allowed five runs, four earned, that inning, mainly because he could not find the plate. The righty issued four free passes to go with the second of his two hits permitted in 1 1/3. Jason Zgardowski recorded the inning’s last two outs but not before allowing all three inherited runners score.
But back to happier pitching results. Meisner went the first 6 1/3, giving up a run on five hits and two walks. His final line was aided by Cruz, who stranded all three inherited runners.
On the hitting side, Robertson was one of three Beach Birds with two hits each, joined by Dylan Carlson and Andy Young. The shortstop accounted for both of his team’s scores, touching home once and driving in another. Carlson also picked up an RBI and Young doubled with a walk.
Wednesday’s game: vs. Charlotte (24-23) (TB), 6:30 pm ET, Evan Kruczynski (4-1, 3.75)
Peoria 2 vs. Burlington 1 (8) – Game 1
Peoria 7 vs. Burlington 2 – Game 2
The Chiefs began their five-games-in-three-days home marathon by sweeping a double-header over the Bees, 2-1 in eight innings and 7-2 in regulation.
Starter Alex Fagalde was impressive in the opener’s pitching duel, striking out a career-high nine through six innings while limiting his opponents to an unearned run on four hits and three walks. Thomas St. Clair blanked Burlington on a hit over the last two frames, evening his record to 2-2.
Player of the Day Scott Hurst swung the hot bat, going 3-for-4 with a double, run scored and RBI. The center fielder ended the game as his single to right-center scored J.R. Davis with the walk-off run. Five Chiefs had one hit apiece.
Peoria’s bats took charge from the start of the nightcap, scoring six of their seven runs in the game’s initial three innings. Third baseman Elehuris Montero led the 11-hit effort, going 3-for-4 with a double and crossing home twice. Three Chiefs had two hits apiece: Yariel Gonzalez and Julio Rodriguez each went 2-for-3 with a walk and double while Matt Fiedler singled twice in three at bats. All three players scored at least one run. Nick Plummer had to leave the game in the bottom of the third after being hit in the helmet by an errant pitch.
Paul Balestrieri started the finale, holding the Bees to two runs on six hits and two base-on-balls in 4 2/3. The righty struck out six.
Making his second appearance of 2018, Andrew Summerville (W, 1-0) shut down Burlington on two walks the rest of the way. The southpaw fanned four.
Wednesday’s game: vs. Burlington (22-29) (LAA), 6:30 pm CT, Evan Guillory (4-3, 3.09)
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