photo: Austin Warner (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
It was two up and two down on Tuesday in St. Louis’ minors. Austin Warner’s strong start was key in Palm Beach’s win in extras and Memphis triumphed in a battle of division leaders. But Springfield could not hold a late lead and Peoria fell for the fourth straight game.
Results from the games played Tuesday, May 8th.
The division leaders of the American Northern and American Southern Divisions clashed again for the second time in three series. Memphis (21-12) won the first of the latest four-game set, downing Oklahoma City, 8-3.
Catcher Steven Baron led his squad’s 11-hit attack, going 3-for-4 with a double. The only other Redbird with more than one hit was Patrick Wisdom, who singled and doubled in four at bats with a run scored and RBI. Three Memphis players went yard: Tyler O’Neill and Oscar Mercado with a runner aboard and Yairo Munoz with the bases clean.
Sean Gilmartin tossed five strong frames, limited the Dodgers to a run on six hits and a walk. That tally was the result of a long ball. It was Gilmartin’s second win in three decisions.
Mike O’Reilly took over pitching duties for the balance of the game, earning a save in his maiden Triple-A effort. The 23-year-old allowed two runs on three hits, including a solo bomb, and a base-on-balls.
Wednesday’s game: at Oklahoma City (22-8) (LAD), 11:05 am CT, Jack Flaherty (3-1, 2.16)
Three late scores upended the S-Cards’ bid for a four-game sweep of the Drillers. Instead, Springfield (18-12) fell to Tulsa (17-14) (LAD), 5-3, ending the home team’s four-game winning streak.
The S-Cards trailed 2-1 through the first six innings but Jeremy Martinez’ two-run bomb, with Chris Chinea (single) aboard, gave them a brief 3-2 advantage. But the bullpen could not hold the lead. Jacob Evans (L, 0-2) was touched for two runs on three hits in 1 2/3, both runners crossing home under Landon Beck’s watch. Beck yielded a tally of his own over 1 1/3, giving up two hits, one of them a solo bomb, and uncorking a wild pitch.
Evans and Beck pitched in support of Jake Woodford, who went the initial five, giving up a two-run home run as part of his four hits and four walks allowed. St. Louis’ Brett Cecil began his rehab stint with a scoreless sixth, permitting a one-out single. But that baserunner was erased via a strike-em-out/throw-em-out double play ensued.
Springfield’s offense garnered seven hits with Martinez the only player with more than one. The catcher added a double to his long ball in four at bats while striking out once. Center fielder Lane Thomas’ eighth home run of 2018 got his team on the board in the second. It was his only hit in three at bats although he did work a free pass. Defensively, left fielder Randy Arozarena was credited with an outfield assist at home.
Wednesday’s game: off
Palm Beach 4 vs. Jupiter 3 (11)
The PB-Cards had to rally in the 10th before an 11th-inning miscue handed them a 4-3 walk-off victory over Jupiter. Palm Beach (18-13) has won each of the first two games of the three-game series.
Down 3-2 at the 10th’s mid-point, the contest hinged on Andy Young’s sac fly that drove in Stefan Trosclair, who began the inning at second. Evan Mendoza’s bunt single advanced Trosclair a bag, putting him in position to capitalize on Young’s fly ball to center.
The winning margin was generated thanks to a throwing error by the Hammerheads’ third baseman. After Dylan Carlson was issued an intentional free pass to set up a force, Shane Billings grounded to third, forcing Juan Yepez. But the third baseman’s errant throw to first allowed Carlson to scamper home and the celebration ensued. (Ed: Actually, the throw was on-target, had there been someone covering first base!)
Trosclair, Mendoza and Billings each had two of the team’s eight hits, the first two doubling once with two and one run scored, respectively. Defensively, centerfielder Johan Mieses was credited with an outfield assist at third.
Player of the Day Austin Warner struck out nine over 7 1/3 excellent innings, yielding single scores in his first and last innings on the mound. Warner gave up just five hits and a walk, throwing 68 of his 94 pitches for strikes. (More details on Warner’s outing can be found in TCN’s Paln Beach Cardinals Notebook, to be published Wednesday morning.)
Warner’s final runner crossed home with Will Latcham (BS, 2) on the bump, knotting the score and sending the game into extras. Latcham allowed fanned four through 2 1/3, allowing two hits, a walk and an unearned run. Jacob Patterson (W, 2-0) retired all four batters faced, stranding two inherited runners.
Wednesday’s game: vs. Jupiter (21-11) (MIA), 6:30 pm ET, Ian Oxnevad (2-2, 3.38)
Update
The move is now official with Alex Reyes starting his rehab tonight with Palm Beach. I'll be at Roger Dean to report on the action! https://t.co/yLgbAekkGw
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) May 9, 2018
Another off-night by the Chiefs’ offense and pitching resulted in an 8-1 defeat at Bowling Green. Peoria (13-16) will try to salvage the third and final game of the series when the two teams meet Wednesday morning.
Starter Evan Guillory (L, 3-2) fell prey to the big inning with five of his six runs allowed over 5 1/3 coming in the third. The right-hander gave up 10 hits and a base-on-balls.
Noel Gonzalez was not particularly effective during his 1 2/3-inning stint, permitting two runs on three hits and a walk and letting Guillory’s last runner touch home. Thomas St. Clair tossed a one-two-three eighth, striking out two.
The Chiefs’ only run occurred in the first as the offense went a sad 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left seven on. Elehuris Montero and Bryce Denton both went 2-for-4 with a double, Montero generating his squad’s only RBI. While right fielder Scott Hurst was hitless in three at bats, he opened the game by working a free pass and scored the only tally.
Wednesday’s game: at Bowling Green (20-11) (TB), 10:35 am CT, Alvaro Seijas (1-2, 5.01)
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