Cardinals Minor League Notebook – May 9, 2019

photo: Edgar Gonzalez (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

It was a clean sheet for the St. Louis Cardinals farm system on Wednesday, as Memphis and Palm Beach won by slender identical 2-1 scores, Peoria topped West Michigan, and Springfield took the day off. Player of the Day honors go to Edgar Gonzalez, who fanned a career-best 11 batters over six-plus innings for the Beach Birds.

Results for games played Wednesday, May 8th.


Memphis 2, Iowa 1

Austin Gomber (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Welcome to Baseball 2019, as all runs were scored on solo homers. The Memphis Redbirds raised their record to 18-15 as starter Austin Gomber gave his club five sturdy innings in a narrow 2-1 home win over the Iowa Cubs. The lefty lowered his ERA to 2.82, scattering eight hits and allowing the staff’s only run on a second inning homer by journeyman outfielder Wynton Bernard.

The Redbirds bullpen held Iowa hitless over the final four stanzas, with Chris Ellis especially impressive in a six up, six down performance. Rehabbing righty Carlos Martinez walked a pair, fanned one, and worked around an error in a scoreless eighth inning. Chris Beck got the save with a spotless ninth.

Andrew Knizner continued his power surge with his third homer in the past seven games, leveling the score with his third inning longball. The Redbirds backstop flashed his all-around game during Wednesday’s early tilt, as he posted the team’s only multi-hit effort (2-for-4) and gunned one of two Iowa base stealers. Rangel Ravelo had the go-ahead solo shot in the seventh.

Thursday’s game: vs. Iowa, Jake Woodford (2-0, 1.30) 7:05 CT.


Springfield was off Wednesday

Fourth-place Springfield returns to Hammons Field on Thursday to open a seven-game homestand, starting with against third-place Northwest Arkansas.

Thursday’s game: vs. NW Arkansas, Austin Warner (0-2, 5.25) 7:10 CT.


Palm Beach 2 at Daytona 1

Edgar Gonzalez (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Palm Beach (19-13) managed just five baserunners for the game, but that was just enough to defeat host Daytona 2-1 on Wednesday night. Third baseman Michael Perri had a pair of singles to lift his average to .364, drove in a run, and started a double play. Right fielder Zach Kirtley had the game’s only homer, his fourth of the year.

Starter, winner, and Player of the Day Edgar Gonzalez delivered a dazzling 6 1/3 innings, whiffing 11 and walking none. Last year’s sixth round draft pick from Fresno State limited the Tortugas to one run on half a dozen singles, and as usual, generated groundballs almost at will (6-to-2 groundout/flyout ratio). Relievers C.J. Saylor and Ben Yokley (first save) combined for 2 2/3 stellar innings, yielding just one inconsequential baserunner between them.

Thursday’s game: at Bradenton, pitcher TBA, 5:30 CT.


Peoria 6 at West Michigan 4

Diego Cordero (Peoria Chiefs)

Starter Diego Cordero required just 71 pitches to work six innings, as Peoria evened its record at 15-15 with a 6-4 road victory over the Whitecaps. Twirling at least six innings for the fifth straight game, the 21-year-old lefty allowed his first earned runs in over a month — a pair of scores in the first frame — before settling in and permitting just an unearned tally over the rest of his outing. Sabastian Tabata was the winning pitcher, permitting an unearned run in two innings, and Edgar Escobar pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save.

The middle infield starred for Peoria as shortstop Delvin Perez scored twice and had three singles and a sac bunt to lead the offense. Second baseman Brendan Donovan singled, doubled, drove in two runs, and turned a pair of double plays in a full day’s work.

Thursday’s game: at South Bend, Alvaro Seijas (1-3, 2.52) 6:05 CT.


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