Cardinals Minor League Notebook – September 13, 2026

photo: Mason Molina (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league system was 1-1 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Memphis LHP Mason Molina, thew 5 ⅔ one-hit innings with eight strikeouts for his fourth straight scoreless start. Other standouts: Bligh Madris, Andy Yerzy, Brody Moore, Nolan Sparks and Rainiel Rodriguez.



Results for games played on Saturday, September 12, 2026.

Memphis Redbirds 8, Norfolk Tides 1

The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds bested the Norfolk Tides at AutoZone Park on Saturday.

Mason Molina started for Memphis. The left-hander pitched 5 ⅔ scoreless innings on one hit, three walks, and eight strikeouts. It was his fourth straight run-free outing and his fourth Triple-A win.

Mason Molina

Hancel Rincon yielded a run and struck out five across 2 ⅓ innings in relief of Molina. Austin Love tossed a scoreless ninth.

The Redbirds opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first inning. César Prieto doubled and came home on a two-out single from Zach Levenson.

The Redbirds added three runs in the fourth. Noah Mendlinger hit an infield single and moved to third on a Brody Moore double. Andy Yerzy blasted his second home run of the year, a three-shot.

Andy Yerzy

Memphis widened the lead to 6-0 with a pair of runs in the fifth. Bligh Madris doubled and scored on a double by Chase Davis. Davis moved to third base on a Mendlinger flyout and crossed home plate on a sacrifice fly from Moore for a 6-0 Memphis lead.

The Redbirds added a run in the home seventh. Madris belted his 15th home run of the year, a solo blast, to move the score to 7-0.

Bligh Madris

Norfolk entered the run column with a tally in the top of the eighth.

Memphis took the run back in the home half. Yerzy walked and advanced to second base on a groundout. Jimmy Crooks singled to move Yerzy to third. Crooks took second on a wild pitch and Levenson walked to load the bases. Madris took a second consecutive walk to force Yerzy home.

Memphis pitching held Norfolk hitless with runners in scoring position in the victory.

The Redbirds scored eight runs on 13 hits. Madris was 2-for-3, including two walks, a double, a home run, two runs scored, and two RBI. Yerzy walked, hit a home run, scored twice, and collected three RBI. Moore went 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI. Davis walked, scored a run, doubled, and notched an RBI. Prieto was 3-for-5 with a double.

On the bases, Davis stole his third Triple-A bag.

The Redbirds did not commit an error on defense.

Memphis is 31-37 in the second half and 78-65 overall. They will look to secure the series split with a win on Sunday.

Sunday’s game: vs. Norfolk. LHP Josh Fleming (0-2, 7.45) vs. RHP Juaron Watts-Brown (3-9, 6.26) 1:05 PM CT.

Springfield Cardinals 5, Arkansas Travelers 11

The Double-A Springfield Cardinals fell to the Arkansas Travelers at Route 66 Stadium on Saturday. The 11-5 loss broke their eight-game winning streak.

Braden Davis made his 26th start for the Cardinals. The left-hander threw 1 ⅔ innings and allowed five runs on seven hits, one walk, and three strikeouts, taking the loss.

José Davila gave up three runs over 1 ⅔ innings in relief of Davis. Domenic Picone followed with 1 ⅔ shutout frames and three strikeouts. Christian Worley fired a scoreless sixth. Nolan Sparks pitched two scoreless innings. Jack Findlay yielded three runs, one earned, in the ninth.

The Travelers jumped ahead 5-0 in the top of the second inning.

Springfield chipped into the gap with a run in the home half of the frame. Cade McGee singled. Tre Richardson III reached on a forceout, with McGee out at second. Richardson III advanced on a wild pitch and scored on an Ian Petrutz single.

Arkansas expanded the lead to 8-1 with three runs in the third.

Springfield answered with a run in the home third. Rainiel Rodriguez and Jesús Báez singled and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Deniel Ortiz brought Rodriguez home on a groundout.

Springfield scored once in the fifth inning. Josiah Ragsdale drew a two-out walk and came home an Ortiz single, though Ortiz was thrown out at second to end the frame.

The Cardinals narrowed the score to four at 8-4 with a run in the sixth. McGee tripled and scored on a Richardson III single.

Springfield added their final run in the seventh. Rodriguez pounded his 23rd home run of the year, a solo shot, to lead off the frame.

Rainiel Rodriguez

Arkansas scored three runs in the ninth to pull ahead 11-5. Springfield was unable to respond.

The Cardinals scored five runs on 11 hits. Rodriguez was 2-for-5, including two runs scored and a solo home run. Ortiz singled and drove in two. Richardson III went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Petrutz singled and notched an RBI. McGee went 3-for-4 with a triple and a run scored.

Springfield did not steal a base.

On defense, pitcher Davis committed a pickoff error. Left fielder Ragsdale and second baseman McGee each committed a fielding error. First baseman Ortiz was tagged with a throwing error. Rodriguez nailed a runner attempting to steal second base from behind the plate.

Springfield is 48-20 in the second half and 78-58 overall. They will look to take five of six in the final game and series of the regular season with a win on Sunday.

Sunday’s game: vs. Arkansas. RHP Blake Aita (4-6, 4.87) vs. RHP Jason Ruffcorn (0-4, 6.27) 1:15 PM CT.


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