photo: Ixan Henderson (PJ Maigi/Springfield Cardinals)
The St. Louis Cardinals system was 2-0 on Tuesday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Springfield’s Ixan Henderson, pitched six scoreless innings with four strikeouts en route to his first playoff victory. Other standouts include César Prieto, Blaze Jordan, Noah Mendlinger, JJ Wetherholt, Joshua Baez, Jon Jon Gazdar, and Dakota Harris.
Results for games played on Tuesday, September 16, 2025.
The Triple-A Memphis Redbirds won the first game of their final series of the season over the St. Paul Saints in a 7-6 contest on Tuesday at AutoZone Park.
Starter Aaron Wilkerson pitched five innings, gave up two runs on five hits and struck out three.
Gerson relieved Wilkerson and surrendered three runs, one earned, in the sixth, but still picked up the win. Alex Cornwell yielded one unearned run in the seventh. Roddery Muñoz tossed the final two scoreless innings to earn his third save.
St. Paul took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. They added a run in the top of the fourth to lead 2-0.
Memphis answered with a run in the home half of the fourth to cut the lead to 2-1. JJ Wetherholt singled and stole second base. Wetherholt took third on a fly out and scored on a sacrifice fly by César Prieto.
The Saints put up three runs in the top of the sixth to extend the lead to 5-1. The Redbirds responded with a six-run bottom of the sixth to take the 7-5.
Michael Siani walked. Mike Antico singled. Wetherholt singled to load the bags with no outs. Siani scored on a ground out by José Fermín. Antico came home on a sac fly by Prieto. Blaze Jordan followed with a two-run home run, his sixth with Memphis, to tie the game at five apiece.
BLAZE TIES THE BALLGAME WITH A @HueysRestaurant HOMER! pic.twitter.com/dPIB9wsaqd
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) September 17, 2025
Matt Koperniak doubled and scored on Noah Mendlinger’s first Triple-A home run, the second two-run blast in the inning, to put the Redbirds ahead 7-5.
NOAH MENDLINGER'S FIRST TRIPLE-A @HueysRestaurant GIVES US THE LEAD!
OUR @LennysSubs SEVENTH RUN! pic.twitter.com/Tr3bo0mBf8
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) September 17, 2025
St. Paul scored one more run in the eighth for the final score of 7-6.
The Redbirds scored seven runs on seven hits. Jordan hit a home run for two RBI. Mendlinger walked and drove in two on a home run. Prieto doubled and drove in two. Wetherholt was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
On the bases, Wetherholt stole his eighth bag of the season. Mendlinger was caught stealing second base.
On defense, second baseman Prieto, third baseman Fermín, and catcher Gavin Collins each made a throwing error. Center fielder Siani had an outfield assist at third base. Pitcher Wilkerson picked a runner off second base.
Memphis is 77-66 overall, and 36-34 in the second half. They are 10 games back of Scranton in the International League West Division.
Wednesday’s game: vs. St. Paul, Quinn Mathews LHP (4-7, 3.90) vs. John Klein RHP (0-4, 5.82). FanDuel Sports Network Midwest will stream and televise this game within the St. Louis television footprint beginning at 6:00 PM.
Springfield 3 at Tulsa 1 (Division Series, Game One)
The Double-A Springfield Cardinals defeated the Tulsa Drillers on the road in the first game of the Texas League Division Series on Tuesday.
Starter Ixan Henderson pitched six scoreless innings, allowed three hits and fanned four to earn his first playoff win.
What a playoff debut for Ixan Henderson: Six shutout frames with just three hits allowed. pic.twitter.com/4mJptkUk7t
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) September 17, 2025
Michael Watson relieved Henderson and threw ⅔ scoreless innings. Luis Gastelum hurled 1 ⅓ scoreless innings. Austin Love yielded one run in ⅓ innings. Mason Burns struck out the final batter with the bases loaded in the ninth to earn his first playoff save.
Springfield took a 1-0 in the first inning. Chase Davis doubled and scored on a Joshua Baez single.
Who else but Joshua Baez? Three batters into the postseason, Springfield has a 1-0 lead. pic.twitter.com/dGd61lLnk8
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) September 17, 2025
The Cardinals added two runs in the fourth to extend the lead to 3-0. Zach Levenson walked and advanced to second on a passed ball. Dakota Harris plated Levenson on a double.
Harris moved to third base on a passed ball. Jeremy Rivas walked. Jon Jon Gazdar singled to drive in Harris.
Dakota Harris and Jon Jon Gazdar add to the lead! Springfield's up 3-0 in game one. pic.twitter.com/4KLeURHK8W
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) September 17, 2025
Tulsa threatened to cut into the Springfield lead in the eighth, but Luis Gastelum escaped the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.
❌DENIED ❌ Luis Gastelum strikes out back to back with the tying run at the plate in the eighth and Springfield holds a 3-0 lead. pic.twitter.com/cRNaE9k1Yf
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) September 17, 2025
The Drillers got on the board with a run in the ninth to cut the lead to 3-1. They had the bases loaded in the ninth but failed to move any closer as Burns secured the save.
BALLGAME. MASON BURNS SHUTS THE DOOR. SPRINGFIELD TAKES GAME ONE. pic.twitter.com/gth0S0U31P
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) September 17, 2025
The Cardinals scored three runs on eight hits. Baez was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Gazdar was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Harris was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Davis walked, doubled, and scored a run.
On the bases, Gazdar stole his first base of the playoffs. Levenson was picked off first base. Henderson made a throwing error.
Springfield is 1-0 in the Division Series and will play Game Two in Springfield on Thursday as they look to sweep the best-of-three set and advance.
Thursday’s game (Division Series Game Two): vs. Tulsa (LAD), LHP Brycen Mautz (8-3, 2.98) vs. LHP Luke Fox (4-5, 2.85) 6:35 PM CT.
Now 20% off – 2025 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its eighth year. It includes 256 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!
Order The Cardinal Nation’s 2025 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Comparing Cardinals AFL Assignees to Recent Guardians Selections
Not yet a member of The Cardinal Nation?
Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
Follow Marilyn Green on Bluesky @mrlyn59.bsky.social.
© 2025 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.