photo: Ramon Mendoza (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system was 1-4 on Friday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, 3B Ramon Mendoza, was 3-for-4 with four RBI in Peoria’s win. Other standouts include Matt Koperniak, Tekoah Roby, Pete Hansen and Augusto Calderon.
Results for games played on Friday, September 1.
Memphis 4, Gwinnett 6 (10 innings)
On Friday, the Memphis Redbirds lost to the visiting Stripers in extra innings for the second consecutive night. Starter Connor Thomas pitched 3 2/3 innings, gave up four runs on six hits, struck out six and walked two.
Kyle Leahy threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Dalton Roach hurled two scoreless innings. James Naile surrendered two runs, one earned in the final two innings to take the loss.
Memphis took a 2-0 lead in the first on a two-run home run by Matt Koperniak. Gwinnett added a run in the third to cut the lead in half.
The Stripers added three runs in the fourth to take a 4-2 lead. The Redbirds scored one run in the sixth. Nick Dunn walked and came home on a single by Juniel Querecuto.
Memphis tied the game at 4-4 in the seventh. Kramer Robertson walked and later scored on a single by Koperniak.
The game went into the 10th and Gwinnett pushed two runs across to lead 6-4. The key blow was an RBI double surrendered by Naile. The Redbirds loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but Irving Lopez struck out looking to end the game.
Koperniak was 2-for-5 with three RBI. Querecuto was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Moises Gomez was 2-for-5.
On the base paths, José Fermin stole his first base. Koperniak was picked off first.
The Memphis Redbirds (24-31) are nine games out of first place in the International League West.
Saturday’s games: vs. Gwinnett, RHP Michael McGreevy vs. LHP Jared Shuster 6:35 CT.
Springfield 3 at NW Arkansas 6
The Springfield Cardinals were defeated by the Naturals in a three run road decision on Friday. Starter Tekoah Roby pitched three innings, gave up one run on one hit and struck out six.
Logan Gragg surrendered five runs in 4 2/3 innings of relief and took the loss. Roy Garcia got the final out of the eighth.
The Cardinals took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Victor Scott II and Noah Mendlinger singled. Scott II later came home on a force out by Pedro Pages. Mendlinger scored on a balk.
NW Arkansas cut the lead to 2-1 in the home half of the first. They added three runs in the third to lead 4-2.
Springfield added one in the sixth to make it 4-3. Pages singled and later scored on a ground out by Wade Stauss. The Naturals increased the lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth and made it 6-3 in the eighth.
Scott II was 2-for-5. Mike Antico was 2-for-4.
On the base paths, Scott II stole his 34th base for Springfield and 84th overall. Mendlinger stole his fifth base. Chandler Redmond was caught stealing.
In the Texas League North, the Springfield Cardinals (27-28) are in third place, four games out of first.
Saturday’s game: at NW Arkansas, Wilfredo Pereira RHP (7-8, 5.08) vs. Chandler Champlain RHP (4-4, 3.58) 6:05 CT.
The Peoria Chiefs topped the River Bandits in 9-8 road win on Friday. Starter Zane Mills pitched five innings, gave up five runs, four earned, on six hits, struck out two and walked three and received his seventh win of the season.
Edgar Manzo relieved Mills and threw 2/3 of a scoreless inning. Nathanael Heredia surrendered two runs in one inning pitched. Edwin Nunez relinquished one run in the final 2 1/3 innings to earn his fourth save.
Peoria went up 5-0 in the top of the first inning. Ramon Mendoza blasted a three-run home run. Chris Rotondo shortly followed with a two-run long ball.
Quad Cities scored one in the home half of the first to cut the lead to 5-1. They added four runs in the third inning to tie the game at 5-5.
In the sixth, the Chiefs regained the lead at 8-5. Brody Moore doubled and was driven in by a single from Francisco Hernandez. Nathan Church walked. Hernandez crossed the plate on a sac fly by Jimmy Crooks. Church came home on a single by Mendoza.
Peoria added a ninth run in the top of the seventh on a solo home run by Thomas Francisco. The River Bandits rallied for two runs in the home seventh to shrink the lead to 9-7.
Quad Cities added one more run in the ninth, but the Chiefs held on for the 9-8 win.
Mendoza was 3-for-4 with four driven in. Rotondo was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Hernandez was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Francisco was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Moore was 2-for-5.
On the base paths, Mendoza stole his second base of the season. Moore was caught stealing. In the field, Crooks and Hernandez each made a throwing error.
In the Midwest League West, the Chiefs (34-24) are in second place, four games ahead of third. If Peoria finishes in second, they will clinch a playoff spot because the first place Cedar Rapids Kernels won the division in the first half. Peoria’s Magic Number to clinch is four.
Saturday’s games: at Quad Cities, Inohan Paniagua RHP (0-2, 4.24) vs. Steven Zobac RHP (1-3, 4.25) 6:30 CT.
Palm Beach 1 at Bradenton 2 (seven innings, Game 1)
The Palm Beach Cardinals were edged by the Marauders in a one run loss in Friday’s opener of the twin bill. Starter Pete Hansen pitched four innings, gave up one run on four hits and struck out five.
Hunter Hayes relieved Hansen and threw a scoreless fifth. Henry Gomez surrendered one run in the sixth and took the loss in the seventh.
Bradenton took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Palm Beach tied the score in the sixth. Graysen Tarlow drew a walk and later came home on a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the seventh with no outs, the Marauders walked off the win on an inside the park home run against Gomez and the Palm Beach defense.
The Cardinals were held to just one hit, a single by Won-Bin Cho. The offense was 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position and left two men on base.
Leandro Espinoza made a fielding error.
Palm Beach 2 at Bradenton 4 (seven innings, Game 2)
Palm Beach lost the second game of the twin bill to the Marauders on Friday. Starter Benjamin Arias pitched three innings, gave up four runs on six hits, struck out three and walked one. Arias took the loss.
Augusto Calderon threw three perfect innings of relief with five strikeouts.
Bradenton scored twice in the second inning and again in the third to go up 4-0. In the fifth, the Beach Birds cut the lead to 4-1. Tre Richardson singled and later scored on a sac fly by Trey Paige.
Palm Beach made it 4-2 in the sixth. William Sullivan singled and later came home on a sac fly by Brayden Jobert.
Richardson was 2-for-3 and was the only Cardinal with multiple hits.
In the field, Richardson made a throwing error.
The Palm Beach Cardinals (25-29) are in second place in the Florida State League East, one game out of the lead, but clinched a playoff spot in the first half.
Saturday’s game: at Bradenton, TBA vs. TBA 5:30 CT.
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes 292 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!
https://thecardinalnation.com/order-tcns-2023-cardinals-prospect-guide/
Not yet a member?
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 Twitter @Marilyncolor.
© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.