photo: Leonardo Bernal (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system was 0-2 on Thursday as Springfield moves to a deciding Game 3. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, Springfield DH Leonardo Bernal, went 2-for-3 with a homer, an RBI, and two runs scored. Other standouts include Jacob Buchberger, Zane Mills and Bryan Torres.
Results for games played Thursday, September 19th.
The Memphis Redbirds were shut out by the Durham Bulls 4-0 on Thursday at AutoZone Park.
Starter Quinn Mathews took his second loss in two decisions at Triple-A, allowing three runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out five over six innings.
HISTORY!
Quinn Mathews gets his 200th strikeout of the season!
In his first professional season, Mathews becomes the 10th Cardinals minor leaguer all time to reach 200 Ks.
Just the second MiLB pitcher to do so since 2011 pic.twitter.com/mNIuUtwN8n
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) September 20, 2024
The Bulls struck first in the fifth with an RBI single and extended their lead in the sixth with a two-RBI double. Durham added a final run in the eighth with a bases-loaded walk that made the score 4-0.
Wilking Rodriguez pitched a scoreless inning while striking out one. Jacob Bosiokovic threw an inning, yielding a run on two hits while walking two. Connor Thomas pitched a scoreless inning, giving up two hits. Memphis allowed four runs on 12 hits while walking three and striking out six.
Mike Antico hit 2-for-4. Matt Koperniak was 1-for-3 with a walk. César Prieto went 2-for-4 with a triple. The Redbirds totaled no runs on five hits with a walk and 13 strikeouts.
Friday’s game: vs. Durham, RHP Gordon Graceffo (10-8, 4.72) vs. TBD 7:05 CT.
The Springfield Cardinals (1-1) fell to the Arkansas Travelers (1-1, SEA) 9-6 in Game 2 of the Texas League North Division Series on Thursday at Hammons Field.
Starter Max Rajcic took his first loss this postseason, throwing 4 1/3 innings, and allowing four runs on six hits while striking out five.
The Travelers opened the scoring in the third with an RBI single.
The Cardinals responded in the fourth with Leonardo Bernal’s RBI single and Jacob Buchberger’s RBI single. Springfield led, 2-1, but only for half an inning.
Pinch-hit Leonardo Bernal single, chas on the bases to tie the game! pic.twitter.com/YrfdW0rOy3
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) September 20, 2024
In the fifth, Arkansas responded with an RBI double and after Rajcic allowed another single, Ryan Shreve was brought in to stop the bleeding. However, the move of Shreve from Memphis down to Springfield for the playoffs backfired.
The right-hander gave up two RBI singles and plunked a batter with the bases loaded, which ended his day and brought in Benito Garcia. Garcia failed too, surrendering a three-RBI double and an RBI single before the third out of the visitors’ fifth was finally secured. Springfield was down 9-2.
Springfield attempted to stay in the game in the seventh with Bernal’s solo bomb to right-center field, Chase Davis grounding into a double play that brought Buchberger home, and Bryan Torres’ solo moonshot to right-center, making the score 9-5.
The Cards will not go away quietly. Bryan Torres lifts off with a solo shot to trim the lead. pic.twitter.com/VL8EHM3oxC
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) September 20, 2024
The Cardinals could only add one more run in the ninth on Dakota Harris’ RBI double, losing by three.
Bernal went 2-for-3 with a home run, an RBI, and two runs scored. Buchberger was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Torres hit 2-for-5 with a homer, an RBI, and a run scored. The Cardinals totaled six runs on 11 hits with six strikeouts.
Shreve did not record an out while giving up four runs on two hits and walking one. Garcia pitched 2/3 of an inning, yielding one run on three hits.
Zane Mills held the score, pitching four shutout innings while surrendering three hits and striking out six. Springfield allowed nine runs on 14 hits while walking one and striking out 11.
Friday’s game: vs. Arkansas, RHP Trent Baker (4-6, 4.89) vs. Logan Evans RHP (0-0) 6:35 CT.
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