photo: Howie Clark, Darwin Marrero and Jimmy Crooks (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system was 1-1 on Wednesday as Springfield was eliminated. TCN’s Player of the Day, Memphis C Jimmy Crooks, had two singles, a home run, and five RBI. Other standouts: Mason Molina, Trey Paige, Zach Levenson, Bligh Madris, Liam Doyle and Rainiel Rodriguez.
Results for games played on Tuesday, September 23, 2026.
Memphis 15, Rochester 4 (Championship Series Game 2)
On Wednesday, the Triple-A Redbirds routed the Red Wings by a 15-4 score at AutoZone Park to tie the International League Championship Series at one game apiece.
Starter Mason Molina pitched five scoreless innings, allowed one hit, walked two and fanned six to earn the win.
Austin Love relieved Molina and threw two scoreless innings of relief. Andrew Schultz surrendered three runs, two earned, in the eighth. Skylar Hales yielded one run in the ninth.
Memphis went up 4-0 in the second. Zach Levenson singled and later scored on a single by Brody Moore. Moore stole second and advanced to third on an error. Colton Ledbetter walked. Jimmy Crooks hit a three-run home run.
Jimmy has five RBIs before the end of the third! pic.twitter.com/BG3X9ritgi
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) September 24, 2026
The Redbirds added nine runs in the third to lead 13-0. Chase Davis reached on an error. Noah Mendlinger singled. Both runners advanced on an error. Trey Paige singled to plate Davis and Mendlinger. Moore singled. Ledbetter grounded into a force out, eliminating Moore. Crooks drove in Paige and Ledbetter on a single. Ramon Mendoza walked. Bligh Madris walked. Davis singled, scoring Crooks and Mendoza. Levenson doubled to drive in Madris. Mendlinger singled and Davis came home. Levenson scored on a single by Paige.
Chase keeps the line moving! pic.twitter.com/ZAb7EV8Uoc
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) September 24, 2026
In the fourth, Memphis added two runs to extend the lead to 15-0. Ledbetter singled. Madris hit a two-run home run.
OH MY, BLIGH!
15-0 WITH HIS @LennysSubs LONGBALL!#LennysLongball pic.twitter.com/x5UflUunNm
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) September 24, 2026
Rochester scored three runs in the eighth and one in the ninth to reach the final score of 15-4.
The offense scored 15 runs on 15 hits. Crooks was 2-for-3 with five RBI and two runs scored. Paige was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Levenson was 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Mendlinger was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Moore was 3-for-5 with an RBI. Davis and Madris each had two RBI and two runs scored. Ledbetter scored three runs.
Moore stole a base. Andy Yerzy was charged with catcher interference.
Memphis is 1-1 in the Championship Series with Thursday’s winner to be crowned International League Champion.
Thursday’s game: vs. Rochester TBD vs. TBD 6:45 CT.
Springfield 4, Amarillo 6 (Championship Series Game 3)
The Cardinals dropped the final game of the Texas League Championship Series to the Sod Poodles at Route 66 Stadium by the score of 6-4 Wednesday evening.
Starter Liam Doyle pitched five innings, gave up one unearned run on four hits, walked two and fanned six.
Liam Doyle lived up to the moment in a winner-take-all championship game: 5.0 IP, 4 H, R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. pic.twitter.com/KZWKJ4wk4Y
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) September 24, 2026
The Cardinals bullpen and defense failed them. Nolan Sparks relieved Doyle and surrendered three runs, two earned, in 1 1/3 innings and took the loss. Randel Clemente yielded two runs in 1 2/3 innings. Dominic Picone tossed a scoreless ninth.
A couple of world class displays of Minor League defense from Tai Peete and Jesus Baez, and Amarillo has the early lead because of it. pic.twitter.com/u1eMuQ6MGr
— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) September 23, 2026
Tre Richardson III gets the rare, standing teabagging by Liam Doyle in what I'm going to generously call a fun moment in Minor League defense pic.twitter.com/82Gb0sFUuG
— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) September 24, 2026
Minor League defense by Won-Bin Cho. Woof.
Also, maybe Minor League umpiring at 3rd. pic.twitter.com/WZNMiBuyHc
— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) September 24, 2026
Jesus Baez fumbles the ball on the exchange and cant get a good grip on the ball, pulls our short thicc king Rainiel Rodriguez off of the bag. pic.twitter.com/eQIcEYABj9
— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) September 24, 2026
But he also made a good play here…
Jesus Baez, with the awesome barehanded play at short. Cannon, too pic.twitter.com/Ab4ZTwOPPW
— Kyle Reis, 58% Neanderthal (@kyler416) September 24, 2026
Amarillo took a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Springfield scored three runs in the third to go ahead 3-1. Tai Peete walked and Rainiel Rodriguez followed with a two-run home run. Jesús Báez singled. Won-Bin Cho walked. Ryan Campos grounded into a force out, eliminating Cho. Cade McGee singled to score Báez.
This is what you're looking for: Rainiel Rodriguez championship home run angles. pic.twitter.com/5BC9hvKpQD
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) September 24, 2026
Amarillo tied the game in the sixth. They took the lead in the seventh with a two-run frame then scored a sixth run in the eighth to lead 6-3.
The Cardinals rallied for one run in the ninth to bring the final score to 6-4.
A BACK FLIP TO CELEBRATE AS THE AMARILLO SOD POODLES OFFICIALLY BECOME TEX LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 🚨 pic.twitter.com/2Pk9SMCuBK
— Milb Central (@milb_central) September 24, 2026
Springfield scored four runs on seven hits. Rodriguez was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. McGee was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Báez was 2-for-4.
Báez made a throwing error. Peete had a fielding miscue.
Springfield went 1-2 in the Championship Series and their season is concluded.
Closeout at 20% off – 2026 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation Prospect Guide is back for its ninth year. It includes 275 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including over five dozen all-new player scouting reports by Kyle Reis. Order your PDF or spiral-bound printed book today.
The final copies of the printed book are on closeout for 20% off.
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 2026 St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Guide
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
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 Bluesky @mrlyn59.bsky.social.
© 2026 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.