photo: Leonel Sequera (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
On Saturday, the St. Louis Cardinals system went 2-2. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, RH Leonel Sequera, tossed seven innings of one-run ball in Palm Beach’s win. Other standouts include Gordon Graceffo, Chase Davis, Ixan Henderson, Tyler Bradt and Joshua Baez.
Results for games played on Saturday, September 7.
The Memphis Redbirds (30-32) beat the Omaha Storm Chasers (32-30, KC) 5-4 on Saturday at AutoZone Park. Starter Gordon Graceffo earned his 10th win this season, pitching 6 1/3 innings, and allowing three runs, two earned, on eight hits while walking four and striking out three.
The Redbirds struck first in the first with Thomas Saggese’s RBI double and two wild pitches that let him come home to make the score 2-0. Memphis extended its lead in the fourth with Nick Dunn’s RBI single and Chance Sisco grounded into a double play that plated Alfonso Rivas III.
The Storm Chasers took two runs back in the top of the fifth on a pair of RBI singles.
Memphis added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth on Matt Koperniak’s RBI single.
Koperniak comes thru! pic.twitter.com/Rn8gWDvXJO
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) September 8, 2024
Omaha responded in the seventh and eighth with solo shots to make the score 5-4.
Victor Santos threw 1 2/3 innings, yielding one run on one hit while striking out one. Ryan Loutos pitched a scoreless inning while striking out one. Memphis allowed four runs, three earned, on nine hits while walking four and striking out five.
Saggese went 1-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Dunn was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Koperniak hit 1-for-4 with an RBI. The Redbirds totaled five runs on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
Sunday’s game: vs. Omaha, LHP Zack Thompson (3-5, 4.99) vs. TBD 1:05 CT.
The Springfield Cardinals (38-24) fell to the NW Arkansas Naturals (30-31, KC) 6-3 on Saturday at Hammons Field. Starter Max Rajcic took his 11th loss this season, throwing 4 1/3 innings, and allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits while walking two and striking out four.
The Cardinals took an early lead in the second on Chase Davis’ solo moonshot to right field, hit on his first swing as a Double-A player.
How do you like that?! Chase Davis' first swing at the Double-A level leaves the yard for a solo shot! pic.twitter.com/EqolxXR5K7
— Springfield Cardinals (@Sgf_Cardinals) September 8, 2024
The Naturals responded with a solo longball of their own in the third. NW Arkansas took the lead in the fourth on an RBI single and another run scored when Rajcic committed a missed catch error. The visitors added another insurance run in the top of the fifth on a solo homer.
Springfield made it a one-run game in the bottom of the fifth when Bryan Torres reached on an error that scored Davis and Chris Rotondo.
The visitors added two insurance runs in the eighth with a pair RBI singles.
Nathanael Heredia threw 2/3 of an inning, yielding a hit while striking out two. Leonardo Taveras pitched two scoreless innings while walking one and striking out one. Matt Svanson pitched an inning, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out one. Edwin Nuñez threw a scoreless inning, conceding a hit and two walks while striking out one. Springfield allowed six runs, five earned, on 13 hits while walking five and striking out nine.
Davis had a homer, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. Jeremy Rivas and R.J. Yeager were the only other Cardinals to record a hit. The Cardinals totaled three runs on three hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Sunday’s game: vs. NW Arkansas, TBD vs. Luinder Avila RHP (6-4, 3.66) 4:35 CT.
One week still remains in the regular season, but the playoff matchups are set.
The Cardinals will face the Arkansas Travelers in the 2024 Texas League North Division Final. Game 1 of the best-of three series will be on the road Tuesday, September 17. Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) will be played at Hammons Field on Thursday, September 19 and Friday, September 20.
The Peoria Chiefs (32-33) lost 3-1 to the Lake County Captains (36-27, CLE) on Saturday at Dozer Park. Starter Ixan Henderson took his second loss this season, pitching five innings, and allowing two runs on six hits while walking five and striking out six.
The Captains struck first in the sixth with a two-run home run to left field and carried a perfect game into the seventh.
The Chiefs had their first baserunner in the seventh on Darlin Moquete’s infield single. He came home on Chase Adkison’s RBI double.
Lake County added one final run in the ninth on an RBI single.
Tyler Bradt threw three scoreless innings, yielding a hit and a walk while striking out two. Osvaldo Berrios pitched an inning, giving up a run on a hit while walking one and striking out one. Peoria allowed three runs on eight hits while walking seven and striking out nine.
Adkison doubled, walked, and drove in the lone Peoria run. Darlin Moquete hit 2-for-4 with a run scored. Miguel Villarroel was the only other Chief with a hit. The Chiefs totaled a run on four hits with two walks and 12 strikeouts.
Sunday’s game: vs. Lake County, RHP Darlin Saladin (5-3, 3.79) vs. Rorik Maltrud RHP (4-3, 3.55) 2:05 CT.
This contest will conclude the Peoria Chiefs’ 2024 season.
Palm Beach 10 at Jupiter 6 (11 innings)
The Palm Beach Cardinals (45-18) defeated the Jupiter Hammerheads (29-34, MIA) 10-6 in extra innings on Saturday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. 19-year-old starter Leonel Sequera threw seven innings, allowing one run on four hits while walking one and striking out three.
The Cardinals took an early lead in the first on RBI singles by J.J. Wetherholt and Jose Cordoba.
The Hammerheads earned one back in the third on an RBI single but Ross Friedrick took that run back in the fourth with his RBI single.
Palm Beach extended their lead in the sixth when Wetherholt was plunked with the bases loaded. They added another one in the seventh on Friedrick’s sacrifice fly to make the score 5-1.
Jupiter tied the game in the ninth on an RBI single and a three-RBI double.
The Beach Birds regained the lead in the top of the 10th on Maikel Hernandez’s RBI single.
The home team tied the game again in the bottom of the 10th with an RBI forceout.
Palm Beach took the lead again in the 11th on Jose Suarez’s two-RBI single and Joshua Baez’s two-run bomb to left field.
Wetherholt went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI, and two runs scored. Baez hit 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, two RBI, and four runs scored. Hernandez was 2-for-3 with two walks, an RBI, and a run scored. The Cardinals totaled 10 runs on 14 hits with five walks and nine strikeouts.
Augusto Calderon threw 1 2/3 innings, yielding four runs on four hits while walking one and striking out three. Nolan Sparks earned his third win this season, pitching 1 1/3 innings, giving up one run, none earned, on two hits while walking two and striking out one. Michael Watson threw a scoreless inning while striking out three. Palm Beach allowed six runs, five earned, on 10 hits while walking four and striking out 10.
Sunday’s game: at Jupiter, TBD vs. TBD 11:00 CT. This will be the final game of the regular season.
The Cardinals will face the Daytona Tortugas in the 2024 Florida State League East Division Final. Game 1 will be on the road Tuesday, September 10. Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) of the best-of-three series will be played at Roger Dean on Thursday, September 12 and Friday, September 13.
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