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Memphis vs. Tacoma: Dakota Hudson
Springfield at NW Arkansas: Connor Jones
Palm Beach at Fort Myers: Ian Oxnevad
Peoria at Kane County: Paul Balestrieri
DSL Cards Blue at Angels
DSL Cards Red vs. Mets 2Breaking
Paul Balestrieri throws a complete game no-hitter for @peoriachiefs, the 10th in franchise history.
Line: 9 IP, 100 pitches, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 6 strikeouts, 1 base-runner (error)@B_Walton @Cardinals #CatchTheFun #STLCards #MiLB
— Alex Staab (@StaabAlex) June 8, 2018
Except for Palm Beach, whose game was suspended until next Monday, the system had a clean sweep today! Pretty awesome!
Balestrieri was simply marvelous. In my mind that’s a perfecto, not just a no-hitter. It’s not the pitcher’s fault a fielder booted one. Matter of fact, the error makes the perfecto look even more impressive since it extended the game an extra batter. Geesh imagine how impressive Balestrieri’s gem would have looked if he had had the big club’s defense behind him last night…. Fowler, Carpenter and Jose Martinez alone would have resulted in Balestrieri having faced at least an extra 3 or 4 batters. Speaking of Jose Martinez and Peoria, Peoria has an infielder by the name of Jose Martinez too. Jose drilled 2 hits last night for the Chiefs. The word is that this Jose Martinez, like the Cardinals’ Jose Martinez, may be somewhat defensively challenged. I’m thinking why not use the Peoria Jose Martinez as a sacrificial lamb if you will, to get the Cardinals’ Jose Martinez, on the fast track to becoming a defensive pillar of strength. Just bring the kid up to St. Louis for a few days to get tutored in the finer aspects of defensive infield play. And don’t have Oquendo teach him……..have Jose Martinez. What a total confidence builder that would be for our Jose Martinez. It probably transforms him into the next Mark Grace at 1st base. Instead of stumbling and bumbling his way around 1st base, Jose now would be the epitomy of stability and defensive strength. Now the kid, after being the unfortunate recipient of this sort of obtuse training, probably never recovers from the experience and most likey is out of professional baseball by season’s end. But sometimes you just have to take one for the team.
A fairly unlikely guy to be pitching a no-no. Balestieri had only pitched short-season ball in ’17 after being drafted in the 26th round out of Cornell. His stint at State College last season was unimpressive as he struggled through 12 starts.
The 6’0″/210 23 year-old, Balestieri started the season at EST and was shuffled into the Palm Beach staff on April 24th and had little success there in 5 relief appearances. On May 14th he was sent down to Peoria and made 3 starts prior to last night, not making it out of the 4th inn. in any of the three.
So that was his pro resume before last night. Only that 1st inn. infield error cost him true immortality, and only the baseball gods could dream up this stunning performance. For his effort he received a GS of 100, and 3-digits are very rare.
Its something that he will be remembered for for the rest of his life. Congratulations Paul…. savor the moment.
That’s fantastic for that young man. It’s too bad that the error ruined the perfect game but he won’t ever forget that. Hopefully he improves and is able to make a career from the game but it’s doubtful he’ll ever have a night like last night.
Of course, the no-hitter spun by @peoriachiefs Paul Balestrieri leads the way, but the #STLCards system had a good Thursday across the board, sweeping all five games played. https://t.co/S2YMXqZR58 pic.twitter.com/PCMlZpRDQa
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) June 8, 2018
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