St. Louis Cardinals minor league left-handed pitcher Nick Greenwood absorbed a double-whammy on Monday, with losses at two different levels of play, in two different roles.
Here is how it came about.
The 25-year-old started for the Double-A Springfield Cardinals on Monday afternoon at Tulsa. Greenwood went five innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks. Down 3-2 when he departed, the Texas League Cards went on to lose by a 5-3 score (link to box score). Greenwood fell to 1-4, 4.94 with Springfield.
Formerly a reliever and spot starter with Triple-A Memphis, Greenwood had been sent down to Double-A on May 4 and was moved into the rotation shortly afterward.
Almost all of the actual damage in Greenwood’s second Monday defeat technically occurred exactly two months ago, back on April 10. Pitching in relief for Memphis that night versus New Orleans, Greenwood took the AutoZone Park mound in the top of the 12th inning. The game was tied at two all.
After just one out was recorded but with four Zephyrs runs already in, the game had to be suspended in mid at-bat due to rain. With the score 6-2, a runner was on third base and the batter had a 3-2 count – both Greenwood’s responsibility.
This Monday night, the final five outs of the April 10 suspended game were completed before the two clubs played their regularly-scheduled game at AutoZone Park.
Just off the disabled list, Eric Fornataro took over after the two-month delay. A sacrifice fly brought home the fifth New Orleans run of the inning. In the bottom of the frame, Memphis was retired in order to conclude the 7-2 defeat.
As the game officially went on the books, Greenwood was saddled with the defeat, his second of the “day”.
In some interesting side tidbits, John Gast started the April 10 game and went six shutout innings, The lefty is currently on St. Louis’ disabled list. Right-handed reliever Eduardo Sanchez, now with the Chicago Cubs’ Iowa Triple-A affiliate, recorded zeroes in the 10th and 11th innings for the Redbirds.
They all threw to catcher J.R. Towles, who was behind the plate for the first 11 1/3 innings. Since released and now with Albuquerque, Towles hit the first of his five Redbirds home runs that night.
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