Cade Crossland Sets the Tone in Palm Beach Shutout Victory

The Cardinal Chronicle
Minor League Pitcher of the Day
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

Cade Crossland Sets the Tone in Palm Beach Shutout Victory

Cade Crossland, a 24-year-old right-hander, did not need an extended outing to make one of the biggest pitching statements in the St. Louis Cardinals’ minor league system this season.

The Palm Beach right-hander was named The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Pitcher of the Day after tossing four hitless, scoreless innings in Palm Beach’s 11-0 rout of the Clearwater Threshers on Sunday afternoon at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

Palm Beach desperately needed that kind of start. The Cardinals entered the afternoon attempting to avoid a six-game sweep, and Crossland delivered the early stability that can change the entire tenor of a game. Making his second start of the week, he responded with four dominant innings, surrendering no hits and no runs, and setting the tone for Palm Beach’s third shutout of the season.
That is not just a pitching line. That is a stopper’s line.

Crossland then handed the ball to left-hander Jake Shelagowski, who followed with four scoreless frames of his own, stranding three hits and striking out four. Right-hander Hunter Kublick, making his season debut, sealed the win with a scoreless ninth, preserving the shutout and punctuating Palm Beach’s lopsided victory.

The Cardinals’ offense eventually broke the game open with a barrage of late hits, but Crossland provided Palm Beach with the foundation for victory. He silenced Clearwater’s bats early, gave the lineup time to settle in, and ultimately helped flip the momentum in a series that had been dominated by the Threshers.

After several frustrating days against Clearwater, Palm Beach did more than just avoid a sweep. The Cardinals responded with their second-largest margin of victory this season and remained atop the Florida State League East Division standings.

That starts with pitching.

Honorable Mentions

Quinn Mathews, Memphis Redbirds — Mathews earned his first win of the season, giving Memphis five innings of one-run baseball. He allowed two hits, walked three, and struck out seven in the Redbirds’ 11-4 win over Indianapolis.

Jake Shelagowski, Palm Beach Cardinals — Shelagowski was outstanding behind Crossland, throwing four scoreless innings out of the bullpen while allowing three hits, walking one, and striking out four.

Jurrangelo Cijntje, Springfield Cardinals — Cijntje picked up his first win since Opening Night, allowing three runs on five hits over five innings as Springfield snapped a seven-game losing streak.

Old School Take

Crossland gets the call because he gave Palm Beach exactly what it needed — clean innings, no hits, no runs, and a chance to reset after a rough series.

There were stronger strikeout totals elsewhere, and Mathews made a very good case in Memphis. But four hitless innings at the front end of a shutout is winning baseball.

That is how a starter sets the table.

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports