MiLB Player of the Day: Thomas Saggese
THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE
Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Thomas Saggese Powers Memphis to Extra-Inning Win
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur
Memphis needed someone to step up Thursday night, and Thomas Saggese answered.
Saggese is the Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day after going 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, three RBIs and three runs scored in the Redbirds’ 7-5, 10-inning win over Durham at AutoZone Park.
His final line:
3-for-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R
That is a complete offensive night, and it came at the right time for a Memphis club that badly needed to stop the bleeding.
The Redbirds entered the night stuck in a rough second-half stretch and riding a four-game losing streak. They got off to a good start, gave the lead away in the middle innings, then found a way to answer late. Saggese was right in the middle of it.
He homered, doubled, drove in three runs and scored three times. In a game that went 10 innings, every one of those contributions mattered.
Memphis scored twice in the first, added another run in the fourth, tied the game in the eighth, and then won it with three runs in the bottom of the 10th. The offense was not overwhelming, but it was timely. Saggese gave the Redbirds the extra-base thump they needed.
He was not alone.
Colton Ledbetter also had a big night, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and a stolen base. Joshua Báez drove in his 74th run of the season, and Noah Mendlinger added an RBI.
But this night belonged to Saggese.
His season has had its uneven stretches, but games like this are a reminder of the offensive ability that made him one of the more recognizable names in the Cardinals’ upper minors. When Saggese is driving the baseball and impacting the game with extra-base hits, he gives the Memphis lineup a much different look.
The home run was his fourth of the season with Memphis. The double was his sixth. He also pushed his RBI total to 16 and lifted his average to .246 with a .714 OPS.
The numbers still show there is work to do, but Thursday night was a strong step in the right direction.
For Memphis, the win mattered. The Redbirds improved to 56-43 overall and snapped their losing streak. The second half has been a grind, but a 10-inning win like this can at least give a club a chance to reset.
Saggese gave Memphis the spark.
A home run.
A double.
Three RBIs.
Three runs scored.
That is the kind of night that earns the spotlight.
Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day:
Thomas Saggese, SS, Memphis Redbirds
Final Line: 3-for-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R
The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.
Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary:
www.cardinalchronicle.com
Photo Credit: Thomas Saggese, Memphis Redbirds | MiLB