Rainiel Rodriguez Comes Through When It Counts

The Cardinal Chronicle
MiLB Player of the Day: Rainiel Rodriguez Comes Through When It Counts
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

Rainiel Rodriguez did more than put together a good box-score line Thursday night. He delivered runs when Peoria needed them most.

Rodriguez, the Chiefs’ catcher and one of the more closely watched bats in the Cardinals’ lower system, is The Cardinal Chronicle’s MiLB Player of the Day after going 3-for-5 with four RBIs in Peoria’s 7-6 walk-off win over Wisconsin at Dozer Park.

There were several worthy candidates across the system. Jimmy Crooks reached base five times and hit a go-ahead three-run homer for Memphis. Zach Levenson provided the decisive swing in Springfield’s Game 1 win. Jalin Flores delivered the walk-off knock for Peoria.

But Rodriguez gets the nod because of the weight of his production.

He drove in two runs in the third inning to put the Chiefs ahead, then came through again in the ninth with a two-run single that pulled Peoria within a run and helped set the table for the walk-off finish. In a game where Peoria trailed by three entering the ninth, Rodriguez was right in the middle of the comeback.

That is the kind of production that stands out — not just hits, but hits with traffic on the bases and the game still hanging in the balance.

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports
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