Redbirds Mash, Chiefs Walk It Off as System Goes 3-2

The Cardinal Chronicle
Morning Farm Report: Redbirds Mash, Chiefs Walk It Off as System Goes 3-2
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

The St. Louis Cardinals’ minor league system turned in a winning night Thursday, going 3-2 across the four full-season affiliates, with Memphis flexing its power, Peoria stealing the show late, Springfield splitting a doubleheader, and Palm Beach wasting another strong start in a 1-0 loss.

It was a good night for starting pitching, especially at the lower levels. Ty Van Dyke, Yhoiker Fajardo and Chen-Wei Lin all gave their clubs strong work, while Hunter Dobbins gave Memphis five steady innings before the Redbirds’ offense took over late.

Memphis Redbirds — Triple-A
Memphis 11, Toledo 4
Record: 24-12

Memphis did what first-place clubs do: hang around, wait for an opening, then turn the game loose with one big swing after another.
The Redbirds hit a season-high-tying four home runs in an 11-4 win over Toledo, including three three-run homers in the seventh and eighth innings. Nelson Velázquez opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the second, but the late innings belonged to Jimmy Crooks, Matt Koperniak and Leo Bernal. Crooks launched his 11th homer of the season, a three-run shot that gave Memphis the lead in the seventh. Koperniak followed later in the inning with a three-run homer of his own, and Bernal capped the power show with another three-run blast in the eighth. 

Bryan Torres also had a big night at the top of the order, going 4-for-5 with two doubles. Crooks reached five times, finishing 2-for-2 with a homer, three walks and three RBIs, while Velázquez and Koperniak each added key extra-base damage.

Dobbins gave Memphis a workable start, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings. Luis Gastelum and Max Rajcic each worked a scoreless inning out of the bullpen, with Rajcic lowering his ERA to 1.99. The win kept Memphis on top in the International League, extending its lead over Gwinnett to 1½ games. 

Springfield Cardinals — Double-A
Springfield 4, Corpus Christi 3 — Game 1
Corpus Christi 4, Springfield 2 — Game 2
Record: 10-20

Springfield split its first home doubleheader of the season, taking the opener 4-3 before dropping the nightcap 4-2.

The big swing in Game 1 came from Zach Levenson, who delivered a go-ahead three-run homer for Springfield’s first hit of the game. That is a pretty efficient way to erase a quiet start at the plate. Mason Burns closed it out for his second save, while Darlin Saladin picked up the win. 

The Cardinals could not finish the sweep, but Chen-Wei Lin gave them another encouraging pitching line in Game 2, striking out eight batters over five innings. Springfield wore its Cashew Chickens alternate identity in the second game, but Corpus Christi spoiled the debut with the 4-2 win.

For a club still trying to climb out of an early-season hole, the split was not perfect, but the night did offer two things worth noting: Levenson supplied a timely power swing, and Lin missed bats at a high level.

Peoria Chiefs — High-A
Peoria 7, Wisconsin 6
Record: 14-15

Peoria delivered the most dramatic win of the night, rallying for four runs in the bottom of the ninth to stun Wisconsin 7-6 at Dozer Park.

The Chiefs trailed by three entering the ninth and still needed two-out magic to finish it. José Suárez opened the inning with a double, José Cordoba reached on catcher’s interference, and Tre Richardson III loaded the bases with an infield single. After Wisconsin nearly escaped the jam, Rainiel Rodriguez came through with a two-run single to pull Peoria within 6-5. A wild pitch brought home Richardson with the tying run, setting the stage for Jalin Flores, who sent a deep fly ball to left that landed on the warning track for the walk-off winner.
It was Peoria’s first walk-off win of the season and its first comeback win this year when trailing in the sixth inning or later.

Fajardo deserved better than a no-decision, turning in another strong start. The Cardinals’ No. 12 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, struck out seven for the second consecutive outing, allowing one run on three hits over five innings.
Rodriguez finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs, driving in two runs in the third and two more in the ninth. That is the kind of offensive line that travels well in a prospect report: production early, production late, and production when the game was on the line.

Palm Beach Cardinals — Single-A
Jupiter 1, Palm Beach 0
Record: 16-14

Palm Beach lost the kind of game that makes a pitching coach proud and a hitting coach reach for another cup of joe.

The Cardinals were edged 1-0 by Jupiter, with Ty Van Dyke turning in five scoreless innings in a no-decision. Van Dyke allowed just two hits, walked two and struck out five, keeping the Hammerheads quiet and giving Palm Beach every chance to steal a low-scoring win.

The offense could not break through, however, as Jupiter’s pitching staff kept the Cardinals off the board. The Hammerheads eventually walked it off, handing Palm Beach another tough one-run loss in the “Duel of the Dean.”
Van Dyke continues to look like one of the more reliable lower-level arms in the system. Even in a loss, five shutout innings with five strikeouts belong near the top of the pitching notes.

Player of the Day: Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Peoria

This one had several strong candidates: Jimmy Crooks reached base five times and hit a go-ahead three-run homer for Memphis, Zach Levenson delivered the decisive swing in Springfield’s Game 1 win, and Jalin Flores had the walk-off knock for Peoria.

But the nod goes to Rainiel Rodriguez, who went 3-for-5 with four RBIs in Peoria’s 7-6 comeback win. Rodriguez 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 brought Peoria within a run, and set up the walk-off finish. That is production with weight behind it.

Pitcher of the Day: Ty Van Dyke, RHP, Palm Beach
Yhoiker Fajardo made a strong case with five innings of one-run ball and seven strikeouts for Peoria, and Chen-Wei Lin punched out eight over five innings for Springfield.

But Ty Van Dyke gets the call after five scoreless innings in Palm Beach’s 1-0 loss to Jupiter. He allowed only two hits, walked two, and struck out five, giving the Cardinals a chance in a game where one run decided everything.

Old School Take
A 3-2 night in the system is a good night, but the better sign was how it happened. Memphis won with power. Peoria won with grit. Springfield got a big swing and a strong arm in a doubleheader split. Palm Beach lost, but Van Dyke pitched well enough to win.

That is the farm system in a nutshell. Some nights are about numbers. Some nights are about development. Thursday gave the Cardinals a little of both.

Facebook Intro
The Cardinals’ farm system went 3-2 Thursday, with Memphis blasting four homers, Peoria walking it off in dramatic fashion, Springfield splitting a doubleheader, and Ty Van Dyke turning in five scoreless innings for Palm Beach. Rainiel Rodriguez gets the Player of the Day nod after a four-RBI night for Peoria, while Van Dyke earns Pitcher of the Day honors despite a tough 1-0 loss.
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Morning Farm Report: #STLCards system goes 3-2.
Memphis mashed 4 HRs in an 11-4 win.
Springfield split a DH behind Zach Levenson’s 3-run HR.
Peoria rallied for 4 in the 9th and walked it off.
Ty Van Dyke threw 5 scoreless for Palm Beach.
Player: Rainiel Rodriguez
Pitcher: Ty Van Dyke