Three Big Wins: Cijntje throws right & left handed

The Cardinal Chronicle
Morning Farm Report — Chiefs & PB Birds Break Out & Springfield Rallies Late
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

A strong night across the Cardinals’ system saw three clubs come away with victories, highlighted by late-inning resilience in Springfield and offensive fireworks in both Peoria and Palm Beach.

Memphis, meanwhile, showed some fight late—but dug too deep a hole early to climb out of.

The system went 3-1 on the night, and there was no shortage of storylines.

 
Memphis Redbirds (AAA)
13–9, 1st Place — International League West 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Redbirds dropped their series opener Tuesday night, falling 7-3 to the Norfolk Tides at AutoZone Park, marking the first time this season the club has lost a series opener.

Memphis found itself playing from behind early, as Norfolk capitalized on control issues and built a lead the Redbirds couldn’t fully erase. Starter Quinn Mathews worked 4⅓ innings, allowing two earned runs, but struggled with command, issuing six walks that put pressure on the staff throughout his outing.

Offensively, Memphis showed signs of life late. Jimmy Crooks continued his strong start to the season, launching his seventh home run, while Joshua Báez added his fourth homer as part of a back-to-back blast in the eighth inning that trimmed the deficit.

Bryan Torres chipped in with a triple, but the Redbirds were unable to overcome missed opportunities earlier in the game, stranding multiple runners and struggling to deliver timely hits when it mattered most.

Even in defeat, the late rally reflected a club that has shown resilience during its recent stretch of strong play.

Next: Memphis continues its homestand Wednesday against Norfolk.

 
Springfield Cardinals (AA)
6–10, 3rd Place — Texas League North 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Springfield Cardinals flipped the script Tuesday night, erasing a late deficit with a four-run seventh inning to edge the Midland RockHounds 5-4 at Hammons Field.

For six innings, Springfield’s offense was held hitless. Then, in one inning, everything changed.

The Cardinals broke through in the seventh behind timely hitting and disciplined at-bats. Jon Jon Gazdar delivered the key blows with two RBIs, while Zach Levenson added a multi-hit effort to help sustain the rally.

There was also a noteworthy development on the mound.

Jurrangelo Cijntje, the organization’s unique switch-pitching prospect, turned in a strong start, allowing just one run over 4.2 innings. While the Cardinals indicated during spring training that Cijntje would pitch exclusively right-handed in games, he has begun mixing in left-handed appearances.

On Tuesday, Cijntje worked left-handed against three consecutive left-handed batters, hitting the first before inducing two groundouts. The organization is clearly beginning to identify situations within starts where he can effectively deploy both sides—a development worth watching closely.

Out of the bullpen, Hunter Hayes (1-0) earned the win, and Ryan Murphy secured the final two innings for his second save.

It was a needed win—and one that came with a little added intrigue.

Next: Springfield continues the series Wednesday morning against Midland (11:15 a.m. CDT).

 
Peoria Chiefs (High-A)
6–9, T-3rd Place — Midwest League West 

PEORIA, Ill. — The Peoria Chiefs are starting to find their rhythm.

Behind a big night from Anyelo Encarnación, Peoria rolled to a 7-2 victory over Cedar Rapids, powered by a decisive swing in the middle innings.

Encarnación, making his return from the injured list, went 3-for-4 and launched a grand slam in the fourth inning, breaking the game open and giving the Chiefs all the offense they would need.

Tai Peete added an RBI triple, and the Chiefs’ lineup produced multiple extra-base hits in a well-rounded offensive effort.

On the mound, Peoria’s pitching staff delivered, limiting Cedar Rapids to just two runs. The bullpen was particularly effective, stringing together scoreless innings to close out the game cleanly.

The win marks back-to-back victories for the first time this season, a sign that Peoria may be starting to turn a corner.

Next: The Chiefs continue their series against Cedar Rapids.

 
Palm Beach Cardinals (Low-A)
12–4, 1st Place — Florida State League East 

JUPITER, Fla. — When the Palm Beach Cardinals get rolling, they don’t leave much doubt.

Palm Beach erupted for a 17-2 victory over the St. Lucie Mets, putting together one of the most dominant offensive performances in the system this season.

The Cardinals broke the game open early with seven runs in the second inning, then poured it on late with eight more in the eighth, overwhelming St. Lucie from start to finish.

The offense came from everywhere in the lineup, with multiple hitters contributing extra-base hits and RBIs in a relentless attack.

Meanwhile, the pitching staff kept things quiet, limiting St. Lucie to just three hits and maintaining control throughout the game.

Palm Beach continues to be one of the hottest clubs in the system, combining timely hitting with consistent pitching as it builds momentum early in the season.

Next: Palm Beach continues its series against St. Lucie on Wednesday.

 
Final Word

A 3-1 night across the system, with power on display in Peoria and Palm Beach, a comeback in Springfield—and even in Memphis, a reminder that this club doesn’t go quietly.

It’s early—but not empty.

And there are a few storylines here… that are just starting to get interesting.

The Cardinal Chronicle in association with Gateway Sports