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THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Farm Report: Peña Powers Peoria, Fajardo Deals, Memphis Wins Third Straight St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe Cardinal Chronicle Farm Report is your most complete daily look at the Cardinals’ minor league system — from box scores and standings to standout performances and prospect notes.Wednesday was a strong night across the Cardinals’ farm system.Memphis won its third straight. Springfield stopped its slide behind a terrific start from Yhoiker Fajardo. Peoria powered past Beloit behind a monster game from Yordalin Peña. Palm Beach was the only affiliate to fall, losing a walk-off game at Daytona.The full-season affiliates finished 3-1.Memphis Redbirds — Triple-A Overall Record: 65-51 Second Half: 18-23, 8th in the International League West, 8.0 GB Streak: W3Memphis 7, Durham 3Memphis kept rolling Wednesday night with a 7-3 win over Durham.The Redbirds used a five-run third inning to take control, then added single runs in the fifth and sixth to build enough cushion for the bullpen.Nolan Gorman gave Memphis one of the biggest swings of the night, going 1-for-2 with his 12th home run, two RBIs, two runs scored and three walks. Chase Davis also went deep, hitting his second home run of the season.Leo Bernal drove in two runs, pushing his RBI total to 70. Joshua Báez had a hit, a walk, an RBI and stole his 21st base. Victor Scott II had two hits, while Ramon Mendoza added two hits of his own.On the mound, Quinn Mathews gave Memphis four solid innings, allowing one run on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts.His final line: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 KBrycen Mautz allowed two runs over two innings, but Ryan Fernandez, Cade Winquest and Hancel Rincón combined to cover the final three innings without allowing a run.Takeaway: Memphis has won three straight, and this one came with power, patience and enough pitching to control the night.Springfield Cardinals — Double-A Overall Record: 56-53 Second Half: 25-16, 1st in the Texas League North Streak: W1Springfield 3, Northwest Arkansas 1Springfield needed a clean, steady win.Yhoiker Fajardo delivered it.Fajardo earned Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day honors after working 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking two and striking out five in Springfield’s 3-1 win over Northwest Arkansas.His final line: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 KThat was exactly the kind of start Springfield needed after a rough stretch.The bullpen followed his lead. Sandro Santana worked 1.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Domenic Picone added a clean eighth with two strikeouts. Randel Clemente allowed one run in the ninth, but finished the game.Springfield pitching combined for nine innings, five hits, one run, two walks and 10 strikeouts.The offense did enough. Jesús Báez, hit is 16th double-a HR and drove in his 40th run. Jack Gurevitch drove in his second run with Springfield. Zach Levenson doubled and drove in a run, while Tre Richardson III walked, stole his 17th base and scored.Takeaway: Springfield stopped the losing streak, stayed in first place and got a tone-setting start from Fajardo.Peoria Chiefs — High-A Overall Record: 54-55 Second Half: 22-21, 5th in the Midwest League West, 3.5 GB Streak: W1Peoria 8, Beloit 4Yordalin Peña owned the loudest offensive line in the system Wednesday night.Peña earned Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day honors after going 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double, four RBIs and three runs scored in Peoria’s 8-4 win over Beloit.His final line: 3-for-4, 2 HR, 2B, 4 RBI, 3 RThat is a night.Peña hit his first two home runs for Peoria, added his fourth double and drove in four of the Chiefs’ eight runs.Peoria jumped out with four runs in the first inning, added two more in the fourth, another in the fifth and one more in the eighth. The Chiefs finished with 11 hits.Cade McGee stayed hot, going 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Ian Petrutz had two hits, an RBI, a run scored and his sixth stolen base. Alex Birge drove in two runs and stole his first base. Anyelo Encarnación added a hit, a walk and his 16th stolen base.On the mound, Jack Martinez battled command, walking seven over 3.1 innings, but limited the damage to two runs. Rubén Menes was excellent in relief, throwing 2.2 scoreless innings with only one hit allowed.Christian Worley struck out three over 1.2 scoreless innings, and Gerardo Salas came in to record the final out with a strikeout.Takeaway: Peña supplied the thunder, McGee kept hitting, and Peoria’s bullpen steadied the game after a shaky start.Palm Beach Cardinals — Low-A Overall Record: 55-55 Second Half: 22-22, 2nd in the Florida State League East, 6.0 GB Streak: L2Daytona 5, Palm Beach 4Palm Beach was one out away from escaping with a win, but Daytona scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to hand the Cardinals a 5-4 loss.The Cardinals trailed 3-2 entering the eighth before scoring twice to take a 4-3 lead. Daytona answered in the ninth, scoring two unearned runs to walk it off.Gabe Camacho had the top offensive line for Palm Beach, going 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Owen Henne doubled, walked and scored twice. Trevor Haskins had a hit, two walks and an RBI. Alexander Frias and Yairo Padilla each drove in a run.On the mound, Andrew Dutkanych IV gave Palm Beach five innings, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts.His final line: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 KAlan Reyes followed with 2.2 innings of one-run ball, and Dallis Moran was charged with two unearned runs in the ninth.Takeaway: Palm Beach had the lead late, but could not close it out. The Cardinals have now dropped two straight.Quick Hits: 10 Players, 10 Stats 1. Yordalin Peña, Peoria: 3-for-4, two home runs, double, four RBIs, three runs scored.2. Yhoiker Fajardo, Springfield: 5.2 scoreless innings, three hits, two walks, five strikeouts.3. Nolan Gorman, Memphis: 12th home run, two RBIs, two runs, three walks.4. Cade McGee, Peoria: 3-for-4, double, RBI, two runs scored.5. Quinn Mathews, Memphis: 4.0 innings, one run, five strikeouts.6. Leo Bernal, Memphis: Two RBIs, giving him 70 on the season.7. Joshua Báez, Memphis: RBI No. 88 and stolen base No. 21.8. Rubén Menes, Peoria: 2.2 scoreless innings, one hit allowed.9. Zach Levenson, Springfield: Double and RBI No. 36.10. Andrew Dutkanych IV, Palm Beach: 5.0 innings, two earned runs, five strikeouts.Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day Yordalin Peña, DH, Peoria ChiefsPeña had the loudest offensive night in the system and powered Peoria to an 8-4 win.His final line: 3-for-4, 2 HR, 2B, 4 RBI, 3 RTwo home runs, three extra-base hits, four RBIs and three runs scored.That is a headline game.Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day Yhoiker Fajardo, RHP, Springfield CardinalsFajardo gave Springfield exactly what it needed: a strong start and a chance to stop the slide.His final line: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 KHe handed the ball to the bullpen with Springfield in control, and the Cardinals finished off a 3-1 win.The Final Word Wednesday was a good night for the Cardinals’ farm system.Memphis has now won three straight. Springfield stopped its losing streak and stayed on top of the Texas League North. Peoria got a power show from Yordalin Peña and moved back over .500 in the second half.Palm Beach was the only affiliate to lose, and that one slipped away late.Three wins. A two-homer night from Peña. A scoreless start from Fajardo. A third straight Memphis win.That is a strong farm report. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; 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.comPhoto Credit: Jesús Báez's 16th Double-A home | MLB.com

Peña Powers Peoria, Fajardo Deals, Memphis Wins Third Straight

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Pallante, Winn, Pereira Help Cardinals Blank Phillies, 2-0 St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurOne night after letting a late rally fall just short against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Cardinals came back Tuesday night at Busch Stadium with the kind of win that still plays in August.Pitching.Defense.One timely swing.One insurance blast.And Riley O’Brien at the end.Pallante gave St. Louis six scoreless innings, Masyn Winn delivered the first run of the game with a seventh-inning single, Everson Pereira added a solo home run in the eighth, and O’Brien finished it for his 30th save as the Cardinals blanked the Phillies, 2-0, to even the series.This was not a big offensive night for the Cardinals, it wasn't supposed to be.Not with Cristopher Sánchez on the mound for Philadelphia and Pallante answering him pitch for pitch on the other side. For six innings, this was a scoreless grind. The Phillies had chances. The Cardinals had chances. Neither team could finish one.Then the Cardinals finally did, when Jordan Walker drew a walk to open the bottom of the seventh inning and immediately changed the inning with his legs, stealing second base. Alec Burleson struck out, and José Fermín grounded out, moving Walker to third.That brought Winn to the plate.Winn lined a single to right field, scoring Walker and giving the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. In a game where runs were almost impossible to find, that swing felt bigger than one run.It was.The Cardinals added one more an inning later, and the pitching staff made sure Philadelphia never answered.That was the difference.Pallante set the tone from the start, even if the early innings were not easy. Kyle Schwarber singled to open the game, and Bryce Harper walked with one out. That gave Philadelphia two runners aboard in the first inning and an immediate chance to put pressure on the Cardinals.Pallante got out of it.The Phillies threatened again in the second. Bryson Stott singled, Alec Bohm singled, and Philadelphia had runners on the corners with one out. But the Cardinals turned the ball in play into the kind of outs that win close games, keeping the Phillies off the board and allowing Pallante to settle back in.That became the story of his night.Pallante was not overpowering in the strikeout column. He finished with two strikeouts. But he competed through traffic, got contact when he needed it and leaned on the defense behind him. He worked six shutout innings, allowing four hits and three walks while throwing 97 pitches.It was not a perfect line.It was a winning line.Against a Phillies lineup with Schwarber, Harper, Trea Turner, Luis Arraez and J.T. Realmuto, that matters.Pallante did not let the game speed up. He worked around runners. He kept the ball in the yard. He kept the Cardinals even long enough for the offense to find one run.On Tuesday night, one run felt like a mountain.That was because Sánchez was just as good.The Phillies left-hander kept St. Louis quiet for six innings, allowing four hits, walking none and striking out seven. He commanded the strike zone, kept the Cardinals from building sustained rallies and made every scoring chance feel like it had to be cashed in immediately.The Cardinals did not do that early.In the second inning, Fermín singled and Winn followed with another single, putting St. Louis in business. But Blaze Jordan grounded into a double play, and the inning went nowhere.In the third, Pedro Pagés singled, but JJ Wetherholt grounded into another double play.In the fourth, Burleson singled, but Sánchez again worked through the inning.That was the frustration.The Cardinals were not completely overmatched, but they were not finishing innings. Sánchez kept making the pitch he needed, and for six innings, St. Louis could not find the hit that changed the scoreboard.Neither could Philadelphia.That is where Pallante deserves the credit.He matched zeros with Sánchez, and that is not a small thing. The Cardinals did not need him to be flashy. They needed him to be steady. They needed innings. They needed a start that kept Philadelphia from building the kind of lead the Cardinals had to chase Monday night.Pallante gave them exactly that.When George Soriano took over in the seventh, the game was still scoreless and still sitting there for either club. Soriano struck out Realmuto looking. He struck out Stott looking. Brandon Marsh singled, and Bohm walked, bringing another dangerous moment.Soriano got Justin Crawford to line out to right.Still scoreless.Still alive.That gave the Cardinals the opening they needed in the bottom half, and Walker made sure the inning started with pressure. The walk mattered. The stolen base mattered. Fermín moving him over mattered. Winn finishing the sequence mattered most.That was baseball the Cardinals have needed more often.No home run.No big inning.Just execution.Walker reached. Walker stole. Fermín moved him. Winn drove him in.That was enough to break the game open on a night where “open” meant a 1-0 lead.The eighth inning brought more stress.Caleb Ferguson entered and made things uncomfortable, walking three batters without recording an out. In a one-run game against Philadelphia, that is playing with fire. Schwarber, Turner and Harper are not names a team wants circling the bases or standing in the batter’s box with the game on the line.The Cardinals needed someone to stop the inning before it turned.Ryne Stanek did.Stanek entered and escaped the jam, needing only four pitches to keep Philadelphia off the scoreboard. In a game defined by narrow margins, that was one of the biggest moments of the night.The Cardinals had grabbed the lead.Stanek kept it.Then Pereira gave the Cardinals the insurance run they needed.With St. Louis still protecting a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the eighth, Pereira turned on a pitch from Tim Mayza and drove it out to center field for a solo home run. It was his fifth homer of the season and his first big swing in a Cardinals uniform.That was not window dressing.That was a game-changing run.In a matchup where every base runner felt dangerous and every run felt enormous, Pereira’s home run changed the entire feel of the ninth inning. Instead of O’Brien trying to protect a one-run lead against the Phillies, the Cardinals had a two-run cushion.Still not comfortable.But different.Pereira is new to St. Louis, but that swing gave Cardinals fans a quick introduction. The Cardinals claimed him because there is power and athleticism in the profile. Tuesday night, they got a look at both the upside and the immediate value.One swing.One run.One little bit of breathing room.The final three outs still belonged to O’Brien.And once again, he handled them.O’Brien closed the door in the ninth to earn his 30th save of the season, continuing what has become one of the most reliable stories on this roster. For a team that has lived on thin margins, his ability to finish games has been essential.Thirty saves is not a small number.It is production.It is trust.It is the difference between a narrow win and another frustrating missed opportunity.The Cardinals have had plenty of moving parts this season. The rotation has shifted. The lineup has changed. Young players have arrived. Veterans have been moved. The club has spent too much time hovering around .500 and trying to find something that looks like momentum.But O’Brien has been steady at the back end.Tuesday night was another example.Pallante gave the Cardinals six zeros.Soriano protected the scoreless tie.Stanek escaped the biggest jam of the night.Pereira added the insurance run.O’Brien finished it.That is how a team wins a 2-0 game against a club it is trying to chase.The final box will show Philadelphia with no runs on five hits. That is the number that matters most. The Phillies had traffic, especially early. They had walks. They had moments where one hit could have changed the entire night.The Cardinals did not let them get it.Philadelphia left eight men on base. St. Louis left only three. The Phillies had more chances, but the Cardinals executed the two that mattered most.Winn’s single scored Walker.Pereira’s homer made it 2-0.That was the offense.That was enough because the pitching staff made it enough.For the Cardinals, the offensive line was not overwhelming. Winn had two hits and drove in the first run. Walker reached, stole second and scored the decisive run. Burleson had a hit. Fermín had a hit and helped move Walker to third in the seventh. Pagés had a hit. Pereira provided the insurance homer.The Cardinals finished with six hits and two runs.That was enough because the pitching staff made it enough.That is not always a formula a team can live on, but it is absolutely a formula a team has to win with when it is available. In August, against a team like Philadelphia, style points do not matter. Clean wins matter. Series wins matter. Keeping the club in the Wild Card conversation matters.Tuesday night gave the Cardinals one of those wins.It also pulled them back to .500.That number has followed this club around for too much of the season, but getting back there against Philadelphia after Monday’s 6-5 loss was important. The Cardinals could not afford to let the Phillies come into Busch Stadium and take the first two games of the series. They could not afford another night where a late push came up short. They needed to change the tone.They did.Pallante changed it first.Winn changed it next.Pereira added the insurance.O’Brien finished it with save No. 30.There are still concerns, of course. The offense did not exactly explode. The Cardinals again had to grind for every run. They left opportunities out there early against Sánchez. Ferguson’s eighth inning nearly turned into a disaster.But this time, the Cardinals survived those issues.That is the difference between Monday and Tuesday.Monday, the mistakes and missed chances added up to a one-run loss. Tuesday, the Cardinals played cleaner, pitched better and found the swings that changed the game.That matters.This series is not just another series. The Phillies are one of the teams the Cardinals are trying to chase. Every head-to-head game carries added weight. Winning Tuesday does not fix the standings by itself, but it keeps St. Louis from losing ground in the wrong way and gives the Cardinals a chance to take the series.That is all they could ask after Monday.Now they have it.For one night, the Cardinals got the start, the defense, the timely hit, the insurance homer and the closer at the end. That is a good baseball game. That is the kind of game that gives a team a chance to keep playing meaningful baseball.Pallante gave the Cardinals six zeros.Winn gave them the lead.Pereira gave them breathing room.O’Brien made it stand for his 30th save.The Cardinals beat the Phillies, 2-0, and evened the series at Busch Stadium. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; 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.comPhoto Credit: Riley O'Brien, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB

Pallante, Winn, Pereira Help Cardinals Blank Phillies, 2-0

The Cardinal Chronicle The Killer Bs:Turn Cardinals Farm System Into a Home Run Race St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurTwo Báezes, two levels and just three home runs separating the most prolific power hitters in the Cardinals minor league system.The St. Louis Cardinals have themselves a home run race down on the farm, and appropriately enough, it belongs to the Killer Bs.Joshua Báez and Jesús Báez have spent the 2026 season punishing minor league pitching at Triple-A Memphis and Double-A Springfield, respectively. With the season moving into its final stretch, only three home runs separate the two.Joshua Báez leads with 33. Jesús Báez is right behind him with 30.Different players. Different levels. Different offensive profiles.Same last name. Same organization. And a whole lot of baseballs disappearing over outfield walls.The Killer Bs by the NumbersJoshua Báez has played 101 games for Memphis, batting .254 with an .895 OPS, 22 doubles, three triples, 33 home runs and 87 RBI. He has also stolen 20 bases, reinforcing what has made his season so intriguing.This is not merely a big slugger running into home runs. This is a genuine power-speed season.Joshua Báez, AAA: 101 games, 33 home runs, 87 RBI, .254 average, .895 OPS, 20 stolen bases.Jesús Báez, AA: 89 games, 30 home runs, 80 RBI, .260 average, .866 OPS, six stolen bases.Jesús, meanwhile, has been every bit as dangerous at Springfield.Through 89 games, he is batting .260 with an .866 OPS, adding 16 doubles, 30 home runs and 80 RBI.And here is where the race becomes particularly interesting.Although Joshua owns the three-homer lead, Jesús has actually homered at a slightly faster rate.Joshua has hit one home run approximately every 12.2 at-bats.Jesús has gone deep approximately once every 11.9 at-bats.So this thing is not over.Not even close.Joshua’s March Toward 40Joshua Báez has already made 2026 his breakout season.Thirty-three home runs, 87 RBI and 20 stolen bases from a 23-year-old outfielder at Triple-A will get your attention.The power has always been part of the scouting report. The question was whether Báez could translate those considerable physical tools into consistent production as he climbed the organizational ladder.This season, he has answered that question emphatically.The strikeouts remain part of the profile — 133 in 402 at-bats — and they remain something he will have to manage against major league pitching. But when Báez connects, few players in the Cardinals organization can match the damage.He is now seven home runs away from 40.That is rare territory in any minor league season, and it gives every remaining Memphis game a little more meaning.Don’t Forget About JesúsThen there is the other Báez.Jesús may not have received quite the same attention nationally, but his 2026 season deserves plenty of it.Thirty home runs in only 89 games from a Double-A shortstop is eye-opening by itself.But perhaps the most encouraging number on his line is not the 30 home runs.It is 63 strikeouts in 358 at-bats.Compare that with Joshua’s 133 strikeouts in 402 at-bats, and you begin to see two very different offensive approaches producing remarkably similar power numbers.Jesús has combined his power with considerably more contact. His .260 average edges Joshua’s .254, while his .866 OPS trails Joshua’s .895 by only 29 points.And he is doing it while playing shortstop.That combination of position, power and contact makes Jesús one of the more intriguing position players in the Cardinals system.63 Home Runs — and CountingTogether, the Killer Bs have produced:63 home runs.167 RBI.142 runs scored.38 doubles.26 stolen bases.That is serious production from two players who entered the season at different stages of their development.And now they are racing each other.There is not a trophy waiting for whichever Báez finishes with the organizational home run crown. There will not be champagne sprayed in the clubhouse.But there is something worth appreciating here.For an organization that has spent considerable time rebuilding the depth and impact talent in its minor league system, two young hitters battling for the home run lead with more than 60 bombs between them is exactly the kind of development the Cardinals needed to see.Who Wins the Race?Joshua has the lead.Jesús has the slightly better home run pace.Joshua has the Triple-A experience and the 20 stolen bases.Jesús has the lower strikeout rate and is producing his power while playing in Double-A.Trying to pick a winner might be missing the point.The Cardinals already won this one.One Báez reaching 30 home runs would have represented an outstanding season.Having two of them do it — with enough baseball remaining for both to add substantially to those totals — is something else entirely.Joshua Báez and Jesús Báez.The Killer Bs.And for the final weeks of the minor league season, Cardinals fans have themselves a home run race worth following. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; 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

The Killer Bs:Turn Cardinals Farm System Into a Home Run Race

The Cardinal Chronicle Leahy Gets the Ball as Cardinals Look to Take Rubber Game From Phillies St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe Cardinals had to win Tuesday night to keep the series alive.Now they have a chance to make the week matter.St. Louis hosts the Philadelphia Phillies this afternoon at Busch Stadium in the final game of a three-game series, with the Cardinals looking to take the rubber game against one of the clubs still sitting in front of them in the National League Wild Card race.First pitch is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. CT, with right-hander Kyle Leahy getting the ball for the Cardinals against Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler.The Phillies enter the finale at 64-57, while the Cardinals come in at 60-60. Philadelphia took Monday’s opener 6-5. St. Louis answered Tuesday with a 2-0 win built on pitching, defense and just enough offense.That puts the series right where the Cardinals need it.One game.One chance to win the series.One chance to gain ground on a team they are chasing.Tuesday night was not loud, but it was exactly the kind of game St. Louis needed. Andre Pallante gave the Cardinals six shutout innings, matching Cristopher Sánchez pitch for pitch and keeping the game scoreless long enough for the offense to finally break through.Masyn Winn delivered the key swing in the seventh, lining a two-out RBI single to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. Everson Pereira added insurance in the eighth with a solo home run to center field, and that second run mattered because Philadelphia had already shown it could make the late innings uncomfortable.The biggest moment of the night may have belonged to Ryne Stanek.The Phillies loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth, putting the game in danger of flipping completely. Stanek came in and got Luis Arraez to hit into a force at the plate, then retired J.T. Realmuto on a deep fly ball to escape the inning without allowing a run.That was the game.Riley O’Brien followed with a clean ninth inning for his 30th save of the season, giving the Cardinals a much-needed shutout win and pulling them back to .500.Now Leahy gets the ball with a chance to build on it.Leahy enters at 8-4 with a 3.45 ERA, and he has been one of the steadier arms on a staff that has needed stability all season. He is not always overpowering, but when he is right, he throws strikes, gets ground balls and keeps the game moving.That is what the Cardinals need today.The Phillies have enough power to make any mistake expensive. Kyle Schwarber remains one of the league’s most dangerous home run threats. Bryce Harper gives Philadelphia another middle-order bat who can change a game with one swing. Trea Turner can pressure a defense with his legs and bat. Luis Arraez, Alec Bohm, Brandon Marsh, J.T. Realmuto and the rest of the lineup give the Phillies enough depth to make a pitcher work from the first inning.Leahy cannot give them free traffic.No leadoff walks. No extra baserunners in front of Schwarber or Harper. No long innings that force the Cardinals into their bullpen early. The path for Leahy is simple, even if the assignment is not easy.Throw strikes.Get early contact.Keep the ball in the yard.Make Philadelphia earn everything.On the other side, the Cardinals get Wheeler, who enters at 10-3 with a 2.69 ERA and 132 strikeouts. That is a difficult assignment, and there is no point pretending otherwise. Wheeler remains one of the better right-handed starters in the league, with the kind of stuff and command that can make a lineup feel rushed.The Cardinals cannot let him cruise.Against Wheeler, St. Louis has to be disciplined without being passive. Make him throw strikes. Do not chase the breaking ball out of the zone. Extend at-bats where possible. Get traffic when the opportunity is there. And when he makes a mistake, the Cardinals have to be ready to do damage.That is easier said than done, but this is August baseball.The schedule is not supposed to get easier.The Cardinals need the top of the order to set the tone. JJ Wetherholt has to keep putting pressure on opposing pitchers. Iván Herrera remains one of the club’s most important bats. Alec Burleson continues to give St. Louis steady production. Jordan Walker is still the biggest power presence in the lineup. Winn, Pereira, Nathan Church, Blaze Jordan, Jimmy Crooks, José Fermín and the rest of the group have to make sure the Cardinals are not relying on one swing from one spot.Tuesday’s win was encouraging because St. Louis found a way to win a tight game.But the Cardinals cannot count on two runs being enough again.They need better offensive pressure today. They need runners on base. They need productive outs. They need to force Wheeler to work from the stretch and make Philadelphia’s bullpen cover important innings.The standings make this one bigger than a normal series finale.The Phillies are directly ahead of the Cardinals in the Wild Card picture. Taking two of three from Philadelphia would not solve everything, but it would help St. Louis in the most direct way possible. It would give the Cardinals a series win over a team they are chasing and send them into the next stretch with a little more footing.Lose, and the Phillies leave town with the series.Win, and the Cardinals are back above .500 with a meaningful head-to-head series in their pocket.That matters.The Cardinals have spent too much of the season circling the .500 mark. They get there, fall back, climb again, and restart the same conversation. At some point, they have to stop visiting even and start moving past it.Today is another chance.Leahy gets the ball.Wheeler stands in the way.The series is tied.The Cardinals need to go take it.Game Info Matchup: Philadelphia Phillies at St. Louis Cardinals When: Wednesday, August 12, 2026 First Pitch: 1:15 p.m. CT Where: Busch Stadium, St. Louis Probable Pitchers: RHP Zack Wheeler vs. RHP Kyle Leahy Wheeler: 10-3, 2.69 ERA, 132 SO Leahy: 8-4, 3.45 ERA Records: Phillies 64-57; Cardinals 60-60 Broadcast: Cardinals.TV / NBC Sports Philadelphia Radio: KMOX

Leahy Gets the Ball to Take the Rubber Game From Phillies

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Matthew Miura Reaches Six Times for Palm Beach St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurMatthew Miura had the kind of day that fills every corner of the box score.Miura is the Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day after going 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, two runs scored, three walks and two stolen bases in Palm Beach’s 9-7 win over Daytona.His final line: 3-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 SBThat is a full day’s work.Three hits. Three walks. Two stolen bases. Two RBIs. Two runs scored.Miura reached base six times, added his sixth double of the season and stole his 13th and 14th bases. He did not just get on base — he kept creating pressure once he got there.Palm Beach needed all of it.The Cardinals trailed early, answered with four runs in the fourth, added two more in the fifth, and then pushed across three runs in the ninth to finish off the 9-7 win. Miura was right in the middle of that offensive effort, giving Palm Beach traffic, production and speed in a game that never really settled down.This is what makes Miura’s line stand out.It was not just a three-hit game. It was a complete offensive game.He reached base every time he came to the plate. He drove in runs. He scored runs. He stole bases. He doubled. He forced Daytona to deal with him all afternoon.Ryan Mitchell also homered for Palm Beach, his 10th of the season. Miguel Hernández doubled, drove in a run, walked three times and stole a base. Sebastian Dos Santos had two hits and an RBI, while Yairo Padilla added two hits and drove in a run.But the best individual line belonged to Miura.There are days when power gets the headline. There are days when one swing changes the game.This was different.This was a player controlling the game one plate appearance at a time.Miura did not make an out. He reached base six times. He ran. He produced. He helped Palm Beach win a game that required every run the Cardinals could find.That earns the spotlight.Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Matthew Miura, CF, Palm Beach Cardinals Final Line: 3-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 SB The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; 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.comPhoto Credit: Matthew Miura, Palm Beach Cardinals | MLB

Matthw Miura; MiLB Player of the Day

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day: Cooper Hjerpe Sets Tone in Memphis Shutout St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurCooper Hjerpe did exactly what Memphis needed Tuesday night.He set the tone.Hjerpe, who was recently promoted from the Springfield Cardinals, is the Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day after working four scoreless innings in the Redbirds’ 6-0 win over Durham. He allowed just one hit, walked two and struck out five, giving Memphis a clean start on a night when the pitching staff owned the story.His final line: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 KThat is a strong day’s work.Hjerpe did not work deep enough to qualify for a traditional win, but this was still the kind of outing that gives a club control of the game. He kept Durham off the board, missed bats, limited contact and handed the ball to the bullpen with Memphis in position to finish the job.The bullpen did exactly that.Jared Shuster, Matt Svanson, Austin Love and Skylar Hales combined to cover the final five innings, helping Memphis finish a four-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts as a staff.That is how you close the door.The Redbirds’ offense gave the pitching staff room to work. Memphis scored three runs in the fifth, two more in the sixth and added one in the ninth to finish off the 6-0 win.Noah Mendlinger had three hits, including two doubles, and drove in two. Colton Ledbetter hit his eighth home run of the season. Thomas Saggese doubled and drove in two runs. Joshua Báez added two hits and stole two bases. But the pitching headline belonged to Hjerpe.Four scoreless innings. One hit allowed. Five strikeouts. A shutout win.That is the kind of start that does not always dominate the box score, but it shapes the entire night. Hjerpe gave Memphis the first clean four innings, and the bullpen followed his lead.The Redbirds have now won two straight, and Tuesday’s win was built the right way: score first, pitch clean, defend the lead and finish the shutout.Hjerpe got it started.That earns the spotlight.Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day: Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, Memphis Redbirds Final Line: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; 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.comPhoto Credit: Cooper Hjerpe, Memphis Redbirds | MLB

MiLP Pitcher of the Day: Cooper Hjerpe

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The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle is dedicated to preserving Cardinals history, covering today’s game, and following the next generation through the minor leagues. Written in the tradition of the old beat writers, it’s baseball with perspective — steady, faithful, and rooted in a lifelong love for the game.

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle, Ray Mileur

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Matthw Miura; MiLB Player of the Day

MiLP Pitcher of the Day: Cooper Hjerpe