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The Cardinal Chronicle Cardinals Survive Father’s Day Slugfest, Beat Royals 12-10 St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe St. Louis Cardinals needed a win Sunday afternoon in Kansas City.They got one.It just took 12 runs, 16 hits, four home runs, seven relievers, and maybe a few extra Father’s Day prayers to drag it across the finish line.After dropping the first two games of the I-70 series, the Cardinals avoided the sweep with a wild 12-10 win over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. It was not clean. It was not comfortable. It was not the kind of game a manager draws up before first pitch.But after the past few days, style points were not the issue.Survival was.The Cardinals came out swinging like a team tired of being pushed around in Kansas City. JJ Wetherholt opened the game with a leadoff home run to right-center field, setting the tone immediately. Iván Herrera reached, Alec Burleson worked a walk, and Lars Nootbaar followed with an RBI double to center to make it 2-0.Then Masyn Winn delivered the biggest swing of the first inning, launching a three-run homer to left field. Before the Royals had even taken their first at-bat, the Cardinals had a 5-0 lead.That should have felt safe.It did not.Kansas City answered in the bottom half against Dustin May, with Michael Massey driving in two runs on a single to right. The Royals had already shown during the series that they were not going to go quietly, and Sunday quickly turned into another reminder that no lead at Kauffman Stadium was going to be treated as secure.The Cardinals kept swinging in the second.Nathan Church reached, and Wetherholt came back up and did it again, hammering his second home run of the afternoon, a two-run shot to left. It was his 12th homer of the season and gave St. Louis a 7-2 lead.Burleson followed later in the inning with an RBI triple, scoring Herrera, and Winn added an infield single to bring Burleson home. By the middle of the second inning, the Cardinals had put nine runs on the board.Nine runs in two innings.On most days, that should be enough to turn a game into a laugher.This was not most days.The Royals punched back in the bottom of the second. Nick Loftin hit a two-run homer to left-center, and Jac Caglianone followed with a two-run homer of his own to right-center. In the span of a few swings, a 9-2 Cardinals lead had been trimmed to 9-6.May’s day ended after just two innings. He allowed six runs on six hits, walked one and struck out two. After his complete-game shutout against San Diego earlier in the week, this was a hard turn in the other direction.That is baseball. One start you look like the staff ace. The next, you are handing the ball over after two innings in a seven-run game that suddenly feels like a coin flip.From there, the Cardinals had to turn the game over to the bullpen much earlier than planned.Max Rajcic was first out of the pen. Matt Svanson followed. Gordon Graceffo came next. JoJo Romero, Ryan Stanek, George Soriano and Riley O’Brien would all be needed before the day was done.That is seven relievers in a nine-inning game.That usually means something has gone sideways.And plenty did.Kansas City crept closer in the fourth when Salvador Perez singled home Carter Jensen to make it 9-7. The Royals had all the momentum, and the Cardinals badly needed someone to change the temperature again.Herrera did exactly that in the fifth.After Church walked and Wetherholt singled, Herrera drove a three-run home run to left-center field. It was his 10th homer of the season and pushed the Cardinals’ lead back to 12-7.That swing mattered.Not just because it gave St. Louis breathing room, but because the Cardinals needed a response before the game completely slipped into chaos. Herrera provided it.He finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a home run and three RBIs. Wetherholt was just as important, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored, two home runs and three RBIs. Burleson added three hits, including a triple, and scored twice. Winn finished with two hits and four RBIs. Nootbaar had two hits and drove in a run.That is a lot of offense.The Cardinals needed every bit of it.Kansas City got a solo homer from Jensen in the sixth to make it 12-8, and the late innings became less about adding on and more about simply getting to the finish line. Stanek and Soriano helped steady things for a while, but the ninth inning still turned into one last uncomfortable ride.Caglianone homered again in the ninth, his second of the game, cutting the Cardinals’ lead to 12-9. The Royals kept applying pressure, and another run crossed to make it 12-10. Suddenly, what had once been a 9-2 lead and later a 12-7 lead was down to two runs.The Cardinals were not cruising.They were hanging on.And this time, they hung on long enough.The final line was loud enough to tell the story: Cardinals 12 runs, 16 hits, one error; Royals 10 runs, 12 hits, no errors.This was not a pitching clinic. It was a slugfest. It was an inning-by-inning tug-of-war. It was a Father’s Day game that started like a party, turned into a bullpen marathon, and ended with St. Louis finally getting the one thing it needed most.A win.The offensive highlights were everywhere for the Cardinals.Wetherholt’s two-homer game gave St. Louis the spark from the top of the order. Herrera’s three-run homer restored control when Kansas City had cut the lead to two. Winn’s three-run shot in the first inning helped build the early cushion, and his infield single in the second gave him four RBIs on the day. Burleson continued to look like one of the steadiest bats on the roster, collecting three more hits and driving in a run. Nootbaar added the early RBI double, and Church reached base and scored twice.Even Jordan Walker, who went hitless, made a run-saving defensive play with a homer-robbing catch in right field. On a day when every run mattered, that play deserves a line in the story.Because every run really did matter.For Kansas City, Caglianone was the problem the Cardinals could not completely solve. He homered twice, drove in three and scored three runs. Jensen also homered, reached multiple times and scored three runs. Massey had three hits and drove in two. Loftin added a two-run homer. The Royals kept coming, and for most of the afternoon, it felt like the Cardinals were trying to put out one fire only to see another one flare up.That is why this one should not be mistaken for a clean bounce-back game.It was a necessary bounce-back game.There is a difference.The Cardinals still have pitching questions. May’s short outing forced the bullpen into a long day. The relief corps did enough, but not without stress. St. Louis gave up 30 runs across the three-game series in Kansas City, and that is not something a team can just shrug off if it wants to remain serious in the National League race.But Sunday was also a reminder that this lineup can carry a game when it has to.The Cardinals had lost three straight. They had been outplayed badly on Thursday, came up short Friday, and had to sit through a rare Saturday off day with two losses hanging over them. A sweep at the hands of the Royals would have made for a long ride home and an even longer conversation.Instead, they salvaged the finale.It was messy.It was loud.It was probably harder than it needed to be.But it was a win, and after the way this series started, the Cardinals will take it. 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: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit - JJ Wetherholt, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB

Cards Survive Father’s Day Slugfest, Beat Royals 12-10

The Cardinal Chronicle Jacob Odle Named Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Week St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurJacob Odle gave the Cardinals’ system the kind of start that still jumps off the page.Six innings. No hits. No runs. Eight strikeouts.That is more than enough to earn The Cardinal Chronicle’s Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Week honors.Odle, pitching for High-A Peoria, worked 6.0 no-hit innings, allowing no runs while striking out eight. He did walk four, which kept the outing from being spotless, but the damage column told the real story. No hits allowed. No earned runs. No home runs. A 0.00 ERA and 0.67 WHIP for the week.That is a winning line by any standard.For Odle, the outing continued to show why his name has been climbing in the Cardinals’ pitching conversation. The swing-and-miss was there, the run prevention was there, and most importantly, he gave Peoria six innings of complete control on the scoreboard.The walks are worth noting, because command always matters. But when a pitcher works six no-hit innings and punches out eight, the headline writes itself. Odle made hitters earn everything, and they never found a hit.That kind of performance does not happen by accident. It takes stuff, execution and the ability to keep attacking without letting the moment get away.Odle did exactly that.In a system where pitching development remains one of the biggest long-term storylines, outings like this carry weight. High-A is a level where arms begin to separate themselves from projection alone. Odle did more than flash potential this week. He produced.The Cardinal Chronicle’s Pitcher of the Week honor goes to the arm that delivered the most dominant performance, and Odle’s no-hit outing stood above the rest.The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Pitcher of the Week: Jacob Odle, High-A PeoriaWeekly Line: 6.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 8 K, 0 HR, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIPWhy He Was Chosen: Odle delivered six no-hit, scoreless innings while striking out eight. Even with four walks, he controlled the game, avoided hard damage and gave Peoria a dominant start.Old School Take: There is still something beautiful about a zero in the hit column. Walks can be cleaned up, and they will have to be, but when a pitcher gives you six no-hit innings and eight strikeouts, you tip your cap and move on. Odle earned this one the old-fashioned way — he did not let anybody touch him. 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: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Jacob Odle, Peoria Chiefs | Lighthouse Media

Jacob Odle Named Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Week

The Cardinal Chronicle Joshua Báez Named Cardinals Minor League Player of the Week St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurMEMPHIS, Tenn. — Some weeks make the decision easy.Joshua Báez did not just have a good week for Triple-A Memphis. He had the kind of week that turns heads across the entire organization.Báez is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Cardinals Minor League Player of the Week after a power-heavy stretch that included six home runs, 13 RBIs, eight runs scored and a 1.490 OPS over six games for the Memphis Redbirds.That is not a hot week. That is a full-blown eruption.Over the last seven days, Báez went 7-for-23 with a double, six home runs, 13 RBIs, two walks and only four strikeouts. His batting average for the week was .304, but the real story was the damage. When Báez made contact, he was not simply reaching base. He was changing the scoreboard.The centerpiece of the week was his historic four-homer game, a performance that immediately became one of the standout individual games in the Cardinals’ minor-league season. But this honor is not built on one night alone. Báez backed it up with production throughout the week, continuing to show the kind of raw power that has made him one of the more closely watched bats in the system.For a player often discussed through the lens of swing-and-miss concerns, this week deserves a closer look.Báez struck out only four times in 23 at-bats while hitting six home runs. That is the part that matters. The power has never been in question. The question has always been how often he can get to it in games. This week, he got to it often, and he did it without the strikeout totals overwhelming the production.That is development.At Triple-A, production should mean something. Báez is not doing this in the lower levels against inexperienced pitching. He is doing it one step from the major leagues, against arms with command, sequencing and experience. That does not mean a promotion has to happen tomorrow, but it does mean the performance should not be brushed aside.There is still work to do. There always is. But there is also a point where production earns attention, and Báez has reached that point.The Cardinals have a power-hitting center fielder in Memphis who just put together one of the loudest weeks in the system. Six home runs and 13 RBIs in six games will do that.The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Player of the Week: Joshua Báez, CF, Memphis RedbirdsWeekly Line: 6 G, 23 AB, 8 R, 7 H, 1 2B, 6 HR, 13 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K, .304 AVG, 1.490 OPSWhy He Was Chosen: Báez delivered the most impactful offensive week in the Cardinals’ minor-league system, combining elite power production with improved contact results. His six home runs and 13 RBIs made him the clear choice.Old School Take: At some point, the ball has to leave the yard. Báez did that six times in one week. You can talk approach, chase rate and swing decisions, and all of that has its place. But when a hitter drives in 13 runs and posts a 1.490 OPS at Triple-A, the report writes itself. 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: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Joshua Baez, Memphis Redbirds | MLB

Joshua Báez Named Cardinals MiLB Player of the Week

The Cardinal Chronicle Cardinals Open Four-Game Set Against Diamondbacks Looking to Build Off Slugfest Win St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe Cardinals come back to Busch Stadium with the kind of win a club would rather build on than explain away.After salvaging the final game of the I-70 Series with a 12-10 win over Kansas City, St. Louis opens a four-game series Monday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Busch Stadium. It is the start of another important home stretch for a Cardinals club trying to keep its footing in the National League race while continuing to sort through the same questions that have followed them all season.The offense can carry them on plenty of nights.The pitching still has to hold up.That was the story Sunday in Kansas City. JJ Wetherholt powered the Cardinals with two home runs, Masyn Winn added a three-run homer, and St. Louis built enough of a cushion to survive a late Royals push. It was not clean baseball. It was not stress-free baseball. But it was a win, and after dropping the first two games of the series, it was one the Cardinals badly needed.Now Arizona comes to town.The Diamondbacks enter the series at 39-38, while the Cardinals come in at 41-34. Both clubs are trying to stay relevant in crowded National League playoff traffic, and both have enough flaws to make this four-game set feel bigger than a routine late-June matchup. Arizona arrives after dropping two straight to Minnesota, while St. Louis is trying to turn Sunday’s offensive outburst into something steadier at home.The Cardinals are still second in the National League Central, still chasing Milwaukee, and still trying to prove they are more than a club hanging around the edges of contention. They have played themselves into meaningful baseball, but meaningful baseball does not reward careless innings. If they want to remain in the race, series like this need to be handled with some urgency.Monday’s opener gives St. Louis one of its better current rotation stories.Andre Pallante gets the ball in Game 1, entering at 8-4 with a 3.76 ERA. Pallante has been one of the more important arms on the staff, not because every outing is built for a highlight reel, but because he has given the Cardinals competitive innings and a chance to win. His job Monday is straightforward: work ahead, keep the ball on the ground when he needs it, and avoid letting Arizona stack traffic ahead of its impact bats.The Diamondbacks counter with veteran right-hander Merrill Kelly, who enters at 5-6 with a 5.81 ERA. Kelly has enough experience to navigate a lineup if hitters get impatient, but the Cardinals should make him work. St. Louis has several bats swinging with confidence, and the best way to keep that going is not to chase early-count pitcher’s pitches. Get him in the zone. Get traffic. Then let the middle of the order do damage.Tuesday brings Kyle Leahy to the mound for St. Louis against left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez. Leahy enters at 5-4 with a 4.63 ERA, while Rodriguez comes in at 6-2 with a 2.45 ERA. That is a tougher matchup on paper, and it puts more pressure on Leahy to give the Cardinals length and keep the game from turning into a bullpen chase. Rodriguez has been one of Arizona’s better starters, so St. Louis may need to win that game by doing the little things well — baserunners, situational hitting, clean defense and no wasted scoring chances.Wednesday is scheduled for Matthew Liberatore on the Cardinals’ side. Arizona had not finalized its starter on the latest probable-pitcher listing, and that may be connected to the Diamondbacks’ recent rotation issues. Michael Soroka had been in the Arizona mix, but he landed on the injured list after leaving his last outing with a glute strain, further thinning a rotation already dealing with injuries. For the Cardinals, that uncertainty should not change the approach. Liberatore has to attack the zone and give St. Louis a real start, not a survival act.Thursday’s finale is expected to bring Michael McGreevy against Zac Gallen. McGreevy enters at 3-6 with a 3.35 ERA, while Gallen comes in at 3-6 with a 6.10 ERA. Gallen’s season numbers may not look like his usual standard, but the Cardinals know better than to treat him casually. He is still a talented right-hander, still capable of finding rhythm, and still a pitcher with enough track record to make a lineup pay for lazy at-bats.For St. Louis, the offensive story continues to begin with the young core.Wetherholt’s two-homer game Sunday was the kind of performance that grabs attention, but it was not a sudden arrival out of nowhere. He has been giving the Cardinals quality at-bats, defensive value and top-of-the-order spark. When he is getting on base or driving the baseball, this lineup looks longer and faster.Jordan Walker remains the most dangerous middle-order power bat on the club. He enters the series with 18 home runs, 58 RBIs and a season that continues to show real growth from promise into production. Walker has become the hitter opponents have to plan around, and that is exactly what the Cardinals need him to be.Alec Burleson gives St. Louis one of its steadier left-handed bats, and Iván Herrera continues to provide on-base value and lineup length. Masyn Winn’s glove remains central to the club’s identity, but his bat has also given the Cardinals important moments. His three-run homer Sunday was another reminder that he is not just a defensive highlight waiting to happen.The Cardinals are also still working through how the roster fits around the young bats. Blaze Jordan, Jimmy Crooks, Nathan Church and others are part of a larger picture that has made this season more interesting. The Cardinals are not simply waiting on the future anymore. They are asking the future to help win games now.That can be exciting.It can also be messy.The Diamondbacks bring their own problems to solve. Corbin Carroll remains one of the most dangerous players in the National League because of the way he combines speed, power and pressure. Ketel Marte gives Arizona a run-producing veteran presence in the middle of the order. If the Cardinals let Carroll and Marte hit with men on base, they can turn a normal inning into a crooked number quickly.Arizona’s lineup has not always been consistent, but it is athletic and dangerous enough to punish mistakes. The Cardinals’ pitchers cannot afford to fall behind, especially with a bullpen that has had its share of high-stress nights. Free passes, missed locations and extra outs are exactly how a four-game series can get away from a club at home.That is why the starting pitching matters so much this week.Pallante, Leahy, Liberatore and McGreevy do not all have to be perfect. But they need to give the Cardinals competitive innings. They need to keep the bullpen from being asked to cover too much. They need to avoid the blow-up inning that turns a winnable game into a chase. The Cardinals’ offense has shown it can score, but asking the lineup to win 12-10 every few nights is no way to live.That is fun once.It is exhausting as a plan.The Cardinals have enough offense to win this series. They have enough young energy to put pressure on Arizona. They have enough home-field opportunity to make this four-game set a useful step forward.But the same truth remains.The standings are built on wins and losses, not style points. If the Cardinals want to keep calling themselves contenders, they need to win series like this at Busch Stadium. Not because Arizona is easy. The Diamondbacks are not. But because playoff-caliber teams find ways to handle important home series against clubs sitting in the same general neighborhood of the National League race.The Cardinals got their offense rolling Sunday.Now they need the pitching and defense to meet it at the door.Four games. A dangerous opponent. A chance to strengthen their position before the calendar turns closer to July.That is enough meat on the bone.Series Info Matchup: Arizona Diamondbacks at St. Louis Cardinals Dates: Monday, June 22 through Thursday, June 25, 2026 Venue: Busch Stadium, St. Louis Broadcast: Cardinals.TV / KMOX / WIJRMonday, June 22 First Pitch: 6:45 p.m. CT Probable Pitchers: RHP Merrill Kelly vs. RHP Andre Pallante Kelly: 5-6, 5.81 ERA, 42 SO Pallante: 8-4, 3.76 ERA, 62 SOTuesday, June 23 First Pitch: 6:45 p.m. CT Probable Pitchers: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez vs. RHP Kyle Leahy Rodriguez: 6-2, 2.45 ERA, 65 SO Leahy: 5-4, 4.63 ERA, 59 SOWednesday, June 24 First Pitch: 6:45 p.m. CT Probable Pitchers: Arizona TBA vs. LHP Matthew Liberatore Liberatore: 3-4, 5.23 ERA, 67 SOThursday, June 25 First Pitch: 6:45 p.m. CT Probable Pitchers: RHP Zac Gallen vs. RHP Michael McGreevy Gallen: 3-6, 6.10 ERA, 52 SO McGreevy: 3-6, 3.35 ERA, 53 SO 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: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>.

Cardinals Looking to Build Off Slugfest Win vs Arizona Diamondbacks

The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Player of the Day: Ryan Mitchell St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurRyan Mitchell gave Palm Beach the swing it needed Sunday.Then he gave the Cardinals another one.Mitchell is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Minor League Player of the Day after driving in five runs in Palm Beach’s 7-4 win over Jupiter in game one of Sunday’s doubleheader at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.It was the biggest run-production line of the day in the Cardinals’ full-season system.Mitchell came through in the fifth inning with a two-run single, helping Palm Beach stretch its lead and take control of the game. Then, in the seventh, he delivered the big blow, launching a three-run home run to right-center field.That swing pushed Palm Beach’s lead to 7-0 and gave the Cardinals the cushion they needed when Jupiter tried to rally late.That is why the home run mattered.It was not empty damage. It gave Palm Beach breathing room, and the Cardinals ended up needing every bit of it before closing out the 7-4 win.Mitchell finished with five RBIs in the opener, carrying the middle of the Palm Beach lineup and helping the Cardinals secure the win that also gave them the series victory over Jupiter.There were other strong offensive notes across the system.Joshua Báez hit another three-run home run for Memphis in the Redbirds’ championship-clinching win over Nashville. Bligh Madris added a first-inning solo homer in that same game. Jon Jon Gazdar led off Springfield’s win with a home run, helping the Cardinals take control early against Wichita.But Mitchell had the biggest run-production game.Five RBIs.A two-run single.A three-run homer.A win that helped Palm Beach take the series.That earns the honor.For a young hitter, those are the kinds of games that stand out. It is one thing to collect hits. It is another to drive in runs in the moments where the game is still being decided.Mitchell did that Sunday.Old School TakeRun production still matters.Ryan Mitchell drove in five runs, gave Palm Beach separation, and helped the Cardinals win the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader.A two-run single.A three-run homer.A series-clinching win.That is a strong day at the plate.That is why Ryan Mitchell is The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Player of the Day. 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: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Ryan Mitchell, Palm Beach Cardinals | MLB

MiLB Player of the Day: Ryan Mitchell

The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Pitcher of the Day: Mason Molina St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurMason Molina gave Springfield the kind of start that settles a ballclub.Molina is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Minor League Pitcher of the Day after working 6.2 innings in the Cardinals’ 5-2 win over the Wichita Wind Surge on Sunday afternoon at Equity Bank Park.It was the best pitching line of the day in the Cardinals’ full-season system.Molina allowed one unearned run on three hits, did not walk a batter and struck out five. He became the first Springfield starter this season to pitch into the seventh inning, giving the Cardinals the length, efficiency and control they needed to close out a road series win.That is a starter doing more than filling innings.That is a starter taking charge of the game.Springfield gave Molina an early lead when Jon Jon Gazdar opened the game with a leadoff home run. Wichita answered later, but Molina never let the game get away. He worked around what little traffic the Wind Surge created, kept the ball in the strike zone, and forced Wichita to earn everything.The key number may not be the strikeouts.It may be the walks.Zero.For a pitcher with bat-missing ability, that is the kind of line that gets attention. Molina did not beat himself. He attacked the zone, trusted his stuff, and gave Springfield a chance to play from in front.The Cardinals backed him in the fifth inning with two-out RBI doubles from Ryan Campos and Miguel Ugueto, taking the lead for good. From there, Molina kept the game under control and handed the bullpen a lead it could finish.Victor Clemente closed it out, and Springfield took the series four games to two.That matters.The Cardinals had been through a week filled with tight games, late swings and plenty of stress. On Sunday, Molina gave them something cleaner. He gave them length. He gave them strikes. He gave them stability.Quinn Mathews deserves mention after allowing one run on one hit over four innings for Memphis in the Redbirds’ championship-clinching win over Nashville. Ryan Fernandez also deserves mention after throwing a perfect fifth inning in his second MLB rehab appearance.But Molina had the deepest and cleanest start of the day.6.2 innings.Three hits.One unearned run.No walks.Five strikeouts.That earns the honor.Old School TakeThere is still nothing better for a club than a starter who gives you real length and does not give away free bases.Mason Molina did that Sunday.He pitched into the seventh inning, walked nobody, and helped Springfield finish off a road series win.That is pitching.That is control.That is why Mason Molina is The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Pitcher of the Day. 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: <a data-mce-href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com" title="www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Mason Molina, Springfield Cardinals | MLB

MiLB Pitcher of the Day: Mason Molina

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle 

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

The Cardinal Notebook

Cards Survive Father’s Day Slugfest, Beat Royals 12-10

Jacob Odle Named Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Week

Joshua Báez Named Cardinals MiLB Player of the Week

Cardinals Looking to Build Off Slugfest Win vs Arizona Di...

MiLB Player of the Day: Ryan Mitchell

MiLB Pitcher of the Day: Mason Molina