Blog

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Farm Report: Wednesday Had Everything, Literally Everything St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurWednesday was a loud night across the Cardinals’ full-season affiliates, even with Memphis not having a completed box score posted in the MiLB Today report.The three completed affiliates went 3-0, and there was plenty to like.Springfield won its sixth straight and remained alone in first place in the Texas League North. Peoria scored 10 runs and got another monster game from Jack Gurevitch. Palm Beach turned the box score into batting practice, pounding out 29 hits in a 19-5 win at Fort Myers.The top offensive performance belonged to Gurevitch, while Blake Aita earned Pitcher of the Day honors after giving Springfield six innings with eight strikeouts.Memphis Redbirds — Triple-A Overall Record: 58-45 Second Half: 11-17, 9th in the International League West, 6.5 GB Streak: L1Postponed RainThe game will be made up today.The Redbirds remain in a tough second-half spot, sitting 11-17, 6.5 games behind Indianapolis in the International League West. Memphis still owns a strong overall record at 58-45, but the second half continues to be a grind.Takeaway: The game was postponed due to rain, but the standings show Memphis still looking for traction in the second-half race and it's hard to get traction on a wet field.Springfield Cardinals — Double-A Overall Record: 50-47 Second Half: 19-10, 1st in the Texas League North Streak: W6Springfield 7, Wichita 4Springfield just keeps rolling.The Cardinals beat Wichita, 7-4, at Route 66 Stadium, winning their sixth straight and staying alone in first place in the Texas League North second-half standings.The offense came from the middle of the order, and Rainiel Rodriguez had the biggest night. Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with two home runs, three RBIs and two runs scored, pushing his season home run total to 11 and lifting his OPS to .856.Deniel Ortiz also went deep, hitting his second home run of the season and driving in two. Dakota Harris doubled and drove in two, while Ryan Campos doubled and scored. Zach Levenson stayed hot after his three-homer game, collecting two doubles and scoring a run.On the mound, Blake Aita gave Springfield six innings. His final line was not spotless, but he gave the Cardinals length and swing-and-miss: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 8 K. After Aita, Hunter Hayes threw two scoreless innings, and Randel Clemente finished it with a scoreless ninth and two strikeouts.Takeaway: Springfield is the hottest affiliate in the system. Six straight wins, first place, and another night where the lineup and bullpen finished the job.Peoria Chiefs — High-A Overall Record: 47-50 Second Half: 15-16, 5th in the Midwest League West, 5.5 GB Streak: W2Peoria 10, Cedar Rapids 6Peoria’s offense stayed hot in a 10-6 win over Cedar Rapids, and Jack Gurevitch was right in the middle of it again.Gurevitch went 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double, four RBIs, three runs scored and a walk, earning Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day honors. He now has 16 home runs, 38 RBIs, a .309 average and a .951 OPS.That is a loud line.Peoria hit five home runs as a team. Josh Kross hit his 12th homer and drove in two. José Suárez hit his 10th. Cameron Nickens hit his fourth and drove in two. Tai Peete went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI, while Michael Dattalo added two hits, including a double.The Chiefs fell behind 4-1 after four innings, then started climbing back. They scored one in the fifth, three in the sixth, two in the seventh and three more in the eighth to take control.On the mound, Yhoiker Fajardo had a rougher outing than his last start, allowing four runs over three innings. The bullpen stabilized things enough for the offense to take over. Rubén Menes allowed one run over 3.1 innings, Trey Pooser allowed one run over 1.1 innings, and Christian Worley stranded inherited trouble while throwing 1.1 scoreless innings to finish it.Takeaway: Peoria has won two straight, and the bats are carrying real thunder right now. Gurevitch is on another tear.Palm Beach Cardinals — Low-A Overall Record: 50-47 Second Half: 17-14, 2nd in the Florida State League East, 1.5 GB Streak: W1Palm Beach 19, Fort Myers 5Palm Beach did not hit a home run Wednesday night, but the Cardinals still scored 19 runs.That tells you everything you need to know about the hit parade.Palm Beach finished with 29 hits, including eight doubles and a triple, in a 19-5 win over Fort Myers. Every starter had at least one hit, and several had monster nights.Johnfrank Salazar went 5-for-5 with a double, four runs scored and two RBIs. Sebastian Dos Santos went 4-for-6 with a double, three RBIs, a run scored and a walk. Yairo Padilla went 3-for-6 with a triple, four RBIs, a run scored and a walk.Jonathan Mejía added three hits and four RBIs. J.P. Cabrera went 4-for-6 with a double, three runs scored and two RBIs. Ryan Mitchell, Yordalin Peña and Miguel Hernández each had three hits, with Peña adding two doubles and three runs scored.That is not a box score. That is a traffic jam.On the mound, Palm Beach pitchers struck out 19 Fort Myers hitters. Brian Holiday struck out nine over four innings, allowing three runs. Joseph King struck out four over 1.2 innings. Zeke Wood closed the night by striking out all three batters he faced in a clean ninth.Takeaway: Palm Beach put together one of the wildest offensive nights of the season. Nineteen runs, 29 hits, no homers, and 19 strikeouts from the pitching staff.Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day Jack Gurevitch, 1B, Peoria ChiefsGurevitch earns the honor after another huge night for Peoria.His final line: 3-for-4, 2 HR, 2B, 4 RBI, 3 R, BBHe reached base four times, hit two home runs, drove in four, and helped Peoria score 10 runs in a road win at Cedar Rapids.Gurevitch now has 16 home runs and a .951 OPS.Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day Blake Aita, RHP, Springfield CardinalsAita gets the nod after giving Springfield six innings in its 7-4 win over Wichita.His final line: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 8 KThe four earned runs keep it from being a clean line, but the strikeouts and length mattered. Aita gave Springfield six innings, missed bats, and kept the Cardinals in position to win their sixth straight.The Final Word Wednesday had a little bit of everything.Springfield kept rolling and remains the top team story in the system. Peoria’s offense continued to heat up behind another big night from Jack Gurevitch. Palm Beach turned in a ridiculous 29-hit performance and scored 19 runs without a home run.Memphis did not have a completed box score posted in the report, but the three affiliates that did play all won.The Cardinals’ system went 3-0 in completed games, and the bats were loud all over the place. 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: Rainel Rodriguez, Springfield Cardinals | MiLB

Farm Report: Wednesday Had Everything, Literally Everything

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Cubs Maul Cardinals at Busch St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThere is no soft way to write this one.The St. Louis Cardinals were beaten early, beaten often, and beaten badly Tuesday night at Busch Stadium.The Chicago Cubs routed the Cardinals, 10-2, jumping on Michael McGreevy in the first two innings and turning the second game of the four-game series into a one-sided affair before St. Louis ever had much of a chance to respond.For the Cardinals, this was not simply a loss.This was another ugly reminder of where things stand.The Cubs came into Busch Stadium needing to keep pressure on in the National League Central and Wild Card picture. The Cardinals came in needing to prove they could still fight back in a series that matters.Only one team looked ready for that assignment.Chicago scored two runs in the first inning, five more in the second, and never looked back.McGreevy did not have it from the start.The trouble began quickly when Seiya Suzuki and Alex Bregman reached ahead of Ian Happ, who delivered a two-run double to right field. Just like that, the Cubs led 2-0 before the Cardinals had taken a swing.That was only the beginning.In the second inning, the game came apart completely.Michael Conforto reached, Carson Kelly followed, and Pete Crow-Armstrong lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to make it 3-0. Suzuki then doubled to left, scoring Kelly and pushing the Cubs’ lead to 4-0.Michael Busch followed with an RBI single to right, making it 5-0.The Cardinals still could not stop the inning.After Bregman and Happ kept the pressure on, Nico Hoerner came through with a two-run single to right field, scoring Busch and Bregman and stretching the Chicago lead to 7-0.By then, the night was already buried.McGreevy’s final line told the story: 1.2 innings, eight hits, seven earned runs, two walks and two strikeouts. He threw 63 pitches, 40 for strikes, but the Cubs squared him up all over the field.For a pitcher who has been one of the more reliable stories in the Cardinals’ rotation this season, this was a hard crash back to earth.Gordon Graceffo came on in relief and did what he could to get the Cardinals through the middle portion of the game. He gave St. Louis 2.1 innings, allowing one run while trying to keep the bullpen from being completely emptied with two more games still left in the series.That was about the only thing resembling damage control.The Cardinals’ offense, meanwhile, had very little answer for Colin Rea.St. Louis did not score until the fourth inning, when Nathan Church lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home the Cardinals’ first run. It cut the deficit to 7-1, but it never felt like the beginning of a comeback.It felt more like a small interruption in a game Chicago already controlled.The Cubs added another run in the fifth when Pedro Ramírez delivered an RBI infield single off Justin Bruihl, making it 8-1. Bruihl did settle things down from there, working two innings without further damage, but the Cardinals were still nowhere close.Peter Strzelecki took over later and gave up an RBI single to Suzuki in the eighth, pushing the Cubs’ lead to 9-1. In the ninth, Carson Kelly added another RBI single, making it 10-1.The Cardinals added their final run in the bottom of the ninth on Masyn Winn’s RBI double, but by then the game had long since been decided.Chicago had already done its work.The Cubs finished with 10 runs and 17 hits, attacking early counts, finding holes, driving the ball to all fields, and making the Cardinals pay for nearly every mistake. Suzuki, Happ, Busch, Hoerner and Kelly were all part of an offense that kept traffic on the bases from the start.The Cardinals had moments, but not many. Church’s sacrifice fly and Winn’s late double accounted for the scoring. There were a few scattered baserunners, but nothing sustained, nothing forceful, and nothing that put any real pressure on Chicago.That is the part that should bother the Cardinals as much as the pitching line.When a team falls behind 7-0, the offense has to show some kind of fight. It does not have to erase the whole deficit in one inning, but it has to make the other club work. It has to stretch at-bats, make pitchers uncomfortable, and at least give the dugout a reason to believe the night is not over.The Cardinals never did enough of that.The Cubs took the opener Monday, 7-3.They took Tuesday’s game, 10-2.Through two games of this four-game series, Chicago has looked sharper, deeper, more aggressive, and more prepared. The Cardinals have looked like a team losing ground at the worst possible time.That is the bigger concern.Every team has bad nights. Every starter gets knocked around eventually. Every club has a game where the score gets crooked early and the rest of the night becomes survival.But this was not an isolated stumble.This came after the Cardinals let a 7-0 lead disappear in Arizona. It came after they dropped a winnable extra-inning game to Cincinnati. It came after Monday’s loss to the Cubs, when Chicago outplayed them from start to finish.Tuesday night only added to the pile.And with the trade deadline approaching, these games carry more weight than a normal late-July loss. The Cardinals are not playing in a vacuum. They are being evaluated by their front office, by the standings, and by the teams around them.If they want to be treated like a club worth supporting at the deadline, they have to start playing like one.Right now, that argument is getting harder to make.The Cardinals still have two games left in this series. That is the only good news. Baseball gives teams another day, another starter, another chance to change the tone.But the tone is bad right now.The Cubs have taken the first two games at Busch Stadium.The Cardinals have been outplayed in nearly every phase.And Tuesday night was as ugly as it gets.Cubs 10, Cardinals 2. 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: Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs | MLB

Cubs Maul Cardinals at Busch

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE May Takes the Ball as Cardinals Try to Stop the Bleeding St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe St. Louis Cardinals will try to stop a three-game losing streak tonight when they host the Chicago Cubs in the third game of their four-game series at Busch Stadium.First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. CT.Right-hander Dustin May will start for St. Louis against Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd. The game will be televised on Cardinals.TV and carried on KMOX and WIJR.Chicago enters at 61-46 after winning the first two games of the series. St. Louis has fallen to 53-54, dropping below .500 for the first time this season. The Cardinals have lost three straight, five of six on the homestand and nine of 12 since the All-Star break. (MLB.com)The Cubs have not simply beaten the Cardinals during the first two nights at Busch Stadium.They have overwhelmed them.Chicago collected 14 hits in Monday’s 7-3 victory and followed with 17 more in Tuesday night’s 10-2 rout. The Cubs have outscored St. Louis 17-5 during the series while producing 31 hits.The Cardinals entered the series holding a 4-2 advantage over Chicago this season. After two nights, the season series is tied at four games apiece.Whatever confidence St. Louis carried from its earlier success against the Cubs has disappeared quickly.Tuesday’s game was essentially over before many fans had settled into their seats.Michael McGreevy allowed two runs in the first inning and five more in the second. He was removed after recording only five outs, surrendering seven runs on eight hits and two walks in the shortest start of his Major League career.Chicago sent consistent pressure through the entire lineup. Ian Happ opened the scoring with a two-run single in the first. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner helped produce five more runs in the second.The Cubs did not hit a home run.They did not need one.They reached base, moved runners, delivered with two outs and kept forcing the Cardinals to record difficult outs. Chicago finished with 17 hits, including three each from Alex Bregman, Suzuki and Pedro Ramírez. (Field Level Media)Bregman has collected seven hits during the first two games of the series. The veteran third baseman has consistently placed himself in the middle of Chicago’s rallies, while Suzuki, Happ, Hoerner and Ramírez have made the lineup nearly impossible to navigate without traffic.The Cubs have recorded at least 12 hits in four consecutive games and have scored 35 runs during that stretch. Since June 11, Chicago has averaged 6.4 runs per game while going 27-12. (Field Level Media)That is the lineup May must slow tonight.May enters with a 5-7 record, a 4.59 ERA and 103 strikeouts.His last start offered some encouragement. May held Cincinnati to one run over six innings Friday night while striking out eight. He worked out of several difficult situations and looked more like the pitcher who threw a complete-game shutout against San Diego in June. (MLB.com)The Cardinals wasted that performance, managing only one hit and allowing the Reds to rally after May left the game.Tonight, they need May to be just as good — and preferably even better.The bullpen was forced to cover 7⅓ innings Tuesday after McGreevy’s early exit. Gordon Graceffo helped prevent the game from becoming even uglier, but the Cardinals still used several relievers in a game that had escaped them almost immediately.May must provide length.He cannot allow the Cubs to establish the same early rhythm they found against Matthew Liberatore on Monday and McGreevy on Tuesday. Chicago has scored in the first inning of both games and has forced St. Louis to play from behind almost from the opening pitch.May’s command will determine whether that pattern continues.When he keeps his sinker and breaking pitches down, he can generate ground balls and uncomfortable swings. When his pitches remain elevated or he falls behind in counts, opposing hitters have enough time to choose which part of the strike zone they want to attack.The Cubs are too disciplined and too hot to be given favorable counts.May must challenge hitters without becoming predictable. He needs to control Crow-Armstrong’s speed, keep Suzuki and Bregman from extending innings and avoid placing runners aboard ahead of Happ and Hoerner.This will be May’s first start against the Cubs since joining the Cardinals.On the other side, St. Louis faces one of Chicago’s hottest pitchers.Boyd is 6-1 with a 3.81 ERA and 55 strikeouts. He has not lost in his past 10 starts and has won six consecutive decisions. Over his past four outings, the left-hander has posted a 2.13 ERA. (MLB.com)Boyd has helped stabilize a Cubs rotation that has dealt with injuries throughout the season. Since July 4, Chicago’s starters have combined for a 3.07 ERA, with Boyd, Shota Imanaga, David Peterson and Javier Assad leading the way. (MLB.com)The Cardinals cannot approach Boyd as though patience alone will solve the problem.He throws strikes, changes speeds and understands how to disrupt timing. St. Louis must make him work, but hitters also need to be ready when he leaves a fastball or breaking pitch in a hittable location.Too often during this difficult stretch, the Cardinals have watched good pitches pass early in counts and then chased pitchers’ pitches after falling behind.That formula produces exactly what the Cardinals have produced lately: isolated baserunners, weak contact and very few sustained rallies.St. Louis scored only once through the first eight innings Tuesday.The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but their only run came on Nathan Church’s sacrifice fly. Masyn Winn added an RBI double in the ninth after the game had long been decided.Colin Rea held the Cardinals to one run on four hits over six innings. With a seven-run lead after two frames, he could attack the strike zone without fear.&nbsp;That is another reason the Cardinals must avoid falling behind tonight.An opposing pitcher’s job becomes much easier when he receives a large early lead. He can challenge hitters, avoid nibbling and trust that one mistake will not change the game.The Cardinals must force Boyd to pitch under pressure.JJ Wetherholt needs to reach base near the top of the lineup. Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson and Iván Herrera must provide damage in the middle. Lars Nootbaar and Winn need to extend innings rather than leaving the offense dependent upon one swing.St. Louis has scored only five runs in the series. Chicago has nearly matched that total in individual innings.That is not sustainable baseball.The Cardinals also need to stop giving opponents additional opportunities.Walks, wild pitches, defensive mistakes and poor situational at-bats have repeatedly turned manageable situations into damaging innings. Chicago is already hitting too well to require any assistance.There is a time for evaluating young players and learning from mistakes.There is also a time to win the baseball game in front of you.The Cardinals are no longer in a position to grade themselves solely on process, development or teaching moments. They are below .500, 2½ games behind Arizona for the final National League Wild Card position and surrounded by several clubs in the standings.&nbsp;The Aug. 3 trade deadline is approaching, and the direction of the season is becoming increasingly clear.A strong start after the All-Star break might have strengthened the argument for adding to the roster or at least maintaining the current group. Instead, the Cardinals have lost nine of 12 and are sliding in the opposite direction.Each defeat makes the postseason argument weaker.Each poor performance gives the front office more reason to move short-term pieces and focus entirely on the future.That does not mean the players should surrender the present.There are still games to play, and the Wild Card race remains close enough for a quick turnaround to matter. But turnarounds do not begin with explanations.They begin with a starting pitcher taking control of a game and an offense giving him something to protect.May has already shown he can dominate when his full assortment of pitches is working. His complete-game shutout in June was one of the best performances by any Cardinals pitcher this season. His six strong innings against Cincinnati suggested he may be finding that form again.The Cardinals need it tonight.They also need to manage the game with urgency.If May provides six competitive innings, Oliver Marmol must use his best available relievers when the Cubs’ most dangerous hitters are due, regardless of whether that moment occurs in the seventh, eighth or ninth.There is little value in preserving a reliever for a save opportunity that may never arrive.The same urgency should apply offensively.Move runners. Take the extra base when it is available. Put the ball in play with runners in scoring position. Stop waiting for one swing to repair an entire night of empty at-bats.The Cubs have already guaranteed themselves at least a split in the four-game series.To earn a split, the Cardinals must win tonight and again Thursday afternoon.A third consecutive loss to Chicago would turn Thursday into little more than an effort to avoid a four-game sweep at home.That should be motivation enough.The Cardinals entered this series believing their previous success against the Cubs demonstrated that they could compete with one of the National League’s better teams.The first two games have demonstrated something else entirely.Chicago has looked deeper, sharper and more prepared.Tonight, Dustin May has the first opportunity to change that story.Stop the Cubs early. Give the bullpen a break. Score enough runs to create some breathing room.Most importantly, play a complete baseball game.The Cardinals have spent too many nights lately explaining what went wrong.It is time to give everyone something better to discuss. 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: Dustin May, St. Louis Cardinals | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Image

May Takes the Ball as Cardinals Try to Stop the Bleeding

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE MilB Pitcher of the Day: Braden Davis&nbsp; St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurBraden Davis was not easy to square up Tuesday night.Actually, Wichita did not square him up at all.Davis is the Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day after working four hitless, scoreless innings in Springfield’s 5-1 win over the Wichita Wind Surge at Hammons Field.His final line: 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 KThat line tells the story pretty clearly.The command was not spotless. The four walks show there is still work to do. But the stuff was loud, the bats were late, and Davis gave Springfield a tone-setting start as the Cardinals won their fifth straight game.He did not allow a hit. He struck out seven. He kept Wichita off the scoreboard.That is a strong night, even with the walks.Davis threw 81 pitches, 42 for strikes, and faced 16 batters. The pitch count climbed because of the free passes, but when he was in the zone, Wichita had very few answers. The left-hander missed bats, worked through traffic, and handed the game to the bullpen with Springfield in control.The bullpen followed his lead.Darlin Saladin threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Nolan Sparks added a scoreless frame with two strikeouts. Jack Findlay struck out all three outs in a scoreless eighth. Domenic Picone allowed a solo home run in the ninth, but by then the game was well in hand.Altogether, Springfield pitchers held Wichita to three hits and struck out 16 batters.That is how you win a ballgame.The offense did enough behind them. Jesús Báez hit his 12th home run of the season and drove in two. Tre Richardson III also homered and drove in two. Rainiel Rodriguez continued swinging the bat well, going 2-for-4 with a double.But the pitching story started with Davis.For a young arm, outings like this are part of the development picture. You want the command to tighten. You want fewer walks. You want the pitch count to stay under control so he can work deeper into games.But you also do not ignore four hitless innings with seven strikeouts.The raw stuff showed up. The swing-and-miss showed up. The ability to keep runs off the board showed up.Springfield remains alone in first place in the Texas League North second-half standings, and this latest win had the fingerprints of the pitching staff all over it.Davis set the tone.The bullpen finished it.The Cardinals kept rolling.Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day: Braden Davis, LHP, Springfield Cardinals Final Line: 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 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: <a href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Braden Davis, Springfield Cardinals |&nbsp;

MilB Pitcher of the Day: Braden Davis

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE MiLB Player of the Day: Jalin Flores Powers Peoria in Extra-Inning Win St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurJalin Flores gave Peoria the kind of production a club needs when a game stretches into extra innings.Flores is the Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day after going 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored in the Chiefs’ 8-6, 10-inning win over Cedar Rapids on Tuesday night.His final line:2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 RThat is a winning line in a winning game.Flores helped Peoria build an early lead, and his bat was part of the reason the Chiefs were able to survive a back-and-forth night. Peoria led 4-0, saw Cedar Rapids rally to tie the game, answered with two runs in the seventh, then had to regroup again after the Kernels tied it at 6-6.The Chiefs finally pushed across two runs in the 10th and held on.Flores’ home run was his 13th of the season, and he pushed his RBI total to 64. Those are strong run-production numbers, and Tuesday was another reminder that he can impact the game with one swing.Peoria had several key offensive contributors. Ian Petrutz homered and drove in three. Tai Peete tripled and drove in two. Josh Kross had a double, a triple and an RBI. Anyelo Encarnación reached three times with two hits and a walk.But Flores earned the top spot because his production sat right in the middle of Peoria’s extra-inning win.For a young hitter, games like this matter. It was not just the home run. It was the full night — two hits, two runs scored, two RBIs, and helping the Chiefs find a way to finish a game that could have easily gotten away from them.Peoria got a strong start from Jacob Odle, who threw five scoreless innings, but the bullpen had to work through turbulence after Cedar Rapids rallied in the middle innings. That made every run matter.Flores gave the Chiefs two of them.The final score was closer than Peoria wanted, but the result still counts the same. A road win. An extra-inning win. A game where the offense had to answer more than once.Flores was part of those answers.Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day: Jalin Flores, 2B, Peoria Chiefs Final Line: 2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R 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: Jalin Flores, Peoria Chiefs | MiLB &nbsp;

MiLB Player of the Day: Jalin Flores Powers Peoria to a Win

THE CARDINAL CHRONICLE Farm Report: Springfield Wins Fifth Straight, Peoria Takes Extras&nbsp; St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurTuesday’s farm report was split down the middle, with the Cardinals’ full-season affiliates finishing 2-2.Springfield continued to be the best team story in the system, winning its fifth straight and remaining alone in first place in the Texas League North. Peoria won a 10-inning game at Cedar Rapids behind a strong offensive night from Jalin Flores and a quality start from Jacob Odle.Memphis lost late in Jacksonville, while Palm Beach ran into a rough fifth inning in Fort Myers.The top offensive performance belonged to Jalin Flores, while Braden Davis delivered the best pitching line of the night.Memphis Redbirds — Triple-A Overall Record: 58-45 Second Half: 11-17, 9th in the International League West, 7.0 GB Streak: L1Jacksonville 5, Memphis 3Memphis battled back late but could not finish the job in a 5-3 loss to Jacksonville.The Redbirds trailed 2-0 before Thomas Saggese homered in the sixth to get Memphis on the board. In the eighth, Memphis pushed across two more runs to take a 3-2 lead, but Jacksonville answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.That was the difference.Saggese reached base three times, going 1-for-3 with a home run, two walks, two runs scored and an RBI. César Prieto went 2-for-5, while Joshua Báez reached three times with two hits and a walk. Colton Ledbetter had two hits and drove in a run, and Ramon Mendoza doubled.On the mound, Mason Molina allowed two runs over 3.2 innings, walking two and striking out four. The middle relief was strong, with Brycen Mautz, Cade Winquest and Ryan Fernandez combining for 3.1 scoreless innings with six strikeouts.The game got away from Austin Love, who allowed three runs, two earned, in the eighth.Takeaway: Memphis had the comeback in place, but could not protect the late lead. The Redbirds are still trying to find second-half traction.Springfield Cardinals — Double-A Overall Record: 49-47 Second Half: 18-10, 1st in the Texas League North Streak: W5Springfield 5, Wichita 1Springfield keeps rolling.The Cardinals beat Wichita, 5-1, at Hammons Field, winning their fifth straight and holding their spot atop the Texas League North second-half standings.The offense only had four hits, but two of them left the yard. Jesús Báez hit his 12th home run of the season and drove in two. Tre Richardson III added his fifth homer and also drove in two. Rainiel Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a double, continuing to produce in the middle of the order.Deniel Ortiz did not have a hit, but he walked three times and scored. Won-Bin Cho also walked and scored.The story, though, was the pitching.Braden Davis was wild but difficult to hit. He worked four hitless, scoreless innings, walking four and striking out seven. The command was not clean, but the swing-and-miss was loud.The bullpen took it from there. Darlin Saladin threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Nolan Sparks added a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. Jack Findlay struck out three in a scoreless eighth. Domenic Picone allowed a solo homer in the ninth, but Springfield’s staff still held Wichita to three hits and struck out 16.Takeaway: Springfield is the hottest full-season affiliate in the system right now. Five straight wins, first place, and another dominant pitching night.Peoria Chiefs — High-A Overall Record: 46-50 Second Half: 14-16, 5th in the Midwest League West, 5.5 GB Streak: W1Peoria 8, Cedar Rapids 6 — 10 inningsPeoria needed extra innings, but the Chiefs found a way to beat Cedar Rapids, 8-6.The Chiefs led 4-0 early, saw Cedar Rapids tie the game in the sixth, answered with two runs in the seventh, then had to regroup again after the Kernels tied it in the bottom half. Peoria finally pushed across two runs in the 10th and held on.Jalin Flores earned Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day honors after going 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. His homer was his 13th of the season, and he now has 64 RBIs.Ian Petrutz also came through with a big swing, hitting his third home run and driving in three. Tai Peete tripled and drove in two. Josh Kross had two extra-base hits, a double and a triple, and drove in a run. Anyelo Encarnación reached three times with two hits and a walk.On the mound, Jacob Odle deserved a better final line from the game. He threw five scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking three and striking out four. The bullpen had some turbulence, as Bobby Olsen allowed four runs and Dominic Freeberger allowed two, but Patrick Galle steadied things with a scoreless inning, and Gerardo Salas finished it with two scoreless frames.Takeaway: Peoria made it harder than it needed to be after Odle’s strong start, but the Chiefs got the job done in extras. Flores and Petrutz supplied the power.Palm Beach Cardinals — Low-A Overall Record: 49-47 Second Half: 16-14, 2nd in the Florida State League East, 1.5 GB Streak: L1Fort Myers 9, Palm Beach 3Palm Beach dropped a 9-3 game to Fort Myers, with one inning doing most of the damage.The Cardinals trailed 2-1 before Fort Myers broke the game open with five runs in the fifth. Palm Beach later scored twice in the seventh, but the game had already gotten away.Palm Beach managed only five hits. Yairo Padilla doubled and scored. Brayden Smith also doubled and scored. Sebastian Dos Santos, Jonathan Mejía and Trevor Haskins each added singles. Ryan Weingartner, Yordalin Peña and Haskins drove in runs.The Cardinals also stole three bases, with Smith, Mejía and Alex Birge each swiping one.On the mound, Ixan Henderson gave Palm Beach 4.1 innings, allowing two runs on just one hit while walking one and striking out six. The game turned when Nelfy Ynfante allowed five runs on five hits in two-thirds of an inning. Payton Graham finished with three innings, allowing two runs while striking out six.Palm Beach pitchers struck out 14, but Fort Myers hit three home runs and did enough damage in the middle innings to take control.Takeaway: Henderson and Graham both missed bats, but the five-run fifth inning was too much to overcome.Cardinal Chronicle Player of the Day Jalin Flores, 2B, Peoria ChiefsFlores earns the honor after going 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored in Peoria’s 8-6, 10-inning win over Cedar Rapids.His final line:2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 RFlores now has 13 home runs and 64 RBIs on the season, and his bat was a key part of Peoria’s extra-inning win.Cardinal Chronicle Pitcher of the Day Braden Davis, LHP, Springfield CardinalsDavis gets the nod after working four hitless, scoreless innings in Springfield’s 5-1 win over Wichita.His final line: 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 KThe four walks show there is still command work to do, but the stuff was difficult to square up. Davis did not allow a hit and struck out seven, helping Springfield set the tone in another win.The Final Word Tuesday belonged to Springfield and Peoria.Springfield has become the story of the system, winning five straight and continuing to separate itself in the Texas League North. The pitching staff struck out 16 and allowed only three hits.Peoria made things interesting, but still came away with a 10-inning win behind Jalin Flores, Ian Petrutz and a strong start from Jacob Odle.Memphis let one slip away late, and Palm Beach could not recover from a five-run fifth.The affiliates finished 2-2, but Springfield’s streak and Peoria’s extra-inning win gave the report plenty to work with. 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: Springfield Cardinals | PJ Maigi &nbsp;

Farm Report: Springfield Wins Fifth Straight, Peoria Takes Extras

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

Farm Report: Wednesday Had Everything, Literally Everything

Cubs Maul Cardinals at Busch

May Takes the Ball as Cardinals Try to Stop the Bleeding

MilB Pitcher of the Day: Braden Davis

MiLB Player of the Day: Jalin Flores Powers Peoria to a Win

Farm Report: Springfield Wins Fifth Straight, Peoria Take...