Cardinals Farm Report: Tilson Has Big Weekend for Redbirds

Friday’s scheduled game between the Memphis Redbirds and Iowa Cubs was postponed due to travel issues; the teams participated in a doubleheader on Saturday. Speaking of Saturday, one of the Redbirds’ scheduled starters for that day, Mike Mayers, was promoted to the Cardinals to make a spot-start for the big-league squad in their game with the Dodgers on Sunday. To make room for Mayers on the roster, the Cardinals optioned relief pitcher Miguel Socolovich to Memphis.

On Friday, Edmundo Sosa was promoted from the Single-A Peoria Chiefs to the High-A Palm Beach Cardinals, and infielder Jose Martinez was promoted to the Chiefs from the State College Spikes. Also on Friday, Chiefs second baseman Eliezer Alvarez was removed from the game after being hit by a pitch and was placed on the disabled list on Saturday. In a corresponding move, Josh Swirchak was added to Peoria’s roster from the State College Spikes.

The Chiefs game on Saturday in South Bend against the Cubs was postponed due to inclement weather and will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Monday, which is getaway day for both clubs.

Friday, July 22

Naturals 4, Springfield 1

• Johnny Walter (SP): 4.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
• Luke Voit (1B): 2-4, RBI

The Naturals got to Cardinals starter Johnny Walter for four runs on Friday, enough for the Naturals to take the game, 4-0. Josh Staumont hurled for the Naturals and turned in a gem of an outing, spinning 5.2 innings of one-run ball and whiffing ten of the 21 batters he faced.

Yankees 3, Palm Beach 0 (SUSP/3)

• Jacob Evans (SP): 1.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

With a thunderstorm threatening, the Yankees and Cardinals opted to suspend their contest in the top of the third inning on Friday to Saturday afternoon; play was halted with two on and two out in the Cardinals’ half of the third. The Yankees plated three runs in the bottom of the first inning off Palm Beach starter Jacob Evans, including one off the bat of Abiatal Avelino, who drove in his 32 run of the season.

Peoria 9, Whitecaps 9 (F/15)

• Derian Gonzalez (SP): 3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• Magneuris Sierra (CF): 4-9, 2 RBIs, R
• Jose Martinez (SS): 5-8, RBI, R
• Leonardo Pina (3B): 3-5, 3B, BB, 2 RBIs, 2 R

After exceeding six hours of play, the Chiefs and Whitecaps fifteen-inning affair on Friday evening concluded in a 9-9 tie. The teams combined for eighteen runs on 48 hits and fourteen walks, stranding a collective total of 42 runners on base.

State College 10, Doubledays 8

• Steven Farinaro (SP): 4.1 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• Elier Rodriguez (1B) 2-4, 3 RBIs, 2 R
• Andy Young (2B): 2-4, HR, 2 RBIs, R

The Spikes’ six-run second inning paired with their three-run first stood up come game’s end, as State College defeated the Doubledays, 10-8. Andy Young’s two-run homer -- the first of his professional career -- capped off the Spikes’ big second inning and proved to be the game-winning blow.

Twins 12, Johnson City 8

• Ramon Santos (SP): 3 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• J.R. Davis (2B): 2-4, 2B, BB, 2 R

A six-RBI day from designated hitter Lewin Diaz on Friday gave an edge to the Twins, who took the first game of their three-game series with Johnson City.

Saturday, July 23

Game One: Memphis 6, Cubs 4

• Deck McGuire (SP): 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• Charlie Tilson (PR in 6; CF): 1-2, HR, 2 RBIs, R

With a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, Charlie Tilson provided the game-winning blow on the Cubs for the Redbirds, who took the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, 6-4. Tilson entered the game in the sixth inning as a pinch runner, and that proved to be a good move in two ways; in addition to his two-run shot, Tilson scored one of Memphis’ three runs in the sixth.

Game Two: Memphis 5, Cubs 2

• Kurt Heyer (SP): 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Charlie Tilson (CF): 1-3, SF, 2 RBIs
• Mike Ohlman (C): 2-3, 3B, RBI, 2 R

Toeing the rubber in wake of Mike Mayers’ promotion, Kurt Heyer gave the Redbirds five solid innings in the second game of the doubleheader, providing Memphis with the backbone of their 5-2 victory over the Cubs on Saturday night. Mike Ohlman lined a triple to center field to plate a run, and Charlie Tilson drove in two, including one on a sacrifice fly.

Springfield 3, Naturals 1 (F/10)

• Luke Weaver (SP): 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Paul DeJong (3B): 1-4, HR, BB, RBI, R

Though Luke Weaver turned in seven innings of one-run ball, he did not factor into Saturday’s decision, as Springfield failed to provide him with run support. The Cardinals, however, by scoring twice in the tenth inning, took Sunday’s contest by a 3-1 score. Third baseman Paul DeJong hit a solo home run -- his eighteenth of the season -- to lead off the tenth inning against Naturals reliever Reid Redman. Andrew Sohn later followed with an RBI hit to cap off Springfield’s offense for the evening.

Friday’s suspended game: Palm Beach 10, Yankees 7

• Junior Fernandez (RP, began working in the third inning): 3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, K
• Vaughn Bryan (LF): 1-5, 2 RBIs, SB, 2 R

Palm Beach came back to win Friday’s suspended game, 10-7, after trailing 3-0 to the Yankees in the third. The Cardinals scored six times in the fifth inning, twice on an RBI double off the bat of Vaughn Bryan.

Yankees 2, Palm Beach 0

• Matt Perce (SP): 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
• Edmundo Sosa (SS): 1-2

Aside from a leadoff single in the fifth inning from Edmundo Sosa, the Yankees held the Cardinals hitless in Saturday’s game. Yefrey Ramirez started for the Yankees and gave the team six innings of one-hit ball, whiffing five and walking two.

Doubledays 8, State College 4

• Ronnie Williams (SP): 6 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• Anthony Ray (CF): 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs, R

With the help of three errors committed by the State College defense, the Doubledays took Saturday’s game, 8-4. The Doubledays tagged Spikes starter Ronnie Williams for five runs (three earned), while Auburn hurler Yonathan Ramirez allowed just one run in his four-inning outing.

Twins 6, Johnson City 5

• Daniel Castano (SP): 5 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
• Andrew Knizner (1B): 3-4, 2 R

The Twins’ four-run fifth inning proved key on Saturday, as the Twins took the game by a 6-5 score. Johnson City starter Daniel Castano was lifted following the Twins’ big inning, one where the club got a two-run blast from designated hitter Alex Kirilloff.

Sunday, July 24

Memphis 5, Cubs 1

• Arturo Reyes (SP): 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• David Washington (RF): 2-3, HR, BB, 2 RBIs, R

In his first outing for Memphis in over a month, Arturo Reyes helped the Redbirds defeat the Cubs, 5-1, by spinning five innings of one-run ball, a much-appreciated outing, considering that the team played a doubleheader on Saturday. David Washington plated two on his eighteenth homer of the season, and Anthony Garcia contributed a pair of tallies with his fourth bomb.

Naturals 2, Springfield 0

• Daniel Poncedeleon (SP): 5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• Juan Herrera (SS): 1-4, 2B

Springfield starter Daniel Poncedeleon was the tough-luck loser in Sunday’s contest, falling to the Naturals, 2-0, despite pitching 5.1 innings and allowing two runs. Cardinals shortstop Juan Herrera recorded a two-out double in the first inning, the team’s only extra-base hit of the evening.

Yankees 5, Palm Beach 1

• Ian McKinney (SP): 5 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
• Michael Pritchard (LF): 2-4

After recording a mere one hit the day before, the Cardinals offensive woes continued on Sunday, as the team combined to record only a handful of hits and manufacture one run, as the Yankees took the contest, 5-1. The Yankees received a pair of doubles and as many RBIs from designated hitter Trey Amburgey, who has now driven in seven runs in sixteen games as a member of the Tampa club.

Cubs 4, Peoria 3

• Sandy Alcantara (SP): 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
• Chris Chinea (DH): 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs

The Chiefs tied the game at three in the top of the eighth, but the Cubs regained the lead in their half of the frame to win Sunday’s game, 4-3. Sandy Alcantara turned in a fine outing for the Chiefs, lasting six innings and allowing two runs on five hits.

State College 8, Muckdogs 6

• Bryan Dobzanski (SP): 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• Danny Hudzina (DH): 4-5, HR, 3 RBIs, R

Even though the Muckdogs pushed five runs across in the eighth inning, the Spikes held on for an 8-6 victory on Sunday. The Spikes received a big day at the plate from designated hitter Danny Hudzina, who went 4-for-5 with a homer and three runs driven in.

Twins 5, Johnson City 4

• Ian Oxnevad (SP): 5.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
• J.R. Davis (2B): 3-5, 2B, 2 R

The Cardinals’ three errors on Sunday were costly, as Johnson City fell to the Twins for the third straight day, 5-4. Cardinals starter Ian Oxnevad allowed three earned runs, and Leland Tilley provided the club with 2.1 innings of scoreless relief.