Cardinals Farm Report: Matt Adams and Brayan Pena Continue Rehab; Game Notes & Some Stats

This weekend, Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams continued his rehab assignment with the Memphis Redbirds, and catcher Brayan Pena continued his assignment with the Palm Beach Cardinals.

With a win on Friday, the Johnson City Cardinals clinched a playoff berth. The Cardinals secured at least a second-place finish in the Appalachian League’s West division; the top two teams from each division make the postseason, and it is scheduled to begin on Saturday, September 3.

The Peoria Chiefs’ game with the Burlington Bees on Sunday was postponed due to weather conditions; the two teams will play a doubleheader on Monday at Dozier Park in Peoria.

Friday, August 26

Sounds 5, Memphis 3

• Mike Mayers (SP): 5 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
• Matt Adams (DH): 1-3, 2B, R
• Efren Navarro (1B): 1-4, RBI, R

The Sounds’ four runs in the top of the fourth inning were just what the team needed to beat the Redbirds on Friday, 5-3. The Sounds manufactured their big inning off Redbirds starter Mike Mayers, who went on to pitch through the fifth inning and allow another run before being rung up for his seventh loss in eleven minor-league decisions this season.

Springfield 2, Naturals 1

• Josh Staumont (SP): 5 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K
• Alex Mejia (SS): 1-4, 2B, RBI

It was Naturals first basemen Frank Schwindel who committed an error in the bottom of the eighth inning that allowed Springfield to a take a 2-1 lead and eventually win the game by said score. The two clubs each tallied eight hits and committed an error in the contest, but the Naturals’ blunder was the costly one.

Game One: Mets 7, Cardinals 5

• Brennan Leitao (SP): 6 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 4 K
• Brayan Pena (DH): 0-1
• Michael Prichard (LF): 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs, R

Two crooked-number innings over the final four innings of the game were key in the Mets’ 7-5 win over the Cardinals in the first game of Friday’s doubleheader. Despite losing the game, the Cardinals (arguably) had a more efficient game at the plate. The Cardinals went 5-for-10 with ducks on the pond, whereas the Mets went 3-for-15 and left thirteen runners aboard.

Palm Beach 1, Mets 0

• Jack Flaherty (SP): 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 4 K
• Danny Diekroeger (DH): 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB

Danny Diekroeger’s RBI double off Mets reliever Kelly Secrest was all that Palm Beach needed to lock up a 1-0 victory over the Mets in the second game of the doubleheader on Friday. Jack Flaherty gave the Cardinals six shutout innings, lowering his earned run average in 23 games this season to 3.69.

Peoria 3, Bees 0

• Ryan Helsley SP): 5 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K
• Jose Martinez (SS): 2-4, 2 RBIs
• Magneuris Sierra (CF): 3-4, R, SB

Five dominant innings from Ryan Helsley and two runs driven in by Jose Martinez gave the Chiefs a solid 3-0 win over the Bees to open the teams’ series on Friday. Martinez plated the two runs as part of a three-run second third inning for the Chiefs, who stranded nine runners on the bases.

Doubledays 2, State College 0

• Bryan Dobzanski (SP): 7 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• Jeremy Martinez (DH): 2-3, BB

Despite drawing four walks, the Spikes failed to make anything out of the Doubledays pitching staff’s shakiness and dropped Friday’s series opener, 2-0. Bryan Dobzanski gave the Spikes seven quality innings to work with, but his team -- by going 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and failing to tally an extra-base hit -- made him a tough-luck loser.

Johnson City 8, Pirates 7 (F/10)

• Ross Vance (SP): 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
• Bryce Denton (3B): 2-5, HR, 2B, 4 RBIs, R
• Shane Billings (CF): 3-5, RBI, 2 R

Although the team committed six errors in the field, the Cardinals were able to pull out a come-from-behind victory over the Pirates on Friday night, taking the finale of the series, 8-7. The Cardinals were down by two runs entering the bottom of the tenth inning and rallied to score three runs of their own. Bryce Denton tied the game with a two-run double, and DeAndre Asbury-Heath drove a sacrifice fly deep enough to left field to plate the walk-off run for Johnson City.

Saturday, August 27

Sounds 2, Memphis 1

• Kurt Heyer (SP): 5 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Patrick Wisdom (3B): 2-4, 2B, HR, RBI, R

Patrick Wisdom’s fifth home run of the season saved the Redbirds from a shutout on Saturday, as the Redbirds fell to the Sounds, 2-1. The Sounds scored both of their runs off Redbirds starter Kurt Heyer; Heyer served up an RBI double and single to Sounds second baseman Joey Wendle in the second and sixth innings, respectively.

Drillers 11, Springfield 8

• J.C. Sulbaran (SP): 4.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
• Blake McKnight (RP): 0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB
• Luke Voit (1B): 3-4, 2B, BB, 2 RBIs, R

The Drillers’ big fifth inning was enough for the team to down the Cardinals on Saturday by an 11-8 final score. In the fifth, the Drillers knocked Cardinals starter J.C. Sulbaran out of the game and beat up on reliever Blake McKnight to score seven total runs in the game-changing inning.

Mets 3, Palm Beach 0

• Junior Fernandez (SP): 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
• Danny Diekroeger (DH): 1-3, 2B

Even though they outhit the Mets, 8-3, the number that really matters is to the left of the hit column, and that number was higher at the end of the game for the Mets, who beat the Cardinals by a 3-0 score on Saturday. As a matter of the fact, the game the remained scoreless until the bottom of the ninth inning, when, with two outs, Mets third baseman David Thompson crushed a three-run home run off Cardinals reliever Will Anderson to win the game for St. Lucie.

Bees 7, Peoria 5

• Ronnie Williams (SP): 6.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• Eliezer Alvarez (2B): 2-4, 2B, 3B, RBI, BB
• Leonardo Pina (DH): 1-4, HR, 2 RBIs, R

It was the Bees’ three-run seventh inning that proved to be pivotal in their 7-5 victory over the Chiefs on Saturday. The Bees got to Chiefs starter Ronnie Williams for five runs (three earned) and tacked two more on the board against reliever Nick Frey.

State College 3, Doubledays 1

• Jordan Hicks (SP): 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
• Jeremy Martinez (C): 1-3, 3 RBIs

A combined effort from pitchers Jordan Hicks and Bradey Bowen paired with a three-RBI day from their batterymate, Jeremy Martinez, powered the Spikes to a 3-1 win on Saturday. Martinez drove in one run in the first and two more in the second, supporting seven excellent innings from Hicks and two fine frames out of the ‘pen from Bowen.

Blue Jays 9, Johnson City 8

• Daniel Castano (SP): 5 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• Julio Mateo (RP): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
• Andrew Knizner (C): 4-4, 2 HRs, 2B, 3 RBIs, 3 R
• Joshua Lopez (DH): 2-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBIs, R

Despite scoring two runs in the top of the ninth to tie the ballgame at eight runs a piece, the Cardinals saw their glimmer of hope regarding a win fade away in the bottom of the frame, as the Blue Jays scored a run to win Saturday’s contest in walk-off fashion, 9-8. Joshua Lopez’ fifth long ball of the season knotted the game at eight in the ninth, but Jesus Severino’s single to right with two runners aboard in the home-half of the inning plated the game-winning run for the Blue Jays.

Sunday, August 28

Sounds 14, Memphis 4

• Matt Pearce (SP): 5 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• Matt Adams (DH): 1-4, 2 K
• Mike Ohlman (C): 1-3, HR, 2 RBIs, R

Not one, not two, not three, but four crooked-number innings lifted the Sounds over the Redbirds by a lopsided 14-4 final score on Sunday. The Sounds were led by first baseman Matt Olsen and catcher Matt McBride, who combined to go 5-for-9 with a home run, three doubles, two walks, and seven RBIs in their team’s big win.

Springfield 7, Drillers 5

• Ian McKinney (SP): 3.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 4 K
• Bruce Caldwell (2B): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBIs, 2 R

The Cardinals built a 4-0 cushion in their first turn to bat that served as the foundation in their 7-5 victory over the Drillers on Sunday. In the win, the Cardinals collected six extra-base hits, and Ian McKinney, Kevin Herget, Justin Wright, and Trey Nielsen combined to whiff eight Drillers batters.

Palm Beach 8, Mets 3

• Junior Fernandez (SP): 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
• Orlando Olivera (RF): 4-5, 2B, 2 RBIs, R
• Cole Lankford (DH): 2-4, 2 RBIs, BB, R

Seven dominant innings from Junior Fernandez and a trio of two-RBI days powered the Cardinals to an 8-3 thumping of the Mets on Sunday. Orlando Olivera, Cole Lankford, and Andrew Sohm each drove in two runs in support of Fernandez, who surrendered just two hits over his splendid outing.

State College 7, Doubledays 0

• Carson Cross (SP): 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K
• Danny Hudzina (3B): 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBIs
• Yariel Gonzalez (2B): 1-4, BB, 2 RBIs

With a superb start from Carson Cross and the assistance of four Doubledays miscues, the Spikes were winners on Sunday, shutting out the Doubledays, 7-0. Spikes third baseman Danny Hudzina and second baseman Yariel Gonzalez each drove in two runs in the victory to support six scoreless innings from Carson Cross and three from reliever Max Almonte.

Bees 9, Johnson City 5

• David Oca (SP): 3.2 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 2 K
• Caleb Lopes (3B): 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs, BB
• Joshua Lopez (DH): 1-3, 2B, 2 BB, 2 RBIs, R

Four Cardinals errors helped the Bees take Sunday’s contest, 8-5. The Bees scored eight runs off Cardinals starter David Oca, but just one of the eight was earned. In the game, Oca, Caleb Lopes, Joey Hawkins, and J.R. Davis all committed errors, their third, seventh, first, and seventeenth miscues of the season, respectively.