The St. Louis Cardinals Minor League
Notebook
For Games Played Thursday
Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A): Lose to Cubs 7-4
The St. Louis Cardinals top pitching prospect Blake Hawksworth (0-4) is still looking for his first win of the season. Last night Hawksworth gave up five runs (three earned), on eight hits and a walk over five innings to lose his fourth straight start.
Rick Ankiel continues to show signs of coming around with his bat, going 3-for-4 on the night with an RBI and a run scored for the Redbirds, which had a four-game winning streak come to an end Thursday night.
Ryan Ludwick who the Cardinals may consider recalling soon went 2-for-four with two runs scored and an RBI. On the season, Ludwick is hitting .351 with 5 home runs and 20 RBI in 21 games.
Boxscore
RECORD: 10-11, 3rd Place, 3.5 GB
Springfield Cardinals (Double-A): Winners 6-2 over Wichita
The Springfield Cardinals won for the second time at Hammons field this season last night, picking up back to back home wins over the Wichita Wranglers, to move within one game of the first place Tulsa Drillers
Once again 1B Joe Mather provided the bulk of the offense, with his eight and ninth home run on the season, for his third multi-home of the year. He opened the scoring with a solo shot in the fourth and doubled and scored in the seventh and hit a leadoff homer in the eight. The guy is just in the zone.
Catcher Bryan Anderson also homered on the night, with a two-run shot in the seventh inning to give the Cardinals the lead.
Reliever Kevin Ool (1-0) picked up the win with 2.1 perfect innings. Mitchell Boggs the starter threw six shutout innings, giving up just five hits, striking out four and walking three on the night.
St. Louis Cardinal outfielder Juan Encarnacion in Springfield on a rehab assignment, went 0-for-5, Thursday, my notes have him 1-for-14, officially according to the club, he’s 1-for-13, either way, it isn’t looking very promising if you are counting on Juan to add to the St. Louis Cardinals offense very soon.
Boxscore
RECORD: 7-9, 2nd Place, 1 GB
Palm Beach Cardinals (High-A): Defeated Vero Beach 9-5
The Cardinals scored four runs in the first and then again in the second to give starter Gary Daley (2-0) his second win of the season. Daley pitched six innings, giving up six hits, three earned runs, while striking out nine on the night and just walking two. Daley's ERA for the season is 1.53.
1B Allen Craig led the offense with two home runs, to include a two-run homer in the first inning to give the Cardinals the early lead, he finished the night with four RBI and scoring three runs.
The 9-5 win over Vero Beach allowed the Cardinals to keep pace with Brevard County and stay in a tie for first place in the FSL Eastern Division standings.
Boxscore
RECORD: 11-8, Tied for 1st Place with Brevard County
Swing of Quad Cities (A): Lost to Burlington 7-3
The Swing blew an early 2-0 lead to fall to the Burlington Bees 7-3 on the road Thursday night at Community Field.
Tyler Herron (0-3) took the loss, after being touched for three runs on four hits in 4.2 innings of work. Reliever Brad Furnish had perhaps his worst outing in his professional career, issuing four walks and hitting two batters, giving up four runs (three earned) in just two innings.
1B Brandon Buckman went 3-for-4 with another RBI to take sole possession of the league lead after entering play tied for the top spot with teammate Mark Shorey and Burlington’s Marc Maddox.
Boxscore
RECORD: 9-11, 6th Place, 3.5 GB
Batavia Muckdogs (SS)
Season opens on Tuesday June 19th, against the Auburn Doubledays.
Johnson City Cardinals (R)
The Cardinals will open the season on the road in Greenville on Tuesday, June 19th.
Minor League Pitcher of the Day
Gary Daley
The Palm Beach Cardinals’ Gary Daley picked up his second win of the season Thursday. He pitched six innings, giving up six hits, three earned runs, while striking out nine on the night and just walking two.
Minor League Player of the Day
Allen Craig
The Palm Beach Cardinals first baseman Allen Craig led the team’s offense Thursday night with two home runs, to include a two-run homer in the first inning to give the Cardinals the early lead, finishing the night with four RBI and scoring three runs.