Cardinals Minors Spring Training Report: 3/28

Friday’s St. Louis Cardinals minor league spring training game results from Florida. The Player of the Day is Tony Cruz and the Pitcher of the Day is Cardoza Tucker.

The St. Louis Cardinals minor league clubs remaining in Florida held two abbreviated intersquad games that each ended up as ties.  The Cardinals play the Marlins minor league clubs on Saturday, then intersquad contests again on Sunday before camp breaks on Monday. 

Those who are thirsting for official final minor league rosters will have to wait until next week. The Cardinals state that despite Double-A Springfield having left Florida on Thursday and the other clubs leaving Monday, rosters will not be finalized until Monday at the earliest (after the major league roster is set), and all inactive list moves (Disabled List, etc) will not occur until Thursday morning. 

Scout.com Cardinals Pitchers of the Day – Friday

For Quad Cities #1, Cardoza Tucker went three scoreless innings on just two hits, improving on his ERA, which was 1.50 in six innings coming in. The 23-year-old was signed after having pitched in the Seattle and Houston systems and with several independent league clubs.

Scout.com Cardinals Hitter of the Day – Friday

Palm Beach’s offense was sparked by catcher Tony Cruz, who stroked two doubles. They were his second and third two-baggers of the spring.

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Memphis 3, Palm Beach 3 (6 innings)

For Memphis, Stuart Pomeranz had a better outing, allowing two runs in three innings, only one of which was earned. He yielded four hits, no free passes and notched one strikeout. In his three previous outings, Pomeranz’ ERA was 16.20. Before heading off to his assignment to the Mexican League, Kris Honel went 2.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits and three walks. Honel fanned one.

Palm Beach’s Trey Hearne, who is also heading south of the border, was charged with three runs (two earned) on five hits and no walks. He struck out two. Next was another very solid outing by Mark McCormick. He spun two shutout frames on just one hit. He walked no one and struck out one.

Offensively for the Triple-A club, Colby Rasmus and Josh Phelps doubled. Donovan Solano tripled. Mark Johnson and Nick Stavinoha each singled and collected an RBI.

For PB, Oliver Marmol singled and walked in his two plate appearances, scoring both times.

Quad Cities #1 2, Quad Cities #2 2 (7 ½  innings)

Thomas Eager went 3.1 innings for Quad Cities #1. Two runs scored, but only one was earned. Eager allowed three hits and three walks and struck out one. Francisco Samuel was effectively wild in his hitless, scoreless inning of work. He made it interesting, walking three and fanning two.

Quad Cities #2 starter was Tyler Herron. He was charged with one run on two hits over three innings. Herron walked no one and struck out one. Brandon Garner yielded just one run in four innings on three hits and no walks. Pete Parise allowed just one baserunner on a walk in one scoreless inning, striking out two.

The offense for Quad Cities #1 was led by Travis Mitchell, who went 2-for-4 on the day. Matt Arburr’s average dropped as he “just” doubled and scored.

For the Quad Cities #2 offense, Ivan Castro went 2-for-2, Carlos Pupo doubled and walked twice and Chris Gibson singled and collected an RBI.

Basic player stats provided through the courtesy of Cardinals Director of Minor League Operations John Vuch.

Brian Walton can be reached via email at [e-mail].

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