Cards' affiliates have mixed results in postseason play
MILWAUKEE -- Triple-A Memphis evened its best-of-five semifinal series against Omaha with a 4-3 win in Game 2 of the Pacific Coast League playoffs on Thursday. The series now shifts to Memphis for the final two -- or, if necessary, three -- games of the series.
Scott Moore gave the Redbirds an early lead on Thursday with a two-run homer in the first inning. Infielder Greg Garcia singled and scored Memphis' final two runs, the last of those runs breaking a tie in the ninth. Jorge Rondon worked around trouble in the ninth to notch a save after starter Zach Petrick kept Omaha to two runs on seven hits in six innings.
Here is a look at how the Cardinals' other postseason-playing affiliates fared in their games on Thursday:
• The Cardinals' rookie-level affiliate in Johnson City (Tenn.) couldn't close out its Appalachian League championship series on Thursday, as Danville (S.C.) rallied for a 6-1 win to force a decisive Game 3 on Friday. Johnson City allowed six unanswered runs, with four of them scored off Steven Farinaro in his 4 1/3-inning start.
• State College (Pa.), the Cardinals' short-season club, will play a win-or-go-home semifinal game against Hudson Valley (N.Y.) on Friday after defeating the Ray's affiliate, 3-0, on Thursday. Spikes starter Will Anderson took a perfect game into the sixth and finished with 7 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed three hits while striking out four.
Worth noting:
• First baseman Xavier Scruggs and left-handed pitcher Marco Gonzales, both of whom are currently on the Major League roster, have been named the organization's Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Month for August.
Scruggs, who made his big league debut on Thursday, hit .345 with seven doubles, eight homers, 28 RBIs and a 1.065 OPS with Triple-A Memphis last month. Before being called up to make a spot start for St. Louis at the end of August, Gonzales went 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA in five Triple-A starts. Gonzales struck out 23 in 30 1/3 innings.
• Matt Adams (mild left oblique strain) did not participate in on-field batting practice on Friday, but did take several swings inside the batting cage prior to the game. Manager Mike Matheny would not commit to whether Adams would be available off the bench. Daniel Descalso started in place of Adams at first base.
• Right-hander Michael Wacha recovered well after his 50-pitch start on Thursday and is on schedule to start next for the Cardinals on Tuesday in Cincinnati. The Cardinals plan to stretch Wacha out to 70-75 pitches in that outing.