First, a footnote about the big league club.  Last week I said that this would be an important stretch for the Cardinals.  If they were going to make up ground on the Reds, they’d probably have to do it now.  Since then, the Reds went 1 – 5, which should have allowed the Cardinals to move within 4 games with 3 weeks left to play.  Unfortunately, the Cardinals took that opportunity to go 3 -3 and still sit a daunting 6 games back.  They will need some truly bad play by the Reds against some not-so-good teams to make up that ground.  It’s still possible, 2 games a week the rest of the way out but with the way the Cardinals are playing, they should strive to finish the season above .500.

What a wild night in the farm system! A taste of the playoffs, some games going down to the final out while others featured a truly epic performance. Be still my beating heart!

On to the DFR: PE!

Muckdogs 5, Tri-City 4

• Nick Longmire was the only Muckdog to have an XBH. He went 2-for-4 with a 2B.
• Jon Rodriguez continued his good season with a 3-for-4 and 2 RBI performance.
• Justin Bergman drove in a run.
• Zach Russell got off to a bumpy start and it looked like our fearless Muckdogs faced certain elimination. He gave up 2 ER in the 1st inning, but settled in for 6 strong innings with 4 BB, 2 K and only 1 H.
• Justin Edwards came in relief and pitched 2 solid innings giving up 2 H and striking out 3. He came out for the 9th, walked the first batter and gave up a double.
• Keith Butler replaced him and all though his line looks clean, excitement ensued. He quickly dispatched the first two batters he faced only to have Yunier Castillo make a costly error to not only let the run score from 3rd, but keep the game going with a runner at 1st. The next batter stroked a flyball to CF, allowing a 2nd run to score but due to a great relay by Joseph Bergman the tying run was gunned down at the plate to end the game. We will see you tomorrow night!

Memphis 7, OK City 5

• Memphis put up 2 big innings (3 and 4 runs) and hung on from there.
• James Rapoport went 2-for-4.
• Allen Craig went 1-for-4 with a HR and 2 RBI. But no, totally, Nick Stavinoha needed that PT in Milwaukee last night.
• Joe Mather, the forgotten power hitter, went Joey Bombs with a 2 HR, 3 RBI performance.
• Amaury Cazana went 1-for-4 with a 2B.
• Reuben Gotay went 2-for-3 with a 2B.
• Donovan Solano went 1-for-3 with 2 RBI.
• Brandon Dickson had a rough outing, giving up 8 H (2 HR), 5 R (4 ER) to go against 5 K in 5.1 IP.
• The bullpen combined to throw a shutout after that with Matthew Scherer getting 2 outs.
• Eduardo Sanchez threw 2 IP with 1 BB and 1 K.
• Josh Kinney, the forgotten reliever, racked up another save giving up a H and a K in the 9th.

Riverbandits 4, Kane County 0

• I type this next wrap-up with trembling fingers and an anxious smile.
• Ramon Rosario went….oh, who cares. Alan Ahmady hit a 2B, Luis Mateo hit a 3B and Robert Stock hit a 9th inning HR. Now that I’ve got that out of the way…
• Shelby Miller went 7 blissful innings only allowing 2 H, 1 BB and striking out 13 Cougars! He faced only 3 over the minimum and may have given us the first glance of what this kid can do when the pitch restrictions and dead-arm phase protections are taken off.
• Daniel Calhoun threw an IP with 1 K.
• Jose Rada gave up a H in his IP.

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