Junior Fernandez (Baseball America)
The Dominican Summer Cardinals are currently on their worst stretch run of the season, losing their last seven games. The club is 15-33 with a .313 PCT, 20 games out of first place, and five from being eliminated from postseason play. The Redbirds have managed to fall into last place in the Boca Chica South Division.
Week In Review:
The Cardinals hosted the Giants for the first game of a two-game set following the All-Star break. Oneiver Diaz and Will Changarotty split the game pitching four innings each and combining for ten hits, three runs, three walks, and five strikeouts. Enrique Perez finished things off pitching a scoreless frame. The Giants' pitching was a little bit better holding the Redbirds to only two runs. Allen Cordoba singled, doubles, and drove in one run while Carlos Talavera added two singles of his own. The offense was silent for the Cardinals as the Giants won 3-2.
In the second game, the Giants welcomed in the Cardinals. The Giants pounded on the Redbirds pitching clubbing their first two pitchers for ten runs in four innings. Wadye Ynfante was the only batter for the Cardinals two reach base more than twice with three walks and the team did not collect an extra base hit in six. The Redbirds did take advantage of a couple errors and wild pitches but still fell to the Giants 11-7. This game tied a season-high for 11 runs allowed, coming on June 30th.
The Cardinals stayed out on the road to face the Rockies for what would be the longest game of the season for them. The Redbirds struck first with two runs in the first and stellar pitching by Angel Estevez kept the Rockies off the board for the first four frames. The Cardinals padded their lead with three runs in the seventh, making it 5-1. Errors by the Redbirds would allow the Rockies to climb right back in and tie the contest up and send it into extras. Six scoreless frames later, the Cardinals were able to plate two runs and take a hopeful game this week. The Rockies, again , took advantage of Redbird mistakes to score three runs and claim the game 8-7 in the 15th inning.
The Rockies visited the Cardinals in the second game of the two-game series. Sandy Alcantara returned to his dominant self and tossed six innings allowing three hits, two runs, and striking out five. Jonathan Rivera helped with the lead as he collected two doubles and drove in one run. The Redbirds held a 4-2 lead heading into the eighth and their bullpen went south. The Rockies tacked on four runs in the top half of the eight and held on for 6-5 victory over the Cardinals.
The Cardinals hosted the Yankees One club in the fifth game and another nail biter for this period. Junior Fernandez has his best showing of the season pitching six innings and allowing two hits, one run, and striking out two. The Yankees pitching held the Redbirds to four hits and five walks. Luis Flores doubled for the Cardinals only extra base hit and Dennis Ortega reached base three times on a single and two walks. The Yankees went on to win 2-0 over the Redbirds.
In the final game for this period, the Cardinals went out on the road to take on the Yankees. The Yanks clubbed the Redbirds' pitching including All-Star Derian Gonzalez, who was knocked out after four innings and tagged for five hits and four earned runs. The Yankees scored four in the second and added on another five runs over the next six frames. The Cardinals three pitchers each coughed up a home run and the offense was silent at the plate. Jonathan Rivera triples and Oscar Cotes doubled, but the runs were generated by Luis Flores and Henry Alvarado. The Yankees topped the Cardinals 9-2.
Who's Hot:
Jonathan Rivera hit safely in five consecutive game including two multi-hit games. The 17-year old right-handed hitter went 8-for-28 (.286) with two doubles, one triple, three RBIs, one run, and seven strikeouts. He played five games in right field (one outfield assist) and split one in center and left field. The November 5, 2013 free agent signee leads the team in hits, doubles, RBIs, and total bases.
Allen Cordoba had a four-game hitting streak in six games and collected two multi-hit games. The 18-year old right-handed hitter went 7-for-22 (.318) with one double, four RBIs (one w/two-outs), five runs, one sac fly, five strikeouts, grounded into one double play, and one caught stealing/pickoff. He played five games at shortstop, committing one missed catch error, one fielding error, and assisting in one double play. The April 12, 2013 free agent signee is tied for the team lead in runs scored.
Sandy Alcantara bounced back from dealing with an injury the last couple weeks. The 18-year old right-hander started on July 24th allowing three hits, two runs (one earned), hit one batter, threw one wild pitch, committed one fielding error, and struck five out. He had a ground out-to-fly out ratio of 10-to-2.
Angel Estevez turned things around from his previous two starts during the season. The 17-year old right-hander made his start on July 23rd, going five innings and allowing four hits, one earned run, one walk, and striking out one. He had a ground out-to-fly out ratio of 8-to-2. The 2014 free agent signee has dropped his ERA as a starter to 6.75.
Junior Fernandez after struggling through three appearances, finally put up a quality start. The 17-year old right-handed returned to the rotation on July 25th pitching six innings and allowing two hits, one earned run, threw one wild pitch, and struck two out. He had a ground out-to-fly out ratio of 10-to-6 and earned the losing decision (0-3).
Who's Not:
Carlos Talavera has not picked up a hit in five straight games and has struck out at least once in six consecutive. The 17-year old switch-hitter went 2-for-21 (.095) with two runs, two walks, one stolen base, and seven strikeouts. He played five games in center field, committing one missed catch error and one outfield assist. The July 2, 2013 leads the team in runs scored (tied), triples, walks, strikeouts, and stolen bases.
Oscar Cotes ended his two-game hitless streak but has only two hits in his last 28 at-bats. The 17-year old right-handed hitter went 2-for-19 (.105) with one double, two runs, one hit by pitch, and 12 strikeouts. He played three games at third base (three throwing errors and assisted in one double play), two at shortstop, and one as a pinch runner.
Wadye Ynfante will look to end his four-game hitless streak and extend his two-game on base streak. The 16-year old right-handed hitter went 0-for-9 (.000) with one run, five walks, one sacrifice, and seven strikeouts. He played one game at second base and three in left field.
David Oca was knocked out quickly in his shortest outing of the year. The 19-year old left-hander was hit hard in his start on July 22nd as he coughed up five hits, six runs (four earned), threw one wild pitch, and struck one out one inning. He had a ground out-to-fly ratio of 3-to-0 and earned the loss (2-3).
Juan Alvarez had his consecutive scoreless appearances snapped at three. The 17-year old right-hander mad e his first relief appearance on July 22nd allowing four hits, four earned runs, three walks, threw one wild pitch, and struck two out. In his second game, on July 26th, he gave up three hits, one earned run, one home run, one walk, and struck three out. He had a ground out-to-fly ratio of 7-to-3 and kept his only inherited runner on base.
Notes:
Luis Bandes (ankle) has not played since July 16th and Andres Luna (bicep) since July 17th.
The St. Louis Cardinals signed 20-year old Dominican catcher Ignacio Chevalier and assigned him to the Dominican Summer League. He played last season with the New York Yankees One club going 2-for-22 (.091) with two total bases, five runs, three walks, seven strikeouts, .286 OBP, .091 SLG, and .377 OPS. In his first game, the right-handed hitting catcher collected one hit in three at-bats and struck out. Here is a video of him posted on Vimeo.
Dominican Summer League Stats (League Ranking - 36 Teams):
The team has gone 364-for-1634 (.223 - 29th) with 58 doubles, nine triples, 18 home runs (t-7th), 133 RBIs, 494 total bases, 178 runs, 149 walks, 57 stolen bases (most in the league), 487 strikeouts, 29 caught stealing, .296 OBP (36th), .302 SLG (28th), and .598 OPS (32nd).
The club has a 15-33 with a 3.85 ERA (22nd), 1.42 WHIP (21st), one shutout, eight holds, and ten saves. They have allowed 440 hits (5th worst), 247 runs, 183 earned runs, 12 home runs, 165 walks (8th best), hit 12 batters (7th best), and struck 324 out (4th worst) over 427.1 innings.
Luis Bandes is tied for first in home runs.
Jonathan Rivera is tied for tenth in home runs.
Carlos Talavera is tied fifth in strikeouts.
Sandy Alcantara is tied for fifth in losses.
Up Next (2014 Record)(Cardinals Team Vs. Opponent):
July 28: @ Mets One (25-23)(2-2)
July 29: Mets One
July 30: Nationals (25-23)(1-3)
July 31: @ Nationals
August 1: @ Mariners (19-29)(0-4)
August 2: Mariners
August 3: Off Day
Past 2014 Notebooks:
June 9, 2014 - Will Changarotty, Franyel Casadilla, Allen Cordoba, Hector Linares, and Jonathan Rivera
June 16, 2014 - Sandy Alcantara, Luis Bandes, Allen Cordoba, Dylan Melendez, and Carlos Talavera
June 23, 2014 - Luis Bandes, Luis Flores, David Oca, Jonathan Rivera, and Carlos Rodriguez
June 30, 2104 - Sandy Alcantara, Andy De La Cruz, Derian Gonzalez, Junior Gonzalez, and Jonathan Rivera
July 7, 2014 - Sandy Alcantara, Allen Cordoba, Joaquin De La Cruz, Luis Flores, and Junior Gonzalez
July 14, 2014 - Luis Bandes, Franyel Casadilla, Derian Gonzalez, Carlos Rodriguez, and Esteban Vallejo
July 21, 2014 - Henry Alvarado, Andy De La Cruz, Oneiver Diaz, Angel Estevez, and David Oca,
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