Cardinals' Edman stars as Chiefs rout Kernels

Cardinals prospect Tommy Edman led the way Wednesday afternoon, collecting four of Peoria's 21 hits -- the most any team has posted in the Midwest League this season -- in a 15-3 pasting of visiting Cedar Rapids.
A sixth-round pick out of Stanford in 2016, Edman finished the day 4-for-6 with two triples, a double, two RBIs and four runs scored. Of the Chiefs' nine batters, only third baseman Andy Young failed to collect two hits (he was 1-for-4) and only center fielder Shane Billings failed to drive in a run.

The offensive outburst helped Peoria snap a four-game losing streak in which it had scored just six runs while allowing 25 and evened the team's record at 6-6.
For Edman, the win showed what the team can do.
"About half our team played in [Class A Short Season] State College last year, where we won a championship, and many of the other guys played for [Rookie-level] Johnson City, which won in the Appy League. We've got a lot of talent, we're comfortable playing together and we're ready to have a strong season."
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MiLB.com named Edman a Cardinals Organization All-Star at shortstop for his strong debut campaign with State College last summer, where his .400 on-base percentage was fourth-best in the New York-Penn League and his 19 stolen bases (while being caught just three times) ranked fifth. He led the circuit with 48 walks.
This year he's drawn just one walk in his first 10 games but says the change is mostly coincidence.
"In this league, the pitchers seem to be around the plate more consistently," he said. "I'm happy to take a walk, but I don't get up there looking for one."

On Wednesday, Edman led off the first inning with a double and scored the first of Peoria's three runs in the frame. He followed with an RBI triple off the top of the wall in center in the second, a single in the fifth and another triple to right in the seventh. Asked if he'd considered trying to stretch the second triple in a bid for the cycle, the California native demurred.
"It was actually a pretty close play at third," he said. "I'd have looked pretty silly trying to head home."
Peoria got three-run homers from first baseman Stefan Trosclair and right fielder Dylan Carlson -- the second blast of the season for both players -- and three hits from catcher Andrew Knizner, who raised his season average to a team-leading .371. Edman ranks second at .333.
Chiefs starter Jordan Hicks, a first-round pick in 2015, notched his second victory of the season, allowing three earned runs on seven hits over seven innings. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter. The 20-year-old right-hander began the season with 13 2/3 scoreless frames before yielding three runs to Cedar Rapids in the second inning Wednesday. Relievers Eric Carter and Estarlin Arias each contributed a perfect inning in relief.
Eduardo Del Rosario (1-1) took the loss for the Kernels after giving up five runs on eight hits in two innings.