MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – The scheduled exhibition game between the St. Louis Cardinals and their Triple-A Memphis farm club has been rained out.  A near-capacity crowd of 13,000 had been expected Friday night at AutoZone Park in Memphis for what would have been the Cardinals’ first game there since 2009. The team did take batting practice and players such as outfielder Matt Holliday and infielder Matt Carpenter stopped on the dugout steps to sign autographs for fans.

The grounds crew placed the tarp on the field about 40 minutes before the scheduled start, and rain began falling soon afterward. Thunder and lightning followed and there was standing water on the warning track when the game was canceled.  Joe Kelly, who was 10-5 with a 2.69 ERA last season, had been scheduled to start for St. Louis. The Cardinals open the season Monday afternoon in Cincinnati.

The Cardinals announced they will schedule an exhibition game against the Memphis Redbirds at AutoZone Park next season.