PEORIA, ILL. – Kolten Wong had a reunion with his past and a re-start to his present Thursday with a one-game rehab stint for the Peoria Chiefs.
The St. Louis Cardinals second baseman, on the 10-day disabled list with left knee inflammation, sailed through an active outing with no issues on the way to the Chiefs 3-2 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels before 4,397 at Dozer Park.
Wong went 0-for-3 with a walk, and six of the first 12 Cedar Rapids batters hit the ball to him — including the first four hitters of the game.
Wong played seven innings, packed, and headed off for St. Louis, the Hilo-born player wearing a ballcap on which was written “Mahalo.” He hurried for an early flight Friday to catch up to the big club in Pittsburgh, where he’s expected to be activated.
“I got a lot of ground balls, which I was happy about,” said Wong, 27. “Got on base, chance to run the bases. No problems with the knee, ready to go. It was fun.”
In the Chiefs dugout, meanwhile, were manager Chris Swauger and pitching coach Cale Johnson, both old teammates from Wong’s original march up the minor league ladder.
Swauger played with Wong in 2013 with the Cardinals’ Triple-A farm club at Memphis.
And Johnson pitched for Quad Cities in the Midwest League when Wong was just starting his pro career in 2011.
“He came straight to us out of the draft and did everything right,” Johnson said. “He could hit. Kolten was a great guy, great teammate.”
Said Wong, grinning: “It’s crazy to see the transition, we’re all transitioning in life and these guys are coaches now and doing a helluva job.”
He goes back to a Cardinals team that is somewhat in transition, too, after overhauling its bullpen and trading outfielder Tommy Pham.
“It’s a team right now that is just playing, having fun,” Wong said. “You watch the games, and it’s a team that is going out there and competing every single day. That’s Cardinal baseball, the Cardinal way.
“You’re seeing wins come with it.”
