Redbirds Split Series

Redbirds Split Series

Martini homers in loss; Redbirds hit the road for eight games

Memphis Redbirds MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis Redbirds led 2-0 after three innings, but the Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple-A Royals) came back to take game four of the series, 5-3, and salvage a split Thursday night at AutoZone Park.

Dean Anna had two hits and scored a run for the Redbirds (10-14), and Nick Martini hit a two-run home run, his first of the season, with Greg Garcia adding a double. David Washington had a single in the seventh inning in his Triple-A debut.

Deck McGuire cruised through three innings before a rough fourth knocked him out of the game, and the offense helped him with two runs in the second on Martini’s two-run homer off the right field foul pole after Patrick Wisdom walked to start the inning.

McGuire set down 10 of the first 11 hitters he faced, with the only blemish being a two-out single in the first, but he gave up a home run to Cheslor Cuthbert with one out in the fourth and then walked three-straight with two outs and was lifted after a run-scoring fielder’s choice did not produce an out and Clint Barmes singled home two to give Omaha (16-10) a 4-2 lead.

Each team scored in the seventh to make it 5-3, and the Storm Chaser bullpen shut down the Redbirds the rest of the way to finish the 5-3 win. Each team had five hits in the contest.

Ryan Sherriff was solid in relief for the Redbirds, working a Memphis reliever season-high 3.1 innings and giving up two hits and a run. Justin Wright and Dean Kiekhefer finished the game for the Redbirds and did not allow a hit.

Kiekhefer has now pitched 10.1 scoreless innings over nine appearances to start the season, and he has not allowed a walk and given up just seven hits.

Memphis hits the road for four games in Nashville and four games in Omaha before returning to AutoZone Park on Saturday, May 14 to play eight games in nine days.

By Michael Schroeder