Walk-off wonders

Walk-off wonders

Redbirds sweep Round Rock, ride 5- Game winning streak into All- Star Break

Memphis Redbirds MEMPHIS, Tennessee – A four-run eighth inning was the difference in a 6-5 win over the Round Rock Express (Triple-A Rangers) Sunday afternoon and sent the Memphis Redbirds into the All-Star Break above .500 for the first time since after the 13th game of the season.

At 45-44 after a seasonlong five-game winning streak, Memphis is above .500 for the first time since it was 7-6 after the 13th game of the season on April 21. The Redbirds are 21-10 since June 10, and the four-game sweep of the Express is Memphis’ first four-game sweep since taking care of Las Vegas June 2-5, 2015.

Including Sunday’s fourrun eighth inning for a 6-5 lead, Memphis won four games this week in its last at bat. On Monday, nowrecalled Alberto Rosario hit a walk-off single in the 11th inning against Nashville, and alsorecalled Michael McKenry hit a walk-off home run in the 9th against the Sounds on Wednesday. On Friday, Harrison Bader singled home Dean Anna in the eighth for an eventual 3-2 win over Round Rock.

Breyvic Valera was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, and he is now hitting .565 on his current seven-game hitting streak (13-23).

Charlie Tilson was 2-for-4 with two RBI, and Matt Williams was also 2-for-4 with an RBI. After Deck McGuire allowed four runs in two outs in the first, six Redbird relievers shut the door with one run and five hits allowed in the final 8.1 innings.

The Redbirds trailed 5-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth, and Efren Navarro flew out to start the inning. After that, Memphis reeled off fivestraight hits, including back-to-back-to-back doubles, for the 6-5 lead. Jose Martinez singled and Jacob Wilson doubled, and both scored on a Nick Martini two-bagger. Martini scored when Valera doubled, and Williams drove home Valera with the go-ahead run.

After Miguel Socolovich started the ninth with a walk and got a sacrifice bunt groundout, left-hander Dean Kiekhefer came on to face three lefties and went strikeout, walk, strikeout to record his first save of the season.

Memphis was 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position on the day.

After the All-Star Break, which runs tomorrow through Wednesday, the Redbirds head west for an eight-game road trip to Albuquerque and El Paso.

Memphis is back at AutoZone Park for eight games against Iowa and Oklahoma City starting Friday, July 22.

For tickets or for more information on the 2016 Redbirds season, contact the Redbirds front office at (901) 721-6000 or visit www.memphisredbirds.co m.

By Michael Schroeder