NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Memphis Redbirds

Memphis Redbirds at Sacramento River Cats --

May 26, 2017 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


Memphis Redbirds (29-19) vs. Sacramento River Cats (18-28) Friday, May 26 * 9:05 p.m. (CT) * Raley Field (14,414) * Sacramento, California Game #49 * Road Game #29 (17-11) RHP Josh Zeid (2-1, 7.05) vs. RHP Chris Stratton (0-2, 5.59)

THE GAME TODAY'S GAME: The Memphis Redbirds finish up a four-game series with the Sacramento River Cats (Giants), and their eight-game California road trip this evening. The 'Birds have alternated wins and losses on the trip and in their last nine games overall. Today's game will be broadcast on Sports56 and 87.7 FM and internet webcast at MemphisRedbirds.com, with Steve Selby on the call.

ON THE HILL: Josh Zeid returns to the rotation for the Redbirds, stepping in for Arturo Reyes, who was placed on the DL Monday. Zeid began the year with six starts, compiling a 1-1 mark with an 8.44 ERA. He has since made three appearances out of the bullpen, most recently tossing a scoreless frame in a win over Fresno on Monday. Zeid's last start came at Iowa on May 8 when he allowed seven runs on 10 hits in 5.1 frames. He was signed by the Cardinals after performing well with Team Israel in the WBC.

Sacramento sends Chris Stratton to the hill in his seventh start of the campaign. Stratton is coming off consecutive losses, although he pitched well in his last outing. Facing Nashville on Sunday, he yielded three runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings for his first quality start of the campaign. Stratton faced Memphis once a year ago, allowing five runs on eight hits in six innings in a loss on May 16.

SCHEDULE WITH SACRAMENTO: The Redbirds and River Cats meet for their only series of the 2017 season. Last year, Memphis and Sacramento split a four-game series at AutoZone Park from May 14-17. The Redbirds are visiting Raley Field for the first time since 2015 when they swept a four-game series. This is only the third trip for Memphis to Sacramento in the last seven seasons with the last two trips resulting in sweeps (swept by Sacramento in 2012).

THIS DATE IN REDBIRDS HISTORY (May 26, 2008): 3B David Freese went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, and 6 RBIs in an 11-9 loss to Nashville at AutoZone Park.

BIRD BITES BADER: Hits in six of his last eight games (12-for-32, .375, 2B, HR, 4 R, 4 RBI); Two four-hit games in stretch CUNNINGHAM: 5-for-8 in his last two games after an 0-for-19 skid DeJONG: Hitting .328 (21-for-64, 4 2B, 6 HR, 10 R, 15 RBI) at home compared to .260 (25-for-96) on the road HUFFMAN: Hitting .395 (17-for-43, 5 2B, HR, 9 R, 6 RBI) at home compared to .213 (13-for-61) on the road KELLY: Hits in 13 of his last 16 games (24-for-61, .393, 6 2B, 2 HR, 13 R, 11 RBI); eight multi-hit games in his last 16 MARTINI: Hitless in back-to-back games for only the second time in 18 contests with Memphis RAVELO: Hits in nine straight games since May 9 (12-for-30, .400, 2 2B, 6 R, 6 RBI) ROSARIO: Has accrued six RBI in his last four games after none in his first 11 appearances TOVAR: Nine-game hitting streak since May 12 (11-for-32, .344, 3 R, 2 RBI) VALERA: Hit safely in 17 of his last 19 games (24-for-67, .358, 4 3B, 10 R, 3 RBI) VOIT: Was held hitless for the first time this season when recording 5+ AB's in a game WISDOM: Five-game hitting streak snapped last night (6-for-21, .286, 2B, 2 HR, 3 R, 4 RBI)

BY THE NUMBERS 9 straight games for Memphis alternating wins and losses 15/19 The Redbirds will play 15 of their next 19 games at AutoZone Park

THE SEASON ABOUT THE LAST ONE: Sacramento scored four times in the third inning and fended off a late Memphis charge to earn a 5-3 win on Thursday night. Marco Gonzales allowed all five runs in 5.1 innings, striking out five in the process.

Wilfredo Tovar extended his hitting streak to nine games with two hits while Breyvic Valera was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

MEMPHIS MASHERS RETURN: The Redbirds hit three homers Wednesday, bringing their season-long total to 53. Memphis is now 20-7 on the year when hitting at least one home run. The 'Birds entered their series against Albuquerque on May 15 with a league-leading 45 homers, but have now fallen to fourth in the circuit standings behind El Paso (59), Oklahoma City (59), and Nashville (62).

The Redbirds are still way ahead of their pace from a season ago when the squad did not hit its 53rd homer until game 75, which came on June 25.

Additionally last season, Memphis had just seven players hit six or more homers all season. This year, the Redbirds already have five players with at least six bombs: Carson Kelly (6), Harrison Bader (7), Luke Voit (8), Patrick Wisdom (9), and Paul DeJong (10).

LOB CITY: The Redbirds have posted 10-plus hits in four of the seven games on this road trip, but have left opportunities on the table. Memphis is just 13-for-58 (.224) with runners in scoring position on the trip and has stranded 54 runners.

Twenty-three of the 54 have been stranded while in scoring position with two outs, a situation in which Memphis is hitting just .250 this season.

STOP HITTING ME: Todd Cunningham was plunked in the ninth inning yesterday, bringing the season total to 33, which is far and away the most in the PCL (Round Rock, 22).

Luke Voit has now been hit seven times this year, including six times this month, which leads the PCL.

AMONG THE ORGANIZATION: The Redbirds pepper the Cardinals minor league affiliate leaderboard in multiple offensive categories:

- AVG: Voit (.339, 1st), Kelly (.311, 3rd), Valera (.292, 6th), Bader (.289, 7th), and DeJong (.288, 8th) - HR: DeJong (10, 1st), Wisdom (9, 2nd), Voit (8, 3rd), and Bader (7, t-4) - RBI: Voit (29, t-1), Wisdom (29, t-1), and DeJong (28, 3rd)

CONNECT FOUR: The Redbirds are averaging 4.9 runs per games this season, ranking seventh in the league in total runs. But so far this season, four runs has usually been enough for Memphis.

The Redbirds have scored at least four runs in their last 15 victories and are 20-1 when scoring at least five runs in a game this year.

RUN, RUN, RUNAWAY: The Redbirds are 17-for-41 in steal attempts and have been picked off 12 times. The 24 caught stealings are second in the PCL, trailing only Salt Lake (29, 62-for-91). Additionally, the Redbirds are the only PCL team to have a success rate less than 50 percent. Memphis stole its first base in 17 games Wednesday, dating back to May 6. The 'Birds have attempted only five stolen bases in the last 18 contests.

SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST: Monday's seven-run ninth inning Monday was the second-largest inning of the season for Memphis, trailing only an eight-run outburst in the ninth inning at Iowa on May 8. In fact, the Redbirds' three highest-scoring innings this year have been in the ninth inning when you include a six-run rally at Oklahoma City on April 22.

Memphis has scored 34 runs in the ninth, more than any other inning this season. Twenty-one of those runs have come in just three games.

STARTING OUT QUICK: The Redbirds have scored 30 runs in the first inning and 29 runs in the second inning of games, which are two of their most fruitful frames of the season.

Memphis has scored first in 30 of its initial 47 games this season, which is tied for the most in the PCL. However, the Redbirds are just 19-11 overall in those contests, which is seventh-worst in the league. Sacramento is just 9-9 when jumping out on top first, the worst mark in the league.

The Redbirds have scored the game's final run 22 times and are 17-5 (3rd in the PCL) in such games.

EXTRA, EXTRA: The Redbirds have recorded 164 extra-base hits this season (101 doubles, 10 triples, 53 home runs), which is second in the PCL (Reno, 175). The 'Birds have vaulted to sixth in the league in hitting (.278), and are third in total bases (737), and slugging percentage (.449).

NOTHING FOR YOU: Memphis became the final PCL team to post a shutout this season by virtue of Monday's 9-0 win at Fresno. Entering the contest, Fresno was the only team in the PCL not to have been shut out.

The Redbirds have held their opponent to one run 11 times and have lost a shutout bid in the seventh inning or later eight times. Memphis is now a perfect 16-0 on the season when limiting the opposition to two runs or fewer.

HOME COOKING: Memphis has played only 20 contests at AutoZone Park so far this year, among the fewest in the league. After this series, the Redbirds will play 15 of the next 19 in the Bluff City.

The Redbirds have made the most of their brief time at home, posting 68 extra-base hits, including 24 home runs. The Redbirds hit 49 homers all of last season at home.

TURNED UP TO ELEVEN: Memphis posted a franchise-record 11-game winning streak from April 28 - May 8. The Redbirds outscored opponents 81-38 during the run, scoring at least four runs nine times and limiting the opponent to two runs or fewer on seven occasions. Memphis dominated on both sides of the diamond, hitting .330 with 19 homers over the stretch while averaging 7.4 runs per game. On the mound, Redbird pitchers posted a 3.43 ERA.

The wins came in a variety of ways for Memphis, with seven of the 11 decided by three runs or fewer, five victories coming from behind, three last at-bat triumphs, and two wins in extra innings.

MEMPHIS PLAYERS AND COACHES VOIT OF CONFIDENCE: The St. Louis Cardinals tabbed Luke Voit as the organization's Minor League Player of the Month for April, his second straight month winning the award (August '16 with Springfield). Voit hit .360 with five homers and 16 RBI in 23 April games.

But a change in the calendar has not slowed him down. Voit is hitting .322 in May with three homers and 13 RBI in 22 games. He currently ranks among league leaders in doubles (16, 1st), OBP (.423, 3rd), extra-base hits (25, 3rd), SLG (.594, t-4), total bases (98, t-4), and AVG (.339, t-7).

THE KELLY FILE: Carson Kelly has caught 21 of the last 28 games for Memphis and leads the league in games behind the plate with 33. He hasn't let the heavy workload affect his offensive performance. In his last 16 games, he has recorded eight multi-hit contests and increased his average 87 points to .311 (24-for-61, .393, 6 2B, 2 HR, 13 R, 11 RBI).

WRANGLING HITS: Rangel Ravelo is the latest Redbird to post a lengthy hitting streak, having hit safely in nine in a row since May 9 (12-for-30, .400, 2 2B, 6 R, 6 RBI). The feat is perhaps more impressive as Ravelo has stretched the streak once as a pinch hitter, and once as a replacement after an ejection.

The Redbirds have had two double-digit hitting streaks this season (Breyvic Valera, 11 and Todd Cunningham, 13) while every current position player has hit in at least four straight at some point this year.

A NEW SHERRIFF IN TOWN: Ryan Sherriff has been one of the most heavily used relievers in the PCL this season, appearing in 19 games, tied for third-most in the league. The southpaw has allowed runs in only five of his outings and is currently riding a 6.1-inning scoreless streak over his last five appearances.

Six of the 10 runs Sherriff has allowed this year came in one outing at Colorado Springs on April 19. Aside from that, Sherriff has a 1.86 ERA (6 ER/19.1 IP).

THE JITTERBUG: John Brebbia has turned himself into one of, if not the, most reliable performers in the Redbird bullpen. Brebbia has picked up saves in three of his last four appearances, and most recently recorded two scoreless innings at Fresno Monday.

Brebbia has not allowed a run in his last nine outings, covering 16 innings. During that time, he has yielded only three hits, struck out 19, and walked four. The righthander has a 1.16 ERA in 14 relief appearances this year and ranks among PCL relievers in fewest baserunners/9 (6.08, 1st) and opponents' average (.127, 2nd).

CLEAR THE DE-CK: Paul DeJong ranked second in the Cardinals system last year with 22 homers and has brought his power to Triple-A this year. The infielder leads the team with 10 homers, nine of which have come in his last 25 games. During that time, DeJong has collected 22 RBI, highlighted by five multi-RBI games. He had just one homer and six RBI in his first 19 games of the year before finding his recent success.

PROSPECTING: The Cardinals organization has seen a steady growth in its prospect ranking the last three years, elevating from 15th to 14th to 12th this season, according to Baseball America. While top prospect Alex Reyes is sidelined for the season, eight of the top 30 prospects tabbed by the publication are currently on the Redbirds roster. That includes Luke Weaver (#2), Carson Kelly (#4), Harrison Bader (#7), Marco Gonzales (#13), Paul DeJong (#14), Sam Tuivailala (#23), John Gant (#27), and Breyvic Valera (#29).

THE ROSTER: Of the 25 players who comprise Memphis' active roster, 20 appeared at Triple-A last season, be it with Memphis or another organization. Of those who played at Triple-A, 12 donned a Redbirds uniform. Additionally, the roster is full of MLB experience with 11 players combining for 271 games played.

Check out the Memphis Redbirds Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Pacific Coast League message board...

Pacific Coast League Stories from May 26, 2017


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central