Curtis Sends Redbirds Home Happy with Walkoff Hit

April 21, 2013 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Third baseman Jermaine Curtis hammered a walkoff single up the middle to score Jamie Romak and give the Memphis Redbirds a 1-0 victory over the division-rival Iowa Cubs on Sunday afternoon in front of 9,182 fans at AutoZone Park.

Romak, who had two of Memphis' four hits, led off the ninth with base hit to center and moved to second on a Ryan Jackson sacrifice bunt. Romak would then come home to score winning run on the Curtis single.

Starting pitcher John Gast hurled 6 2/3 scoreless frames while striking out six to extend his PCL-leading scoreless stretch to 24 2/3 innings. Six of his first seven outs recorded were strikeouts.

Entering the afternoon with 18.0 shutout innings through his first three starts, Gast reached 21.0 innings at the end of the third to set the Redbirds' franchise record for consecutive shutout innings by a starting pitcher in a single-season, previously set by Britt Reames from July 14-August 13, 2000 (20.2 IP).

After the fifth inning with no runs, Gast surpassed reliever Josh Kinney's 22.2 scoreless innings from June 5-August 8, 2006 for the franchise record.

Jorge Rondon (1-0) picked up his first Triple-A win while working around a hit and a walk in a scoreless ninth inning. Eric Fornataro stranded his only inherited runner with 1/3 shutout innings.

The shutout was Memphis' PCL-leading fourth of the season and first last at-bat victory. Brock Peterson extended his hitting streak to a season-high eight games with base hit. Second baseman Kolten Wong went hitless to end his season-best seven-game hitting streak.

The Redbirds and Cubs continue their series at 7:05 pm CT on Monday night at AutoZone Park. Right-hander Seth Maness (2-1, 3.32) takes the mound for Memphis against Iowa left-hander Brooks Raley (1-2, 3.18).

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