Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds (1-1) vs Oklahoma City Dodgers (1-1)
Published on September 7, 2018 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release
Memphis Redbirds (1-1) vs Oklahoma City Dodgers (1-1)
Friday, September 7 - 7:05 p.m. (CT) - AutoZone Park (10,000) - Memphis, Tennessee
PCL American Conference Championship Series Game #3 - Series Tied (1-1)
RHP Michael Wacha (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Logan Bawcom (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
THE GAME
TODAY'S GAME: The Memphis Redbirds will continue to defend their 2017 PCL Championship in game three tonight against the Oklahoma City Dodgers. Wednesday night, game one of the series was postponed due to weather and field conditions, and the start of last night's doubleheader was postponed by over two hours because of weather. The Redbirds finished the regular-season with a record of 83-57, slightly off their record-setting 91-50 2017 campaign. In last season's opening round of the playoffs, Memphis defeated the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Brewers) in the series 3-2. Memphis then went on to defeat the El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres) 3-2 before falling in the Triple-A Championship Game to the Durham Bulls. Earlier today, pitchers Michael Wacha and Mike Mayers were added to the roster on Major League rehab. Today's game will be broadcast on www.memphisredbirds.com with Steve Selby on the call.
ON THE HILL: Right-hander Michael Wacha will take the mound for Memphis tonight in a Major League rehab appearance. This will be Wacha's first appearance with the Redbirds since the 2013 season. Before being injured, Wacha was phenomenal for St. Louis this season. In 15 starts, the righty was 8-2 in 84.1 innings of work. He had a 3.20 ERA in that span. He had allowed just 30 earned runs and struck out 71 batters. Opponents were hitting just .221 (68-for-308) off him. In his three rehab appearances thus far, Wacha has struggled. He is a combined 0-1 in just 6.2 innings, posting an 8.71 ERA.
The Dodgers will send right-hander Logan Bawcom to the mound to battle Wacha and the Redbirds. In eight regular-season starts with the Dodgers this season, Bawcom was 2-4 with a 6.52 ERA in 38.2 innings of work. The righty faced Memphis once this season, taking the loss. He allowed five earned runs in six innings of work on seven hits and two walks, while striking out three batters.
THIS SEASON AGAINST OKLAHOMA CITY: Memphis and Oklahoma City have squared off in 16 games this season. Memphis won the regular-season series 10-6, going 5-3 both at home and in Oklahoma City. After going just 5-5 against the Dodgers in the first 10 games this season, Memphis finished strong, going 5-1 in the final six games. In the 16 regular-season games the two played this season, Memphis out-hit and out-pitched the Dodgers. Memphis batters posted a .265 average, compared to their .256. Meanwhile, Memphis pitchers posted a 3.55 ERA, compared to their 4.18 mark. Memphis and Oklahoma City finished the regular-season in the top two places in team-ERA at 3.54 and 3.92, respectively.
BIRD BITES
AROZARENA: Went 2-for-2 at the plate in game one last night, hitting a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning
BARON: In game two against OKC last night, went 1-for-3 with an RBI single, but the comeback fell just short
EDMAN: Has now played in 10 postseason games with Memphis in career; hitting .313 (5-for-16) in those games
KNIZNER: Saturday night, rejoined Memphis for second stint of season and picked up where he left off; went 2-for-5
MEJIA: Last night, drove in three of Memphis' eight runs between both games; combined 2-for-5 with three RBI, 2B
RAVELO: Recorded one hit in both of last night's games, going a total of 2-for-8 and scoring twice, once in each game
SCHROCK: In last night's doubleheader, snapped an 0-for-18 stretch by going 1-for-1 with three walks in two games
SOSA: Recently had back-to-back games with a home run for the first time in his Triple-A career; 5 HR with Memphis
THOMAS: Drove in two of the eight Memphis runs scored between both games last night; combined 2-for-8
TOVAR: Sun. night, went 1-for-3 with a two-run double, giving Memphis the win; Sat. night, went 3-for-5 with two RBI
URIAS: Sun. night, went 2-for-3 at the plate with two doubles, snapping a three-game hitless stretch
WILLIAMS: Drove in all three runs Memphis scored from 8/19-8/22 on a solo home run and two-run home run
BY THE NUMBERS
64 players will have appeared in a Memphis uniform this season after tonight's game, a franchise record. Third-straight season with record number of players.
BY THE NUMBERS
14-8 record in 22 opening-round playoff games in franchise history. Memphis has now appeared in the playoffs in six seasons and has advanced past the first round in all but one up to this point.
THE SEASON
ABOUT THE LAST ONE: The Memphis Redbirds split last night's doubleheader with the Oklahoma City, winning the first game and dropping the second.
Wednesday's series-opening game was postponed due to weather, and the start of last night's doubleheader was delayed for over two hours because of rain.
In game one, Memphis starter Kevin Herget was phenomenal. He threw 5.0 innings, allowing just one run on one hit and three walks, while striking out six. He did not allow a hit through the first four innings.
Memphis trailed 1-0 entering the sixth inning before scoring two runs in each of the final two frames to complete the comeback. Randy Arozarena hit a two-run, go-ahead single in the sixth and Alex Mejia and Lane Thomas each drove in a run in the seventh inning to give Memphis the 1-0 series lead.
In game two, Memphis starter Tyler Lyons threw just four innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits and one walk. He allowed a solo home run to lead off the game, and later allowed a two run home run.
Memphis scored two runs in both the fourth and sixth innings, but could not complete the comeback. Alex Mejia drove in two runs, going 2-for-4 with a double. Lane Thomas and Steven Baron drove in the other Memphis runs.
Edward Mujica allowed two earned runs in 0.2 innings on three hits. Conner Greene and Tommy Layne combined to throw 1.1 scoreless innings to finish the game.
SUCCESS IN THE OPENERS: After winning game one of last night's doubleheader, Memphis continued their dominance in the opening game of the playoffs. After last night's win, Memphis is now 5-1 in their six opening games in playoff history. Up to this point, Memphis has won every opening series of the playoffs in which they won the opening game. After dropping the second game last night, Memphis fell to 3-3 all-time in game two of the opening series.
HERGET'S POSTSEASON DOMINANCE: Last night, Memphis right-hander Kevin Herget took the mound in game one for the 'Birds. Herget was lights-out in his five innings of work. He allowed just one run on one hit and three walks, while striking out six batters en route to the no-decision. Herget made two starts for Memphis in last season's playoffs. He went 0-1 in 13.0 innings. He allowed just three runs, one earned, on 10 hits and three walks, while striking out 18 batters. 15 of those 18 strikeouts came in one game. He struck out 15 in eight scoreless against El Paso. In three playoff appearances with Memphis, Herget is 0-1 with a 1.00 ERA in 18.0 innings of work. He has allowed just four runs, two earned, on 11 hits and six walks, while striking out 24 total batters.
RANDY IN THE CLUTCH: In game one last night, outfielder Randy Arozarena was a force at the plate for the Redbirds. Arozarena went 2-for-2 with one walk and two RBI in the game. His two RBI came on a go-ahead, two-run single with two outs in the sixth inning. Memphis was trailing 1-0 at the time of his clutch-hit, and went on to score two more runs in the game to win 4-2. He also stole a base in the game.
MEJIA'S BIG NIGHT: Last night, Alex Mejia appeared in both games of the Memphis doubleheader. In game one, Mejia came in as a pinch-hitter and stayed in the game to play right field. Mejia did not record a hit in the contest, going 0-for-2, but he drove in the go-ahead, and eventual game-winning, run in the seventh inning on a fielder's choice. In the nightcap, Mejia got the start in right field. He went 2-for-3 at the plate, driving in two runs, hitting a double, and scoring once. In drove in one run on a single in the fourth inning, and one on his double in the sixth inning. Memphis scored eight total runs last night, and he brought in three of them.
THOMAS ON A ROLL: In last night's doubleheader split, outfielder Lane Thomas started both games. Though he went hitless in the first game, he did drive in an insurance run on a force out in the seventh inning. In game two, he went 2-for-4 at the plate, driving in another run and scoring once. He and Alex Mejia combined to drive in five of the eight Memphis runs between last night's games. In 32 regular-season games with Memphis since being promoted from Springfield in July, Thomas was hitting .275 (36-for-131). Thomas is having a breakout season in his first year in the St. Louis organization. Between the two levels of the organization, he hit .264 (136-for-515), the second-highest average of his career. He also scored 84 runs, hit 23 doubles, hit 27 home runs, driven in 88 runs, and walked 49 times, all career-highs. His six triples, and 16 stolen bases are just shy of his career-high marks. Including last night's playoff games, he has hit safely in 10 of his last 13 games and is hitting .313 (15-for-48) in those 13 games.
LYONS STRUGGLING AS A STARTER: Memphis' game two starter Tyler Lyons struggled last night for the 'Birds. He lasted just four innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits and one walk. He allowed a solo home run and a two-run home run in the game, taking the loss for the 'Birds. After being designated for assignment earlier this season, Lyons was outrighted to Memphis, and began to get stretched out for a starting role. As a starter with Memphis in the regular-season, he was 0-1 with a 4.22 ERA in three starts spanning 10.2 innings. As a reliever, he was 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA in four appearances, spanning 11.0 innings. As a starter between the regular-season and playoffs, Lyons is now 0-2 in four starts spanning 14.2 innings. He has allowed eight earned runs as a starter, giving him an ERA of 5.07. He has given up three home runs as a starter after last night.
BULLPEN HITS A BUMP: In last night's playoff-opening doubleheader split with Oklahoma City, the Memphis bullpen was hit hard. In game one, starter Kevin Herget threw 5.0 innings of one-run ball. Giovanny Gallegos threw the final two innings of the game, allowing one run on a solo home run, while striking out four batters. Though he was credited with the win, he was also charged with the blown save. In the game two loss, starter Tyler Lyons threw four innings, allowing three earned runs on two home runs. Edward Mujica followed him in relief and was roughed up by the Dodgers. He threw just 0.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits. Both runs scored on a home run. Tommy Layne and Conner Greene combined to throw the final 1.1 innings and did not allow a run. So far, in four innings of playoff baseball, four Memphis relievers have combined to allow three runs on four hits, giving them a 9.00 ERA.
TOVAR STILL AT IT: Last night, infielder Wilfredo Tovar combined to go 2-for-8 with two runs scored between both games. After returning from the Disabled List on August 14, Tovar had appeared in 17 regular-season games, and had hit safely in 14 of those contests. In that stretch, he hit .364 (23-for-63), scoring eight times, hitting four doubles, one triple, one home run, and driving in nine runs. With his recent dominance at the dish, Tovar finished the regular-season hitting .297 (107-for-360) in 108 games with Memphis. The 107 hits are his most in a season since having 112 with Triple-A Rochester of the International League in 2016. Tovar struggled at the plate in May and early June before flipping the switch. On June 21, he went 0-for-4 at the plate, falling to a .259 batting average. Including the playoffs, in 49 games since June 21, he is hitting .337 (59-for-175).
PLAYOFF HISTORY: This season marks the sixth time in franchise history that the Redbirds have advanced to the Pacific Coast League Playoffs. They had previously made appearances in 2000, 2009, 2010, 2014, and 2017. They won the PCL Championship in 2000, 2009, and 2017. This is just the second time in franchise history Memphis has won its division in consecutive seasons. The other occasion was 2009-2010. Memphis won the PCL Championship in 2009, but could not repeat the success in 2010. They swept Oklahoma City in the first round of the 2010 playoffs before being swept by Tacoma in the second round. Memphis is a combined 14-8 in 22-first round games in franchise history.
ROSTER TURNOVER: Memphis will come into this season's playoffs with an almost entirely different roster than they did last season. The roster is almost completely different from Opening Day this season, as well. Of the 13 position players who made an appearance in last season's playoffs, only two are still on Memphis' active roster. Wilfredo Tovar and Tommy Edman are the only two players. Every other player has either been traded, released, or is at a different level of the organization. Of the 13 pitchers who appeared in the playoffs for Memphis last season, only two remain on the roster. Kevin Herget is the only active pitcher who appeared in the playoffs last season. Ryan Helsley made two appearance in the playoffs last season, but is currently on the Disabled List. Of Memphis' 25-man Opening Day roster, only nine of those players are still with the team today. Position players Steven Baron, Alex Mejia, Rangel Ravelo, Max Schrock, Wilfredo Tovar, and Randy Arozarena remain, while pitchers Kevin Herget, Andrew Morales, and Edward Mujica remain. Only Schrock, Ravelo, and Tovar were in the starting lineup for Memphis on Opening Day.
RAVELO GOES ON A TEAR: On August 15, infielder Rangel Ravelo left the Redbirds' game against New Orleans after being hit in the face with a pitch. He spent more than a week on the Disabled List before returning to the lineup on August 25. At the time of his injury, Ravelo was riding a 16-game hitting streak, tied for the longest such streak of his career. Ravelo went 0-for-8 in his first two games back with the 'Birds. However, in the last eight regular-season games, he found his way back to consistency. Saturday night, he went 3-for-4 at the plate, scoring once, walking once, and driving in two runs. Before Saturday night, he had recorded one hit in each of the previous five games, and had recorded at least one RBI in three of those five games. Thursday night, Ravelo drove in two of the three Memphis runs via a single and a sacrifice fly. The other run scored on a Lane Thomas solo home run. Including last night's performance in the playoffs, Ravelo is now 13-for-37 (.379) in the last 10 games with seven RBI and four walks. He finished the regular-season leading current Memphis players with a .308 (107-for-347) batting average, and .392 on-base percentage.
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