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PCL1 Memphis Redbirds

Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds (15-4) vs Round Rock Express (6-13)

April 25, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


Memphis Redbirds (15-4) vs Round Rock Express (6-13)

Wednesday, April 25 - 6:35 p.m. (CT) - AutoZone Park (10,000) - Memphis, Tennessee

Game #20 - Home Game #8 (6-1)

RHP Daniel Poncedeleon (1-1, 1.06 ERA) vs. RHP Yovani Gallardo (0-0, 11.57 ERA)

THE GAME

TODAY'S GAME: The Memphis Redbirds and the Round Rock Express (Rangers) kick-off a five-game series tonight at 6:35 p.m. The 'Birds are back at home for nine-games after traveling to Omaha and Iowa for a seven-game road trip, in which they went 5-2. Today's game will be broadcast live on www.memphisredbirds.com with Steve Selby on the call.

ON THE HILL: Right-hander Daniel Poncedeleon will get the ball for the Redbirds tonight. Poncedeleon is coming off his first loss of the season, despite pitching extremely well. In his last start at Omaha, Poncedeleon went 6.0 innings, allowing two runs, only one of which was earned. In that game, he allowed seven hits and one walk, while striking out four. In one career start against Round Rock last season, Poncedeleon is 1-0 in 6.0 innings, having allowed five hits and one earned run, while striking out three.

The Express will send righty Yovani Gallardo to the mound to battle with Poncedeleon. Gallardo has struggled this season. He began the year with Cincinnati, and pitched out of the bullpen in three games. In those games, he allowed eight earned runs in just 2.1 innings, good for a 30.86 ERA, before being designated for assignment, and picked up by Texas. In one start with the Express so far, Gallardo lasted 2.1 innings, allowing three earned runs, giving him an ERA of 11.57.

HISTORY WITH ROUND ROCK: The Redbirds and Round Rock Express have played every year dating back to 2005. Since that time, the 'Birds lead the all-time series record with a slight advantage at 114-96. At home, the 'Birds lead the series 58-44, and lead it 56-52 on the road. Memphis and Round Rock faced off in the season-opening series at the beginning of the month. Memphis won four of five games against the Express. The Redbirds dominated on both sides of the ball in the series. At the plate, the 'Birds hit .330 (62-for-188) as a team, collecting 18 extra-base hits, including 7 home runs. The 'Birds also pitched well, collecting a 3.48 ERA in those five games, pitching 44.0 innings, allowing 17 earned runs, while striking out 40 Express batters.

BIRD BITES

AROZARENA: Seven stolen bases is two behind Mercado for PCL lead

BARON: Joins St. Louis organization after spending entire career in Seattle organization

GARCIA: Is hitting .301 in 57-career Triple-A games with 15 doubles, three triples, and five home runs

KELLY: Third stint with Memphis; spent second half of 2017 on St. Louis roster backing up Yadier Molina

MEJIA: Fourth stint with Memphis, appearing with team in each of the last four years; made MLB debut last season

MERCADO: Nine stolen bases leads the PCL; recently ended an eight-game hitting streak

MUNOZ: Joins the team after spending the first three weeks of the season with St. Louis; hit first homer on 4/23

RAVELO: Second season in organization and with team; helped lead Memphis to PCL Pennant in 2017

SCHROCK: Ranks third in the PCL in hits and is the second-hardest to strike out

TOVAR: Second season with Memphis; has hits in 10 games this season

VOIT: Played in the first game of the season before going on the Disabled List; Redbirds went 9-3 in absence

WISDOM: Reigning PCL Playoffs MVP; hit career-high 31 home runs for Memphis last season

BY THE NUMBERS

18-3 against the Express dating back to the beginning of the 2017 season

THE SEASON

ABOUT THE LAST ONE: The Memphis Redbirds used a three-run first inning to back starter Austin Gomber to win 3-0 Monday at Iowa.

Oscar Mercado led off the game with a double, and was driven in by Max Schrock one batter later to give the 'Birds the only run they needed. Yairo Munoz followed Schrock three batters later with his first home run of the season to give Memphis two additional insurance runs.

The real story of the game was Memphis starter Austin Gomber. The southpaw dominated the Iowa hitters. He pitched a season-high 8.0 innings, and tied the franchise record (Lance Lynn 9/10/10) with 16 strikeouts. The mark bested his previous career-high of 11 strikeouts.

The 16 strikeouts also set the record for most strikeouts in a regular season game in franchises history. Lynn's mark came in the PCL playoffs in 2010. The previous regular season record was 15 set by Anthony Reyes (8/14/05) and Bill Pulsipher (9/3/05).

BEST START IN FRANCHISE HISTORY: The Redbirds have been on fire to start the 2018 season. After the 5-2 road trip, and three-game sweep over Iowa, Memphis has moved past the 2000 team that started 10-4 for the best start in franchise history.

GOMBER'S GONE CRAZY: Starting pitcher Austin Gomber has been on a roll since his season-debut on April 7. In three starts since then, Gomber has thrown 21.2 innings of five-run ball, and has struck out 23 batters. In his last start on Monday, he pitched 8.0 shutout innings, allowing six hits and no walks, while striking out 16 batters. The 16 strikeouts bested his previous career-high of 11 strikeouts, which he set last season. The 16 strikeouts also tied the franchise record for most strikeouts in a game (Lance Lynn 9/10/10), and bested the regular-season strikeout record of 15 set by Anthony Reyes (8/14/05) and Bill Pulsipher (9/3/05). Through the first four-plus years of his minor league career, Gomber owns a 36-20 record, a 2.83 ERA, has struck out 459 batters, and is holding opponents to a .222 batting average. After his performance on Monday, Gomber is now tied for the PCL-lead with 27 strikeouts, and is first in innings pitched at 25.2.

LIGHTS-OUT STARTERS: The starting rotation for the Redbirds this season has been outstanding. The starters have a combined record of 12-1, have struck out 103 batters, have allowed just 31 earned runs, surrendered only five homers and 35 walks, all combining for a 2.56 ERA. Through 19 games this season, Memphis starters have twirled 11 quality starters, tied for the lead league with El Paso. Of the 16 teams in the PCL, Memphis, El Paso, Fresno, Omaha, and Reno are the only teams with at least five quality starts. One team, Salt Lake, has yet to record a quality start.

WHAT CAN'T MAX DO: Infielder Max Schrock has been nothing short of consistent in his first season at the Triple-A level. In 17 games, 16 of them starts, so far this season, Schrock is hitting .375 (27-for-72), has scored 14 runs, has four doubles, one homer, 10 RBI, and four walks, while striking out just four times. He currently is tied for third in the PCL with 27 hits, is eighth in batting average (.375), he is also second in total plate appearances per strikeout ratio at 19.25, and tied for sixth with four stolen bases. Schrock has been a force on defense, as well. Despite making his first error of the season last Tuesday, the infielder has made just seven errors in his last 123 games dating back to the beginning of the 2017 season.

MERCADO TURNING HEADS: Outfielder and No. 13 prospect in the organization, Oscar Mercado, has proven he can field and run the bases, but since the start of the 2017 season, his bat has started to show promise, as well. Last season at Double-A Springfield, Mercado hit a career-high .287, 33 points higher than his previous career high of .254. So far this season, Mercado is hitting .308 (20-for-65). In 137 games since the start of 2017, Mercado is hitting .290 (157-for-542), and has stolen 48 bases. A three-time stolen base champion (2014, 2015, 2017) Mercado comes into tonight's game with a PCL-leading nine stolen bases, two ahead of teammate Randy Arozarena.

WOAH, MUNOZ: Infielder and Cardinals' No. 17 prospect Yairo Munoz had a hot spring and started the season on St. Louis' roster. Since being optioned last week, Munoz has been playing well. After going 2-for-4 in the series finale against Iowa, Munoz is now hitting .318 in seven games for the 'Birds. In that game, Munoz also hit his first homer of the year, and his first since August 11 last season while with Nashville off current teammate Mike Mayers.

BREAK OUT THE GOLD MEDALS, THESE GUYS CAN RUN: While the Redbirds have proved they can smash the baseball, starting the season by notching at least one extra-base hit in 17 of the first 19 games, they have also proved that they can put runs on the board by dominating on the base paths. Two weeks ago, they stole five bases as a team for the first time since June 13, 2016 at Nashville, and also stole four bases in an inning against Iowa last week. The 'Birds have now stolen 28 bases as a team through the first 19 games of the season, and have been caught just nine times, good for a .737 stolen base percentage. The 28 stolen bases lead the PCL, seven ahead of Colorado Springs.

FINALLY, SOME RUNS IN THE FIRST: After scoring seven-first inning runs in the series against Iowa, the Redbirds are now outscoring opponents 12-to-7 in the first inning this season. Last season, the 'Birds dominated the competition in the first, outscoring them 118-to-51. So far this season, Memphis is outscoring opponents 110-to-64, but the majority of those runs have come in the second and third, and sixth and seventh innings. Between the second and third innings, Memphis has scored 32 runs, compared to nine from their opponents. Memphis has also scored 27 runs between the sixth and seventh innings, compared to just 11 from the competition.

PITCHING PROWESS: Memphis' 2017 pitching staff was one of its main reasons for success. The 'Birds led the PCL in ERA (3.77), which was a franchise record (3.89, 1998 and 2003), and Memphis was the only club in the PCL with a team ERA under 4.20. They have gotten off to a hot start this season, as well. Memphis boasts a 3.04 ERA through the first 19 games, including a 2.56 ERA and 11 quality starts from the starting rotation. The 3.04 team ERA is third in the PCL behind Nashville (2.60) and Oklahoma City (2.78). Memphis pitching has also combined to strike out 36 batters in the last two games, 16 of them coming from yesterday's starter Austin Gomber.

GIVE ME GUILMET: After spending the 2017 season in Japan trying to get his stuff back, reliever Preston Guilmet is turning heads out of the Memphis bullpen. The veteran righty has been manager Stubby Clapp's most reliable arm out of the 'pen. So far, he has made seven appearances, spanning 11.0 innings, allowing just five hits and two earned runs, while striking out 16 and holding batters to a .143 (5-for-35) average.

GARCIA'S GAME: Outfielder and No. 9 prospect in the organization, Adolis Garcia has proven he's a hitter at every level, and has been dominating this season with the Redbirds. So far, Garcia has played in 17-of-19 games, starting 16 of them, and is hitting .300 with four doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI, and has swiped three bases. Garcia is hitting .324 (12-for-34) with runners on so far, and is hitting .500 (5-for-10, 2 2B, 5 RBI) with runners on with two outs and .667 (4-for-6, 2 2B, 5 RBI) with runners in scoring position with two outs.

CAN'T STOP HITTING: Before his promotion to St. Louis for his Major League debut, outfielder and No. 4 Cardinals' prospect Tyler O'Neill was on a tear to start the season. O'Neill played in 12 of the first 13 games for Memphis this season, and had hit safely in 10-straight before last Tuesday. Since the season-opener, O'Neill hit .432 (19-for-44) in those 11 games. O'Neill was tied for the PCL lead in home runs (6) and lead in RBI (18), total bases (41), and was tied for third with nine extra-base hits. The slugging outfielder was also tied for fourth in hits (19) and tied for fifth in runs scored (13), second in slugging percentage (.837), and third in home runs per at-bat ratio (1/8.17).

WINNING WAYS: The 2017 Redbirds became the winningest club in the franchise's 20 seasons with their 84th win on Aug. 21 against New Orleans. The previous record was 83 wins, set by the 2000 team. The 'Birds have continued their winning ways to begin the 2018 season. They have started 14-4, and have surpassed the 2000 and 2001 clubs with the best 18-game start in franchise history.

FASTEST TO 100: With a win last week, second-year manager Stubby Clapp secured his 100th regular season win as manager of the Redbirds. The accomplishment made him the fastest manager in Redbird history to reach 100 games. He also sits at sixth on the all-time win list for the Redbirds and has the best winning percentage at .663. Clapp's regular season record now sits at 106-54.

2017 PCL CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

START THE SLOW CLAPP: In 2017, first-year skipper Stubby Clapp led the Redbirds to their best season in franchise history. The 'Birds soared to a 91-50 record in the 2017 regular season and added six more wins in the PCL playoffs to win 97 total games on the year. Clapp was named the 2017 PCL Manager of the Year for his efforts, and was also named the 2017 Baseball America Minor League Manager of the Year. Clapp became the first minor league manager in the history of the St. Louis organization to win the Baseball America award. Clapp also earned the organization's prestigious George Kissell award.

FOR THE RECORD:

- Memphis' 91 wins in 2017 were the 10th-most in 119 seasons of professional baseball in Memphis dating back to 1877, and the season's .645 winning percentage was fourth-best

- Memphis was one of four teams in MiLB in 2017 with 90+ wins (Trenton Thunder [AA], 92-48; West Michigan Whitecaps [A], 91-45; Chattanooga Lookouts [AA], 91-49; Memphis Redbirds [AAA], 91-50)

- Memphis went 41 games over .500 during the regular season, the most by a PCL club since Albuquerque was 56 games over at 94-38 in 1981

- The Redbirds won the PCL American Southern Division by 22.0 games, and since divisions were established in the PCL in 1963, only two other teams won their division by 20 or more games (1970 Spokane Indians, 26.0 games; 1981 Albuquerque Dukes, 25.0 games)

- Memphis ended the season with its best ERA in franchise history (3.77) (3.89, 1998 and 2003), matched its best fielding percentage (.984) (.984, 2014), and had its third-best batting average (.278) (.284, 1999; .279, 2004)

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