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PCL1 Memphis Redbirds

Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds (19-10) at Nashville Sounds (13-14)

May 5, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


Memphis Redbirds (19-10) at Nashville Sounds (13-14)

Saturday, May 5 - 6:35 p.m. (CT) - First Tennessee Park (10,300) - Nashville, Tennessee

Game #30 - Road Game #14 (9-4)

LHP Austin Gomber (2-0, 2.45 ERA) vs. RHP Daniel Gossett (1-0, 0.96 ERA)

THE GAME

TODAY'S GAME: The Memphis Redbirds look to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season with game two of a four-game set at Nashville. The Redbirds have lost back-to-back games for the second time this season and have scored just one run in the two contests. The pitching has done its part in the last two games, allowing just four runs, but has nothing to show for it. Today's game will be broadcast live on www.memphisredbirds.com with Steve Selby on the call.

ON THE HILL: Lefty Austin Gomber gets the ball for the Redbirds for the first time since his franchise record-tying 16 strikeouts at Iowa on April 23. Since then, Gomber was recalled by St. Louis for the first time on April 29 but did not appear in a game before being optioned yesterday. Gomber tied Lance Lynn's franchise record with those 16 strikeouts, which Lynn did in the PCL Playoffs at Oklahoma City on Sept. 10, 2010. The start was just Gomber's fourth at the Triple-A level, and he tossed 85 strikes in 112 pitches (75.9 percent). He retired 16-straight hitters into the sixth inning after the first three Cubs reached base in that game.

The Redbirds are scheduled to face right-hander Daniel Gossett, who has made four appearances with Nashville and two with Oakland this season. Memphis faced Gossett once last season and defeated him and the Sounds on Aug. 12 in Nashville, with Gossett striking out 10 and giving up two runs on six hits in 6.0 innings. He has made 20 lifetime appearances in the Majors and has a 6.48 ERA.

HISTORY WITH NASHVILLE: The Redbirds and Nashville Sounds have played every year dating back to 1998. The Sounds hold the all-time series record at 169-149. Last season, the 'Birds took the season-series win, grabbing the win in eight of 14 games. It marked the first time since 2013 that Memphis had topped Nashville in the season-series. In 2017, Memphis held a slight edge, both on the mound and at the plate, against the Sounds. Memphis batters hit .263 against Nashville pitching, compared to .257 at the plate from the Sounds. Memphis pitchers also held a 4.05 ERA on the mound, compared to a 4.33 ERA by the Sounds.

BIRD BITES

BARON: Recorded first multi-hit game of the season in Thursday's loss; also notched first double since 9/2/17

GARCIA: Has struggled in last 13 games, going just 8-for-45 (.178) after starting season hitting .350 (13-for-37)

KELLY: Hitting .272 (12-for-44) with eight RBI and five walks in last 12 games

MEJIA: Recorded hits in three-straight starts after going hitless in his previous four starts

MERCADO: Nine stolen bases is second in the PCL; recently ended second eight-game hitting streak of the season

MUNOZ: Hitting .421 (8-19) on current five-game hitting streak; had hits in just seven games prior to streak

O'NEILL: Hit six home runs in 12 games before making MLB debut; has hits in two-of-five games since being optioned

RAVELO: Hit first home run of the season Sunday, and is now hitting .270 on the season

SCHROCK: Has struck out in just 8.9 percent of career at-bats (110-1231)

TOVAR: Has five multi-hit games in his last seven with a hit

VOIT: Hit just .184 (7-for-38) in 11 games since coming off DL; recently was recalled to STL but did not make appearance

WISDOM: Has hit four homers this season, all at home, and has hits in five of his last seven games (7-26, .269)

BY THE NUMBERS

6.4 runs scored per game by Memphis in 19 wins this season, compared to just 2.0 runs in 10 losses

THE SEASON

ABOUT THE LAST ONE: The Memphis Redbirds dropped their second-consecutive game, 3-1 to the Nashville Sounds Friday night at First Tennessee Park in Nashville. The Redbirds' lone run of the game came via a solo home run from Adolis Garcia in the second inning. It was his third home run of the season and his first since April 28.

Jack Flaherty was the starter for Memphis. He pitched 5.0 solid innings for Memphis, allowing two runs, only one of which was earned, on four hits and four walks, while striking out six batters on the night.

After Memphis grabbed the early lead, the Sounds tied the game in the third using two walks, an error, and an RBI single from Slade Heathcott. Nashville grabbed the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning when Anthony Garcia hit a leadoff home run off Flaherty.

The closest the 'Birds came to breaking it open came in the fifth inning when Alex Mejia singled, Oscar Mercado walked, and Max Schrock singled to load the bases with one out. Tyler O'Neill grounded into a double play one batter later to end the threat.

MORE HONORS FOR GOMBER: On Monday, starting pitcher Austin Gomber was named the PCL Pitcher of the Week today after his 16-strikeout performance last Monday. On Thursday, he was named the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April. 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). After that performance, he was called up to the Cardinals on Sunday for his MLB debut. Gomber was 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. The honor marked the sixth-straight month that a Redbirds player had won the Cardinals Minor League Player or Pitcher of the Month honors.

DOMINANT DAKOTA: Thursday's starter Dakota Hudson was brilliant in his sixth start of the year. The lanky right-hander pitched 8.0 innings, allowing just one unearned run and five hits, while walking one and striking out four batters. He was saddled with the tough-luck loss, his first of the year, in the game. He cruised through 7.0 innings before the leadoff hitter in the eighth reached on an error by the Memphis defense. After a hit, a sacrifice bunt, and a fielder's choice, the run came around to score, giving Oklahoma City the 1-0 win. So far this season, Hudson has been one of the best starting pitchers for the 'Birds. Through six starts, he is 3-1 in 35.2 innings pitched. He has allowed just 12 earned runs and nine walks, while striking out 24 batters, good for a 3.02 ERA. The 8.0 innings he pitched last night tied his career-high, which he set last season while with Double-A Springfield.

MAX GETTING BACK ON TRACK: After starting out his first season at the Triple-A level at a blistering pace, infielder Max Schrock hit a bit of a road bump, but seems to be getting his feeling back at the plate. In his first 13 games of the season, Schrock was hitting .397 (23-for-58). However, in his next eight games, he hit just .222 (6-for-27), and went hitless in back-to-back games for the first time all season. He has collected hits in five of his last six games, and has notched a hit in four-straight games for the first time since he ended a seven-game hitting streak on April 19. On Thursday, he provided most of the offense for Memphis, going 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles. It was his first three-hit game since April 16 against Iowa. After his recent hot-streak, Schrock is now hitting .343 on the season. He is tied for third in hits in the PCL with 37 and is fourth in the league at hardest to strikeout, striking out just once every 11.7 plate appearances.

THAT'S MORE LIKE IT: Infielder and Cardinals' No. 17 prospect Yairo Munoz had a hot spring and started the season on St. Louis' roster. Since being optioned two weeks ago, Munoz struggled to remain consistent, but seems to be finding his stride the last few games. In his first 11 games with Memphis, the young infielder was hitting just .250 (9-for-36) and struck out nine times. However, he has been on a tear since the series with Oklahoma City and is currently on a five-game hitting streak.

CAN'T BE STOPPED: Infielder Patrick Wisdom had a career-year last season, hitting a career-high 31 home runs. He got off to a quick start this season, as well, hitting more for average than for power. Through his first 10 games, he was hitting .308 with two homers and 12 RBI. He then struggled over the next nine games, hitting just .200 with four total RBI. Since going hitless in both games of a doubleheader against Round Rock last week, he has recorded a hit in five of his last seven games. In that stretch, he is 7-for-26 (.269) with two doubles, two home runs, four RBI, three walks, and just six strikeouts.

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 10 appearances, spanning 15.0 innings, allowing just six hits and two earned runs, while striking out 22 and holding batters to a .122 (6-for-49) average. Guilmet is tied for second in the PCL with five saves, is tied for the league-lead with nine games finished, is second in lowest batting average against for a relief pitcher, and leads the league in fewest baserunners per nine innings pitched for a reliever at 5.40.

SHARP ON THE MOUND: 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 3.16 ERA through the first 29 games, including a 2.56 ERA and 15 quality starts from the starting rotation. The 3.16 team ERA is second in the PCL, only behind Oklahoma City (2.62).

BETTER SIDE OF THE STRIKEOUTS: Memphis is among the PCL leaders for strikeouts by the pitching staff, and is towards the bottom of the league in strikeouts by batters. The pitching staff has struck out 257 batters through the first 29 games (8.8/game). The 257 strikeouts ranks fourth among all PCL teams, behind only Fresno (268), Las Vegas (267), and El Paso (260). 'Birds batters are also towards the bottom of the league in total strikeouts. Memphis batters have struck out 205 times through the first 29 games. Only Oklahoma City (196), Tacoma (203), Fresno (204), and Omaha (204) have struck out less than Memphis.

SETTLING DOWN: After getting off to a shaky start this season, veteran reliever Sean Gilmartin has been nothing but consistent in his last four appearances. In his first four relief appearances of the season, he gave up seven earned runs in just 4.0 innings, giving him a 15.57 ERA. However, since making a spot-start in game two of a doubleheader at Omaha on April 19, Gilmartin has been lights-out. Including his April 19 start, Gilmartin has appeared in four games since his rough start to the season, making spot-starts in two of them. In 8.2 innings since then, he has allowed just two earned runs giving him a 2.25 ERA in his last four appearances. He was the first reliever out of the 'pen Thursday night and earned the win, pitching 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit and one walk, while striking out three.

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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