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PCL1 Memphis Redbirds

Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds (19-17) vs Nashville Sounds (12-23)

May 12, 2019 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


Memphis Redbirds (19-17) vs Nashville Sounds (12-23)

Sunday, May 12 - 2:05 p.m. (CT) - AutoZone Park (10,000) - Memphis, Tennessee

Game #37 - Home Game #17 (8-8)

RHP Anthony Shew (1-0, 0.00) vs RHP Tim Dillard (1-1, 4.97)

BY THE NUMBERS

24 Number of runs scored by the Redbirds in the second inning in five games against the Sounds this season.

11 Number of times that Memphis batters have been hit by a pitch by Nashville pitching this season.

THE GAME

TODAY'S GAME: The Memphis Redbirds continue their four-game set with the Nashville Sounds today in the second game of this set. The Redbirds took the series opener last night with a 7-5 win, backed by solo home runs from Tyler O'Neill and Andrew Knizner, and a pair of runs driven in by John Nogowski. Daniel Ponce de Leon allowed just two hits over five innings of work in his start. Today's game will be broadcast live on www.memphisredbirds.com with Steve Selby on the call.

ON THE HILL: Right-hander Anthony Shew is scheduled to take the mound in today's game and make his third start for the Redbirds and seventh start overall this season across all levels. In his last time out on Tuesday vs Iowa to begin this eight-game homestand, Shew took no-decision (6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R-ER, 4 BB, 8 SO) in the Redbirds' 6-5 defeat to the Cubs. In his first two Triple-A starts, Shew has not allowed a run in 11.2 innings pitched. He was transferred from Double-A Springfield on April 29 where he went 1-2, 1.93 (6 ER/28.0 IP) over five starts. Shew has three quality starts, including quality starts in his last two Double-A outings. Overall, he has allowed three runs or fewer in every start, including one earned run or less in six. The 25-year-old has fanned 39 and has issued just 11 walks in 39.2 innings. Shew has held opposing hitters to a .214 (31x145) average overall and has stymied opposing hitters to the tune of a .172 average (10x58) with runners on. The University of San Francisco product split time between Double-A Springfield and Advanced-A Palm Beach, going 10-9, 3.85 (67 ER/156.2 IP) in 27 G/GS. The Bookings, Ore., native is in his fourth professional season, spending all of them with the St. Louis organization.

The Sounds are scheduled to start right-hander Tim Dillard in today's contest. The 35-year-old is scheduled to make his third start of the season and his tenth appearance overall. In his last time out on Tuesday at Oklahoma City, Dillard earned the win in relief (6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 1 SO) in the Sounds' 4-2 victory over the Dodgers. It was the longest outing of the season for Dillard and he has worked at least five innings in his last three games/two starts. As a starter, Dillard has held opponents to a .167 (6x36) average compared to yielding a .306 (19x62) average as a reliever. Dillard spent the 2018 season at Triple-A Colorado Springs, going 2-4, 9.70 (37 ER/34.1 IP) in 25 G/1 GS. The Sarasota, Fla., native is in his 17th professional season and his first with the Texas organization. He had spent the first 16 years of his career in the Milwaukee organization.

HISTORY WITH NASHVILLE: Memphis has faced off against Nashville every year since 1998 and trail 159-179 in the all-time series. In those 21 seasons, the Redbirds have a winning record against the Sounds in just six seasons, the most recent coming in 2017. This year marks the first that the Sounds are the Rangers' top-affiliate, after spending the last four seasons as the Athletics' Triple-A club. The Redbirds went 8-8 against the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate (Round Rock) in 2018 and a dominant 14-2 in 2017. Their overall record against the Texas Triple-A affiliate is 157-175.

Memphis a winning record at AutoZone Park in just three seasons against the Sounds, the most recent coming in 2014 (5-3). Prior to that year, the last time the Redbirds had a winning record here in downtown Memphis against their in-state rivals was in 2005 (6-2).

THE SEASON

ABOUT THE LAST ONE: The Memphis Redbirds (19-17) scored the first seven runs of the game and finished off a 7-5 win over the Nashville Sounds (Rangers) in the series opener Saturday night at AutoZone Park.

Each Redbird reached base at least once, and five different players had two of the club's 12 hits in the game.

Daniel Ponce de Leon moved to 3-1 on the season with 5.0 innings of work, allowing just two hits and two runs, one earned. He struck out three and walked five.

The Redbirds did not play their crispest game of the season, walking nine and committing three errors, but they did enough to pick up the victory. After Ponce de Leon, Ryan Meisinger came in and gave up three runs in 2.0 innings, but a pair of errors behind him made all three of his runs unearned.

Hunter Cervenka and Chris Beck hurled the final two frames and polished off the win. Beck stranded the bases loaded to end the contest.

Three different Redbirds had an RBI in the second inning, with John Nogowski, Ramon Urias, and Drew Robinson plating runs to open the scoring.

Tyler O'Neill and Andrew Knizner homered in the third and fourth innings, respectively, with both bombs being their fourth of the year. O'Neill scored three runs and stole a base, adding a walk and a single to his home run.

Former Redbird All-Star Patrick Wisdom played his first game back at AutoZone Park since being traded to the Texas Rangers, and he was presented his Triple-A National Championship ring before the game.

IOWA SERIES WRAP: The Redbirds lost their first series since April 8-11 at San Antonio after the Iowa Cubs took three of four at AutoZone Park. It was the first time that the Cubs won a series against the Redbirds since Aug. 13-16, 2018 and the first time winning a series at this facility since May 25-28, 2012.

Tyler O'Neill and Rangel Ravelo led the way for the Redbirds offensively in the series, with the pair combining to go 10-for-27 (.370) with five runs scored, two home runs and six runs batted in.

Anthony Shew turned in the best start by the Memphis rotation in the series, tossing 6.0 scoreless frames while only allowing one hit and striking out eight in the series opener.

SHEW SHINES: In his first two career Triple-A starts, Anthony Shew has not allowed a run in 11.2 innings and has allowed just four hits in 39 at-bats (.103). In Wednesday's series opener, Shew delivered his first quality start at the Triple-A level, tossing 6.0 scoreless frames and allowing a season-low one hit while fanning a season-high eight. The Bookings, Ore., native has not allowed a run in 17.2 innings across all levels and has allowed one earned run or fewer in all seven of his outings in 2019 overall.

O'NEILL RETURNS: In his first Triple-A appearance of the season on Sunday, Tyler O'Neill launched two, two-run home runs in the first game of the doubleheader. It was his first multi-HR game of the year and was the second Redbird to homer twice in a game this season. O'Neill blasted another two-run shot in Monday's contest and ranks T-3rd on the team with four home runs in four eight. In Wednesday's series opener against Iowa, O'Neill collected his first three-hit game of the season. The 23-year-old led the Redbirds in 2018 with 26 HR and six multi-HR games.

OFFENSIVE OUTBURST: In their series opener against Nashville on May 2, the Memphis Redbirds set numerous season-highs, and matched a couple of franchise records in their 17-2 rout of the Sounds. The 24 hits matched a franchise record and was also the most hits in a Pacific Coast League game this season. Their 10 hits in the second inning matched a franchise record for most in a single frame. The 'Birds set season-highs in, runs, hits and total bases and matched a season-high with eight extra-base hits.

APRIL RECAP: The Redbirds finished April with a 13-12 record, going 6-5 at AutoZone Park and 7-7 on the road. Since 2017, the Redbirds have posted a losing record in a month just once, August 2018, going 13-16 overall, 8-10 at home and 5-6 away. That is also the only time during that span that the 'Birds had losing records at home or away.

The 28 home runs slugged by the Redbirds ranks T-3rd for home runs in April, matching the 2014 team in that category. They fell just one home run shy of matching the 2017 Redbirds for 2nd most home runs in April. The franchise record is 34, held by the 2000 club.

MR. APRIL: On April 22, LHP Austin Gomber was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week for April 15-21 following his complete-game shutout on April 20 in the second game of the doubleheader against Round Rock. Gomber allowed just three hits in his outing and faced the minimum over the final five innings. In his first seven starts of the season, Gomber is 4-0, 2.82 (12 ER/38.1 IP) to go along with 44 strikeouts.

In April 2018, Gomber also won PCL Pitcher of the Week for April 23-29 and was also named Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month as well. In his last two Aprils, Gomber is 5-0, 2.50 (15 ER/54.0 IP) in nine starts and has held opponents to a .214 batting average (41x192).

CLUTCH HITTING: Edmundo Sosa delivered the Redbirds first walk-off victory of the season on April 21 vs. Round Rock with his two-run shot in the 10th. With runners in scoring position, Sosa is 15-for-31 (.484) with three doubles, a home run and 17 RBI. With runners in scoring position and two outs, Sosa leads the team with a .643 average (9x14) and nine RBI.

Sosa has the second-highest batting average in the Pacific Coast League with runners in scoring position (min. 31 AB).

On May 2 against Nashville, Sosa set a career-high with five RBI, four of which came with two outs.

EXTRA! EXTRA!: The Redbirds have recorded at least one extra-base hit in every game this season, collecting 64 doubles, nine triples and 44 home runs. Adolis Garcia holds the team lead with 15 extra-base hits with for four doubles, two triples and nine home runs.

After Garcia's home run Thursday, the Redbirds 27-game run of having at least one extra-base hit surpassed the 2018 Redbirds mark of 26 consecutive games with at least one extra-base hit.

TRIPLE THREAT: Through his first 23 starts of the season, Tommy Edman has nine multi-hit games, including five, three-hit performances, April 12 at San Antonio, April 13 at Round Rock, April 17 vs. San Antonio, April 26 at Omaha and last night at Nashville. His team-high 10-game hitting streak came to end on April 21, but he has reached safely in 21 of 26 contests. His 34 hits and nine doubles are most among the current Redbirds roster.

In Sosa's first 25 starts, he has matched Edman's multi-hit game total (9) and has three-hit performances on April 15 at Round Rock, April 17 vs. San Antonio and Friday at Nashville. Sosa ranks 3rd on the team with a .314 batting average and 2nd with 18 RBI.

Not to be out-done, Andrew Knizner also has nine multi-hit games. Knizner had his season-high eight-game hitting streak come to an end April 30, but has hits in 20 of 25 games. He ranks 2nd on the team with a .316 batting average.

The trio has combined for 96 hits, which accounts for 29.6 percent of all the Redbirds hits this season, 47 runs (22.5 percent), 32 extra-base hits and 47 RBI.

WALKING IN MEMPHIS: After matching a season-high nine walks in the second game of their doubleheader on April 20, the Memphis Redbirds rank T-7th in the Pacific Coast League with 141 walks through 36 games. John Nogowski holds the team lead by drawing 24 free passes, which also ranks T-3rd in the PCL.

WALK IT OFF: The Redbirds walk-off defeat to the Missions on April 9 was the first time since Aug. 5, 2017 that the Redbirds had lost in such fashion. The following night, it marked the first time since June 23-24, 2014 that the Redbirds had lost consecutive games in the last at-bat of the game. The three walk-off defeats this season have already surpassed last year's total.

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