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PCL1 Memphis Redbirds

Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds (20-17) vs Nashville Sounds (12-24)

May 13, 2019 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


Memphis Redbirds (20-17) vs Nashville Sounds (12-24)

Monday, May 13 - 11:05 a.m. (CT) - AutoZone Park (10,000) - Memphis, Tennessee

Game #38 - Home Game #18 (8-9)

LHP Austin Gomber (4-0, 2.82) vs RHP Seth Maness (1-1, 5.73)

BY THE NUMBERS

5 Number of home runs by Tyler O'Neill in his first nine games with the Redbirds this season. All of those home runs have come against Nashville.

1 Number of times that Memphis batters struck out yesterday, setting a new season low. It also marked the first time since Aug. 29, 2016 that the Redbirds struck out just once in a contest.

THE GAME

TODAY'S GAME: The Memphis Redbirds look to clinch a series victory against the Nashville Sounds today in the third game of this four-game set. The Redbirds will end this homestand with at least a series split with the Sounds after winning yesterday's contest 7-2. Anthony Shew was forced to end his start after 2.1 innings due to injury, but the Redbird bullpen twirled 6.2 scoreless frames. Today's game will be broadcast live on www.memphisredbirds.com with Steve Selby on the call.

ON THE HILL: Left-hander Austin Gomber is scheduled to take the mound today for the Redbirds and make his second start during the current homestand and his eighth start overall. In his last time out, Wednesday vs. Chicago, Gomber took no-decision for the first time in three starts, tossing 5.0 innings of one-run ball and striking out seven, but allowed a season-high eight hits. He has allowed just four earned runs in his last 23.0 innings pitched and has won nine straight decisions with the Redbirds. Gomber is making his first start against Nashville in nearly a year, after suffering the loss on May 15, 2018 at Nashville (5.0 IP, 8 H, 4R/ER, 0 BB, 4 SO). On April 20 vs. Round Rock, Gomber tossed a complete-game shutout in the nightcap of the doubleheader against the Express. It was the first complete-game shutout tossed by a Memphis starter since Daniel Ponce de Leon on July 15, 2018 at Omaha (9 inn.). It is one of just two complete-game shutout performances in the Pacific Coast League this season. Following that performance, Gomber was named PCL Pitcher of the Week for April 15-21. In 2018, Gomber went 2-0, 0.00 (0 ER/13.0 IP) against the Cubs and matched a Memphis franchise record with 16 strikeouts on the road on April 23.

The Sounds are scheduled to start right-hander Seth Maness in today's contest. The 30-year-old is scheduled to make his third start of the season. In his last time out on Wednesday at Oklahoma City, Maness earned his first win of the season (5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2 HR) in the Sounds' 13-6 victory over the Dodgers. Maness initially started the season with the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League before being signed by the Texas Rangers on May 2. Maness is a former Redbird, making his last appearance for Memphis on June 16, 2016 at Nashville. Overall, Maness went 2-2, 4.00 (12 ER/27.0 IP) in 6/4 GS in a Redbirds uniform. He spent the 2018 season at Triple-A Omaha, going 0-1, 4.63 (6 ER/11.2 IP) in 5 G/1 GS. The Pinehurst, N.C., native is in his 9th professional season and his first with the Texas organization. He has also spent time with the St. Louis and Kansas City organizations.

HISTORY WITH NASHVILLE: Memphis has faced off against Nashville every year since 1998 and trail 160-179 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 158-175.

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: For the second-straight day the Memphis Redbirds (20-17) had seven runs on 12 hits leading to a victory over the Nashville Sounds (Rangers), this time 7-2 Sunday afternoon at AutoZone Park.

Tyler O'Neill went deep for the fifth time in nine games with the Redbirds this season, and all five of his home runs have come against the Sounds (12-24). Rangel Ravelo was 3-for-4 with two RBI, extending his hitting streak to five games. He is hitting .500 (10-20) during the stretch. Ramon Urias extended his hitting streak to eight games by going 1-for-3 with a run.

Anthony Shew started and worked 2.1 innings for Memphis before having to leave after taking a comebacker off the arm. He was followed by Ryan Helsley, Tommy Layne, Carlos Martinez, and Chasen Shreve, who combined to work the final 6.2 innings in scoreless fashion.

Martinez, making his third injury rehab appearance with Memphis, tossed 1.2 innings and struck out three. He walked two and hit a batter. The right-hander has only allowed one hit in 3.2 innings with the Redbirds, striking out six and walking four.

Memphis pitching struck out 11 Sounds, with Helsley picking up his first win of the season.

In addition to O'Neill's home run and Ravelo and Urias extending their hitting streaks, Drew Robinson and Lane Thomas both had two hits. Robinson has driven in a run in four-straight games. Adolis Garcia scored twice and had an RBI.

The Redbirds struck out only once at the plate.

RAVELO HEATING UP: After hitting a career-low .173 (13x75) in the month of April at the Triple-A level, Rangel Ravelo has gotten off to a hot start in May, going 16-for-36 (.444) in his first 10 games of the month. Ravelo already has three, three-hit games this month, compared to just one in 21 games in April. The 27-year-old has raised his batting average to .261 on the season and is getting on base at a .333 clip.

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

O'NEILL RETURNS: In his first Triple-A appearance of the season on May 5, 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-2nd on the team with five home runs in just nine games. All of his home runs have come against Nashville. 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 65 doubles, nine triples and 45 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 26 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 3rd on the team with a .316 batting average.

The trio has combined for 96 hits, which accounts for 28.6 percent of all the Redbirds hits this season, 47 runs (21.8 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-8th 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-4th 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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