PCL1 Memphis Redbirds

Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds (23-29) vs San Antonio Missions (32-20)

Published on May 28, 2019 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


Memphis Redbirds (23-29) vs San Antonio Missions (32-20)

Tuesday, May 28 - 6:35 p.m. (CT) - AutoZone Park (10,000) - Memphis, Tennessee

Game #53 - Home Game #24 (10-13)

LHP Evan Kruczynski (0-0, 6.30) vs RHP Bubba Derby (0-3, 5.19)

BY THE NUMBERS

24 Number of runners the Redbirds have caught stealing this season. That figure leads the Pacific Coast League.

3 Number of walks drawn by Drew Robinson in the first game of yesterday's doubleheader. It was his second time this season that he earned three free passes. He now ranks T-4th in the PCL with 31 walks.

THE GAME

TONIGHT'S GAMES: The Memphis Redbirds look to snap a season-high six game losing skid tonight in the fifth of six games against the San Antonio Missions tonight. Memphis was swept in a doubleheader for the first time this season in their fourth twin-bill of the year. The offense was limited to just two runs and seven hits yesterday, with Tommy Edman hitting the teams only extra-base hit and collecting the only RBI. The Redbirds have dropped nine consecutive contests to the Missions and now trail 3-11 in the season series. Tonight's game will be broadcast live on www.memphisredbirds.com with Steve Selby on the call.

ON THE HILL: Left-hander Evan Kruczynski is scheduled to take the mound in tonight's contest and make his third Triple-A start and his 11th overall in the 2019 season across all levels. In his last time out on Thursday at Nashville, Kruczynski took no-decision (5.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R/ER, 1 BB, 3 SO, 1 HR) in the Redbirds' 8-5 defeat to the Sounds. His 5.2 innings pitched was a season-high at the Triple-A level and but he has allowed six hits in each of his two starts at this level. Kruczynski started the year at Double-A Springfield where he went 2-3, 6.64 (29 ER/39.1 IP) in eight starts for the Cardinals. In his last three starts in Springfield, however, Kruczynski allowed two earned runs of fewer in each of those starts. The 24-year-old's last Double-A outing was on May 13 vs. Arkansas, where he earned the victory (7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R/ER, 3 BB, 9 SO, 1 HR) in the Cardinals' 4-1 victory over the Travelers. It marked his second straight quality start and his second consecutive win, while also setting season-highs in innings pitched and strikeouts. He has made one start against San Antonio this season, his Triple-A debut on May 18 at San Antonio, where Kruczynski took no-decision (4.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R/ER, 0 BB, 5 SO, 1 HBP) in the Redbirds' 6-4 defeat to the Missions. The Franklin, Wisc., native split time between Double-A Springfield and Advanced-A Palm Beach in 2018, combining to go 7-6, 3.50 (45 ER/115.2 IP) in 21 G/GS. Kruczynski is in his third professional season and has spent them all with the St. Louis organization.

The Missions are slated to start right-hander Bubba Derby tonight. The 25-year-old is scheduled to make his eighth start of the season and his ninth appearance of 2019 overall. In his last time out on Wednesday at Round Rock, Derby suffered the loss (3.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R/ER, 1 BB, 3 SO, 3 HR) in the Missions' 4-0 defeat to the Express. The three home runs allowed marked a career-high for Derby and it doubled his season total of home runs allowed. Through his first seven Triple-A starts of the year, Derby has gone 0-3, 5.19 (20 ER/34.2 IP) and has yet to go longer than 5.0 innings in an outing, working into the sixth, but recording no outs, just once. In one start against Memphis on April 10, he took no-decision (5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R/ER, 3 BB, 5 SO) in the Missions' 6-5 walk-off victory over the Redbirds. Derby is in his fifth professional season, fourth with the Milwaukee Brewers organization. The Arcadia, Calif., native went 6-5, 4.49 (59 ER/118.1 IP) with Triple-A Colorado Springs in 2018, including three starts against the Redbirds, going 0-2, 7.61 (12 ER/14.2 IP) in 4 G/3GS.

HISTORY WITH SAN ANTONIO: April 9 marked the first time that the Redbirds played a game in the Alamo City in their young history. It was also the first meeting between the two cities since 1973 when the Memphis Blues were members of the Texas League. The last time these two teams met prior to last week was in 1973 TL Championship Series, where the Blues won the series 3-2, with all games played in San Antonio, to capture their second TL title before moving to the International League the next year.

This is 14th-straight year that the Redbirds have faced off against Milwaukee's Triple-A affiliate, with the previous four being played against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Memphis went 38-26 against the Sky Sox from 2015-18, including an 11-5 record last season. The 'Birds played the Sox for 21-straight seasons prior to this season's realignment, going 104-87 overall, 60-35 at home and 44-52 on the road. Prior to Colorado Springs, Nashville played host to the Brewers' top affiliate, where the Redbirds went 76-84 from 2005-14.

THE SEASON

ABOUT THE LAST ONE: The Memphis Redbirds (23-29) were swept in a doubleheader against the first-place San Antonio Missions (Brewers) Monday afternoon at AutoZone Park, losing the first game 3-1 and the second game 2-1.

Kramer Robertson had a hit in each game.

San Antonio improves to 32-20 with the wins. The Missions have defeated Memphis nine-straight times.

Game 1: San Antonio 3, Memphis 1

Tommy Edman led off the bottom of the first inning with his seventh home run of the season, tying a career high in just 39 games played by June, but San Antonio captured a 3-1 win in game one.

All three Missions runs came on home runs. David Freitas hit a two-run shot in the top of the second, and Mauricio Dubon created some breathing room with a solo shot in the top of the seventh.

Memphis brought the winning run at the plate with one out in the bottom of the seventh after back-to-back singles by Robertson and Joe Hudson, but a flyout and a groundout ended the game.

Daniel Ponce de Leon started and allowed two runs on six hits in 5.0 innings of work. Tommy Layne pitched the final 2.0 innings and gave up just the Dubon home run. He struck out three.

Memphis grounded into three double plays and finished 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position in the game.

Game 2: San Antonio 2, Memphis 1

The Redbirds had two singles in the nightcap, with the Missions winning 2-1. Memphis' run came on an error.

Ryan Meisinger took the ball first for the Redbirds and gave up one run on five hits in 4.0 innings.

Chris Ellis walked home the eventual winning run in the fifth. The final 14 Redbirds of the game were retired in order.

The Redbirds and Missions continue their series with 6:35 p.m. games tomorrow and Wednesday. The Redbirds remain home through Sunday, June 2.

DON'T RUN ON THE REDBIRDS: During yesterday's doubleheader, catchers Joe Hudson and Andrew Knizner each threw out a would-be base stealer in their respective games behind the plate. The Redbirds lead the Pacific Coast League in cutting down baserunners, throwing out 24 runners in 53 attempts. While throwing out the most baserunners, they rank 6th in the PCL with a 45.3 percent caught-stealing rate.

Andrew Knizner leads all PCL catchers by throwing out 17 baserunners in 32 attempts. His current caught-stealing rate of 53.1 percent is nearly 30 percentage points higher than his 2018 caught-stealing rate of 26.7 percent (20 CS/75 SB ATT) across all levels.

MEISINGER IN MAY: After tossing a career-high 4.0 innings and allowing just one run in the nightcap of yesterday's doubleheader, Ryan Meisinger has brought his season ERA down to 3.34 on the season after ending April with a 5.40 ERA. He has gone 0-1, 1.15 (2 ER/15.2 IP) in May over 10 games and two starts and has allowed earned runs in just two of those outings. He has fanned 20 batters and issued just three walks as well. Despite not making a start in his Minor League career entering 2019, Meisinger has gone 0-1, 0.90 (1 ER/10.0 IP) in three starts.

NASHVILLE SERIES WRAP: The Redbirds split their second and final series against the Sounds this season and finish 2019 with a 4-4 record at First Tennessee Park.

The Redbirds had leads of four runs or more in the final two games of the series, but ultimately could not come away with victories in either contest. Their average margin of victory on the road at Nashville this season was nine runs, while their average margin of defeat was only 2.5 runs.

Rangel Ravelo went 5-for-14 with two doubles, a home run and an RBI, extending his hitting streak to 19 games in the process, now just one hit shy of equaling the franchise record of 20, set by Adam Kennedy in 1999. Tyler O'Neill hit his eighth home run of the year during the series and has now hit seven of his long balls against the Sounds. Tommy Edman went 6-for-18 with a double, two home runs and seven RBI as well. Edman's seven runs driven in were his most in a single series this season.

The 'Birds starting staff went 2-0, 4.67 (11 ER/22.1 IP) fanning 20 batters while issuing 11 walks. The starters also only gave up three home runs in the series. Genesis Cabrera turned in the lone quality start, tossing 6.0 innings of two-run ball, allowing four hits while striking out six. He also issued a season-low one walk. The Memphis bullpen went 0-2, 6.70 (9 ER/12.1 IP) with 12 strikeouts.

PAIR OF ACES: Austin Gomber and Jake Woodford turned in back-to-back seven-inning quality starts to close out the series against the Sounds on May 13 and May 14 and find themselves among Pacific Coast League leaders in multiple categories as a result. Woodford ranks 5th (3.02) and Gomber ranks 4th (2.98) in the PCL in ERA, as the pair have combined to go 7-1, 3.00 (34 ER/102.0 IP) in 18 starts. Gomber and Woodford rank 7th (52) and T-8th (50) respectively in strikeouts, 24th (45.1) and 6th (56.2) in innings pitched and 10th (1.28) and 8th (1.25) in WHIP. Woodford also ranks 3rd in opponent average (.195), while Gomber is one of two pitchers in the PCL to have thrown a complete-game shutout.

RAVELO STAYS HOT: After hitting a career-low .173 (13x75) in the month of April at the Triple-A level, Rangel Ravelo has stayed hot all month, going 33-for-84 (.393) in 25 games this month. Ravelo already has four three-hit games this month, compared to just one in 21 games in April. He had his 19-game hitting streak snapped Saturday. He had homered four times during that span. He came just one game shy of matching the franchise record is 20 games, set by Adam Kennedy from June 28 - Aug. 12, 1999. The 27-year-old has raised his batting average to .289 on the season and is getting on base at a .369 clip.

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.

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. On May 16 in the series opener against San Antonio, Memphis was walked off by the Missions for a third time this season. The Redbirds also suffered a walk-off defeat on April 28 at Omaha The four last-at-bat defeats this season have already surpassed last year's total of two and have matched 2017's total. The Redbirds have not been walked-off more than four times in a season since 2016 when it occurred six times.

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). On May 8 in the 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. In his start on Saturday, Shew fanned a season-high nine and has struck out 24 batters in 19.0 innings. 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 CONTINUES TO RAKE: 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 ranks 2nd on the team with eight home runs in just 21 games. Seven of his eight long balls have come against Nashville. On May 8 in the series opener against Iowa, O'Neill collected his first three-hit game of the season and had another three-hit performance last night. The 23-year-old led the Redbirds in 2018 with 26 HR and six multi-HR games.

Check out the Memphis Redbirds Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 28, 2019


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