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PCL1 Memphis Redbirds

Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds (32-20) vs Colorado Springs Sky Sox (27-22)

May 29, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


Memphis Redbirds (32-20) vs Colorado Springs Sky Sox (27-22)

Tuesday, May 29 - 12:05 p.m. (CT) - AutoZone Park (10,000) - Memphis, Tennessee

Game #53 - Home Game #29 (17-11)

RHP Kevin Herget (2-4, 3.72 ERA) vs. RHP Alec Asher (2-1, 3.42 ERA)

THE GAME

TODAY'S GAME: The Memphis Redbirds and Colorado Springs Sky Sox will play game the finale of a five-game set today at 12:05 p.m. After Colorado Springs snagged the win in the opener, Memphis has won the last three games. It is the second time the two teams have met in the last 10 days. Memphis took the 3-1 series win last week at Colorado Springs. Memphis is coming off a 3-1 series win over the Oklahoma City Dodgers, while Colorado Springs is coming off a 3-1 series loss to the Nashville Sounds. Today's game will be broadcast on memphisredbirds.com with Steve Selby on the call.

ON THE HILL: Right-hander Kevin Herget will get the ball for the Redbirds this afternoon. Herget moved to the starting rotation at the end of April, and has made five starts since then. In those five starts, Herget is 1-3 with a 4.15 ERA in 26.0 innings. He has allowed 12 earned runs and five walks, while striking out 25 as a starter this season. Herget faced the Sky Sox in the series opener last week at Colorado Springs. He pitched 5.1 solid innings, allowing three earned runs on nine hits and two walks. He took the no-decision as Memphis fell 10-5. Herget is coming off one of his best performances of season. In his last start against Oklahoma City, Herget twirled 6.0 innings of one-run ball, allowing just four hits and a walk, while striking out six.

The Sky Sox will counter with right-hander Alec Asher. Asher comes into today's game with five starts with Colorado Springs this season. He is 2-1 with a 3.48 ERA in those starts. He made a start against Memphis last week, and took the loss. He pitched 2.2 innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits in what ended up being an 11-3 win for the 'Birds.

HISTORY WITH COLORADO SPRINGS: Memphis and Colorado Springs have faced off once this season. That series was last week, and after dropping the first game, the 'Birds won the final three to take the 3-1 series win. Memphis had been rooted in a deep offensive slump prior to the series last week, but they saw that end with an offensive outburst in the final three games. So far this season, Memphis holds the edge both on the mound and at the plate. At the plate, Memphis is hitting. 290 while the Sky Sox are hitting .249. Memphis is also posting a 2.42 compared to a 5.68 ERA for Colorado Springs.

BIRD BITES

AROZARENA: Saturday night, snapped 15-game on-base streak; hit for a .396 (21-for-53) average in that stretch

BARON: Rejoins team after spending last two weeks with St. Louis; appeared in two games, and recorded one hit

GARCIA: Yesterday, recorded first multi-hit game since May 6; leads PCL with eight outfield assists

KNIZNER: Recorded first three-hit Triple-A game Sunday night; went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored, and an RBI

MEJIA: Is five for his last eight; recorded a hit Sunday for the first time since snapping 8-game hitting streak (5/13-22)

MERCADO: Is hitting .469 (23-for-49) in last 12 games, with eight multi-hit games; recently snapped 8-game hit streak

RAVELO: Hit go-ahead home runs in games on Saturday and Sunday, breaking scoreless ties both times

SCHROCK: Hit a three-run home run in game one Saturday, his first since Opening Day; both his homers have been 3R

TOVAR: Is hitting .143 (6-for-42) over last 13 games; was hitting .438 (14-for-32) in previous nine games

URIAS: Is hitting .300 (6-for-20) in seven games since being transferred from Springfield; hitting .313 on season

VOIT: Went 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI, and a strikeout in yesterday's win; drove in game-tying run in the first inning

WISDOM: Is hitting .426 (20-for-47) over current 13-game hit streak; streak is his and team's longest of season

BY THE NUMBERS

27 Memphis starting pitchers have thrown 27 quality starts in 52 games this season, including nine-straight. That gives the rotation a quality start in 51.9% of the games, the best in the PCL

THE SEASON

ABOUT THE LAST ONE: The Memphis Redbirds won yesterday's game over the Colorado Springs Sky Sox 2-1.

Yesterday's starter Ryan Helsley was solid for the 'Birds once again. The righty twirled 7.0 innings of one-run ball, walking one and striking out 10, while also notching a hit at the plate.

Colorado Springs jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, scoring an unearned run after a dropped third strike and passed ball. The 'Birds quickly tied it up in the bottom half of the frame, and the score remained that way until late.

With two outs in the seventh, Patrick Wisdom notched a single to move Randy Arozarena to third before Alex Mejia came to the plate. Mejia singled on a ball deep in the hole at shortstop to score Arozarena and provide the winning run. Mejia ended the day going 3-for-4 at the plate, and Adolis Garcia had the other multi-hit game for Memphis, going 2-for-3 for his first multi-hit game since May 6. Patrick Wisdom went 1-for-4, extending his hitting streak to 13.

HELSLEY DOMINANT AGAIN: Yesterday's starter Ryan Helsley had been lights-out in his first two starts with Memphis this season, and yesterday was no different. Helsley twirled 7.0 innings of one-run ball, allowing just three hits and a walk, while striking out 10 batters. The lone run he allowed came in the first inning due to a dropped third strike, and a passed ball, making it unearned. It was the third-straight game Memphis pitchers had not allowed an earned run. Helsley also continued his hot streak at the plate. He notched a hit on the day, going 1-for-2, and giving him three hits in four tries with Memphis this season. In his three starts with the Redbirds, Helsley is 2-0 with three quality starts. He has twirled 21.0 total innings, allowing just nine hits, four runs, three earned runs, and three walks, while striking out 28 batters, giving him a 1.29 ERA. Opposing hitters are managing just a .129 (9-for-70) average against the righty.

LUCKY NUMBER 13 FOR WIZ: After notching a single with two outs in the seventh yesterday, Patrick Wisdom extended his hitting streak to 13 games. He now has a season-long 13-game hitting streak, and is hitting .426 (20-for-47) over that stretch. In the last eight games alone, Wisdom is hitting .429 (15-for-35) with three doubles, a triple, and three home runs, while driving in 10 runs, walking six times, and striking out just nine times. In the first game of last Saturday's doubleheader, Wisdom fell just a home run short of the cycle, but notched a home run in game two, giving him a cycle for the day. Since falling into a deep slump from April 16 to May 6, in which he hit just .220 (13-for-59) with four extra-base hits and eight RBI in 18 games, Wisdom has rebounded significantly. Over his last 19 games, he is hitting .371 (26-for-70) with nine extra-base hits, 12 RBI, and 13 runs scored. He has collected hits in 17 of those 19 games, including seven games with multiple hits. The 13-game hitting streak is now the second-longest streak of his career. He hit safely in 11-straight in 2015 with Springfield from April 30 to May 25, and hit safely in 14-straight with the Batavia Muckdogs in 2012 from July 19 to August 2.

PRESS ON, PRESTON: 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. Guilmet came on in the ninth inning yesterday, and struck out two to close out the game, and earn his 10th save of the season. Guilmet's 10 saves are tied for the most in the PCL this season. Guilmet is also posting the lowest opponent's batting average among relievers at .103 (8-for-78), owns the lowest walks per nine innings pitched ratio among relievers at 1.09, and owns the lowest baserunners per nine innings pitched ratio among relievers at 4.38. Guilmet is now 10-for-11 in save chances this year, and is posting a 1.09 ERA in 23.2 innings, and has struck out 31 batters.

BACK-TO-BACK FOR MEJIA: Yesterday, utility infielder Alex Mejia went 3-for-4 at the plate, and drove in the winning run with a single in the seventh inning. After snapping an eight-game hitting streak last week, Mejia is now five for his last eight.

ONE IS JUST ENOUGH: Yesterday, the Redbirds won another one-run game. They are now 9-3 in one-run games this season, including 8-2 at AutoZone Park. Their 9-3 (.750) record in one-run contests gives them the highest winning percentage in such contests this season. Since manager Stubby Clapp took the helm last season, Memphis owns the best record and winning percentage in one-run games in the entire league. Last season, the 'Birds were 29-15 (.659) in one-run games. Between the two seasons, they are 38-18 in such games, a .679 winning percentage.

STRONG STARTERS: The Memphis starting pitching staff has been a force to be reckoned with this season. Memphis starters are 27-10 with a 2.72 ERA through the first 52 games this season. Through the first 52 games, the starters have pitched 295.0 innings, allowing just 101 total runs, only 89 of which have been earned. In addition, they have walked only 91 batters, and have struck out 314 hitters. Five different Memphis starters have also tied or set their career-high strikeout marks. Daniel Poncedeleon struck out 12 (career-high) on April 14, Austin Gomber struck out 16 (career-high and tied franchise record) on April 23, Jack Flaherty struck out 13 (career-high) on May 9, Alex Reyes struck out 13 (tied career-high) on May 24, and Dakota Hudson set his career-high with nine strikeouts Saturday night. Despite recent struggles from the Memphis bullpen, the 'Birds still own the second-best ERA in the PCL this season at 3.40, behind only Oklahoma City (2.99).

QUALITY STARTS GALORE: Not only have the Memphis starters posted a phenomenal ERA through this point in the season, they also lead the league in quality starts. 'Birds starters have thrown 27 quality starts in 52 games this season. They threw 55 total in 2017. The Redbirds staff has also thrown nine-straight quality starts after going seven-straight games without a quality start. Over that seven game stretch, the 'Birds were 3-4. In their last nine games, they are 7-2. Of the 10 pitchers that have made a start for Memphis this season, eight of them have thrown at least one quality start. Sam Tuivailala made a one-inning start on Major League rehab, and in his five spot-starts, Sean Gilmartin has not thrown a quality start. Dakota Hudson and Austin Gomber lead the team with five quality starts apiece. Jack Flaherty and John Gant have both thrown four quality starts. Daniel Poncedeleon and Ryan Helsley have thrown three quality starts, and Kevin Herget has thrown two. Alex Reyes also recorded a quality start in his rehab appearance on Thursday.

BOUNCING BACK: The Redbirds got off to a rough start this month. They struggled through the first 16 games, going 6-10. The 'Birds scored just 59 runs in those first 16 games (3.7/game), while opponents scored 77 (4.8/game) total runs in those games. However, in the last 11 games, the 'Birds have turned it around. Memphis is 9-2 in the last 11, and have scored 59 (5.4/game), while holding opponents to just 29 (2.6/game) runs in those games. In the first 16 games this month, the pitching staff also struggled, posting a 4.63 ERA. They allowed 71 earned runs in 138 innings. The competition also made the 'Bird bats go cold. Opposing pitchers posted a 3.38 ERA in those first 16 games, allowing 53 runs in 141 innings. In the last 11 games, Memphis pitchers are posting a 2.53 ERA, while opposing pitchers are posting a 5.50 ERA.

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 483 batters through the first 52 games (9.3/game), which is only behind Fresno (489) for the best mark in the PCL this season. 'Birds batters are also towards the bottom of the league in total strikeouts. Memphis batters have struck out just 346 times through the first 52 games (6.6/game), the lowest mark in the league. Memphis is the only team in the PCL that has struck out under 350 times this season. The Memphis pitching staff has also issued the third-fewest walks in the PCL this season (144).

'BIRDS LIKE THE AMERICAN NORTH: With yesterday's win, Memphis is now 24-10 against the American North Division this season. The 'Birds have only played against the American North and South divisions at this point in the season, but are performing much better against the North. The 'Birds own a winning record against each of the teams in the North, posting a 6-1 record against Iowa, a 6-2 record against Colorado Springs, 5-2 record against Omaha, and a 7-5 record against Oklahoma City. The 'Birds are just 8-10 against their own division right now. They have yet to play New Orleans, but are 2-6 against Nashville this season, and 6-4 against Round Rock.

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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