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PCL1 Memphis Redbirds

Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds (33-20) at New Orleans Baby Cakes (24-28)

May 30, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


Memphis Redbirds (33-20) at New Orleans Baby Cakes (24-28)

Wednesday, May 30 - 7:00 p.m. (CT) - Shrine on Airline (10,000) - New Orleans, Louisiana

Game #54 - Road Game #25 (15-9)

RHP Daniel Poncedeleon (3-2, 2.61 ERA) vs. LHP Dillon Peters (0-1, 6.75 ERA)

THE GAME

TODAY'S GAME: The Memphis Redbirds and New Orleans Baby Cakes will kick off a five-game series tonight at 7:00 p.m. in New Orleans. This will be the first of four series the two teams will play against each other this season. New Orleans is the only team in the American South Division that Memphis has not played this season. The Redbirds are coming off a 4-1 series win over the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, while New Orleans is coming off a 4-1 series loss to the Iowa Cubs. Today's game will be broadcast on memphisredbirds.com with Steve Selby on the call.

ON THE HILL: Right-hander Daniel Poncedeleon will get the ball for the Redbirds in tonight's series opener. Coming into tonight's game, Poncedeleon is 3-2 with a 2.61 ERA in nine starts this season. In his last start, Poncedeleon threw 6.0 innings of one-run ball, striking out six batters, taking the no-decision as the bullpen lost the game late. The righty is having a solid season thus far. He has thrown at least 5.0 innings in all but one start, and has recorded three quality starts on the year. He is among team and league leaders in multiple categories. He is third in the league in ERA (2.61) and strikeouts (60), is second in opponent's batting average among starters (.227), and leads the league in strikeouts per nine innings pitched ratio at 11.41. His ERA is second-best on the team behind Dakota Hudson (2.30) and his strikeouts rank second behind Austin Gomber (63). This will be his first career appearance against the Baby Cakes.

The Baby Cakes will counter with lefty Dillon Peters. Peters comes into tonight's game with an 0-1 record, and a 6.75 ERA in three starts this season. All three of the lefty's starts have come against Omaha this season. He began the season on Miami's roster before being optioned. This will be his first career appearance against the 'Birds.

HISTORY WITH NEW ORLEANS: Memphis and New Orleans have played every year dating back to 1998 when Memphis joined the PCL. New Orleans has been affiliated with four different teams in that span, while Memphis has remained affiliated with St. Louis over that span. The Baby Cakes have been affiliated with Houston, Washington, the Mets, and now Miami. The have also changed their mascot to the Baby Cakes after previously being known as the Zephyrs. Memphis went 11-6 against New Orleans last year, including going 6-3 in New Orleans.

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: Monday, 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 .442 (23-for-52) in last 13 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 .152 (7-for-46) over last 14 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, a run, and a strikeout in yesterday's win; scored game-winning run on wild pitch in sixth

WISDOM: Is hitting .431 (22-for-51) over current 14-game hit streak; streak is his and team's longest of season

BY THE NUMBERS

10-2 in last 12 games after starting the month at 6-10 in first 16 games. It is the best 12-game stretch for Memphis since they started the season 10-2

THE SEASON

ABOUT THE LAST ONE: The Memphis Redbirds won yesterday's game over the Colorado Springs Sky Sox 3-2, capturing the 4-1 series win.

Yesterday's starter Kevin Herget was solid for the 'Birds, throwing 6.0 innings of two-run ball, while striking out five. It was his sixth-straight start, and his second-consecutive quality start.

The 'Birds got the scoring started early, notching a run in the first inning. Oscar Mercado walked to lead off, stole second, advanced to third on an error, and scored on Patrick Wisdom's RBI single.

Colorado Springs tied things up in the fourth and took the lead in the sixth. However, the 'Birds came storming back in the bottom of the frame. Wilfredo Tovar singled to score Patrick Wisdom, and Luke Voit later scored on a wild pitch to give Memphis the winning run.

Neither team did much offensively, but Patrick Wisdom went 2-for-4, extending his hitting streak to 14 games.

WIZ MATCHES CAREER-HIGH STREAK: After 2-for-4 at the plate with a run and an RBI, Patrick Wisdom extended his hitting streak to 14 games. He now has a season-long 14-game hitting streak, and is hitting .431 (22-for-51) over that stretch. In the last nine games alone, Wisdom is hitting .436 (17-for-39) with three doubles, a triple, and three home runs, while driving in 11 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 20 games, he is hitting .378 (28-for-74) with nine extra-base hits, 13 RBI, and 14 runs scored. He has collected hits in 18 of those 20 games, including eight games with multiple hits. The 14-game hitting streak is now tied for the 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. The 14-game streak is the longest for any member of the Redbirds this season, and the sixth-longest streak in the PCL this season. It is also the third-longest current streak in the league right now.

HERGET SOLID AGAIN: Making his sixth-consecutive start since moving from the bullpen last month, Kevin Herget was solid once again. Herget twirled 6.0 innings of two-run ball in yesterday's 3-2 win, earning his second-straight win and quality start. The righty allowed just two runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out five batters. In his first two starts after moving from the bullpen, Herget struggled, going 0-2 in just 8.0 innings. He allowed 11 hits and seven earned runs, while striking out 10, and posting a 7.88 ERA and allowing batters to hit .324. In his last four starts, he has settled in. He has pitched 24.0 innings, allowing 24 hits, seven earned runs, and five walks, while striking out 20 batters, good for a 2.63 ERA and a .273 opponent's batting average. Three of his last four starts have been quality starts, and he is 2-1 in those games. The lone loss came on May 11 at Oklahoma City. He pitched 6.2 innings of one-run ball in that game, but Memphis was shutout.

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 has come into high-pressure situations each of the last two days, and has not disappointed. He closed out the ninth inning in Monday's 2-1 win, pitching around an error in ninth to get out of a jam. Yesterday, he came on with a man on in the eighth, and pitched out of the jam, earning the four-out save, his 11th of the year. Guilmet's 11 saves and 16 games finished are the most in the PCL this season. Guilmet is also posting the lowest opponent's batting average among relievers at .098 (8-for-82), owns the lowest walks per nine innings pitched ratio among relievers at 1.04, and owns the lowest baserunners per nine innings pitched ratio among relievers at 4.15. Guilmet is now 11-for-12 in save chances this year, and is posting a 1.04 ERA in 25.0 innings, and has struck out 32 batters. All other Memphis relievers are just 8-for-15 in save chances.

ONE IS JUST ENOUGH: Yesterday, the Redbirds beat Colorado Springs 3-2, winning their second-consecutive one-run game after shutting out the Sky Sox in the previous two games. They are now 10-3 in one-run games this season, including 9-2 at AutoZone Park. Their 9-3 (.769) 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 39-18 in such games, a .684 winning percentage.

STRONG STARTERS: The Memphis starting pitching staff has been a force to be reckoned with this season. Memphis starters are 28-10 with a 2.72 ERA through the first 53 games this season. Through the first 53 games, the starters have pitched 301.0 innings, allowing just 103 total runs, only 91 of which have been earned. In addition, they have walked only 93 batters, and have struck out 319 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 3.37, 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 28 quality starts in 53 games this season. That comes out to 52.8 percent of their starts. They threw 55 total in 2017. The Redbirds staff has also thrown 10-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 10 games, they are 8-2. 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, Kevin Herget, and Ryan Helsley have all thrown three quality starts. Alex Reyes also recorded a quality start in his rehab appearance on Thursday.

MENDOZA DEALING: The newest Memphis reliever, Hector Mendoza, has been solid in his handful of appearances. Mendoza has appeared in four games since being transferred to Memphis almost two weeks ago. In those four games, Mendoza has pitched 5.0 innings, allowing just two hits and three walks, while striking out three batters. He is holding opponents to a .118 (2-for-17) average. Including his stats with Double-A Springfield, Mendoza is 1-1 in 18 games this season. He is posting a 1.25 ERA in 21.2 innings, allowing just 12 hits and three earned runs, while striking out 17 batters. Opponents are hitting just .167 (12-for-72) with just four extra-base hits off the righty this season.

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 490 batters through the first 53 games (9.3/game), which is only behind Fresno (499) 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 349 times through the first 53 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 (148).

MORE HONORS FOR GOMBER: Memphis starting pitcher Austin Gomber was named the PCL Pitcher of the Week on Monday for the second time this season. Last week, Gomber went 2-0 in 14.0 innings pitched, allowing just one run on 11 hits and four walks, while striking out 15 batters. Gomber also earned the award for the week of April 23-29 after his 16-strikeout performance April 23, and he was also named the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April. Gomber is 4-3 with a 3.60 ERA and 63 strikeouts on the season.

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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