Sports stats



PCL1 Memphis Redbirds

Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds (45-30) vs New Orleans Baby Cakes (36-38)

June 24, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


Memphis Redbirds (45-30) vs New Orleans Baby Cakes (36-38)

Sunday, June 24 - 2:05 p.m. (CT) - AutoZone Park (10,000) - Memphis, Tennessee

Game #76 - Home Game #40 (23-16)

RHP Kevin Herget (3-6, 4.48 ERA) vs. LHP Dillon Peters (1-3, 7.00 ERA)

THE GAME

TODAY'S GAME: The Memphis Redbirds and New Orleans Baby Cakes will play the finale of a four-game set today at 2:05 p.m. This is the second of four series the two teams will play against each other this season. New Orleans won the first series 3-2. If Memphis wins today, they will win the series 3-1, while a loss would tie the series at two games apiece. After today's game, Memphis will travel to Colorado Springs and Iowa for nine games before returning home for the 4th of July. Today's game will be broadcast on memphisredbirds.com and WLMT CW30 with Steve Selby on the call.

ON THE HILL: Right-hander Kevin Herget will take the mound for the Redbirds in today's finale. Herget is looking to bounce back after a pair of rough starts in his last two outings. Coming into the game, Herget has a 3-6 record with a 4.48 ERA in 16 appearances and 10 starts this season. After pitching seven shutout innings with 10 strikeouts on June 8, Herget has started two games, pitching 11.2 innings, allowing 16 hits and 12 earned runs. In that span, he has also given up four home runs and three walks, while striking out just five batters. Herget has made one start against New Orleans this season. In that game, he was sharp through four innings, allowing just one run, before allowing two home runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to take the loss.

The Baby Cakes will send left-hander Dillon Peters to the mound to battle Herget. Coming into the game, Peters has made seven starts for the Baby Cakes this season, and is 1-3 with a 7.00 ERA. He started one game in the last series, taking the loss. In that outing, he pitched 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits. In his most recent outing, he had his best start of the year, pitching 7.0 shutout innings, allowing just three hits and striking out seven batters.

HISTORY WITH NEW ORLEANS: Memphis and New Orleans have played every year dating back to 1998 when the 'Birds joined the PCL. New Orleans narrowly owns the all-time series record with a 165-161 record. New Orleans took the first series this season 3-2, and Memphis is 2-1 so far in this four-game set. The 'Birds have dominated the series at AutoZone Park with an all-time record of 93-70. In seven games this season, New Orleans holds the advantage on the mound, posting a 2.75 ERA, compared to a 3.55 mark for Memphis. The 'Birds are narrowly out-hitting the Baby Cakes with a .248 mark, compared to their .233 average.

BIRD BITES

AROZARENA: Sunday night, hit first home run of the season with Memphis, and first career-Triple-A home run

BARON: In last Monday's loss, drove in two runs in Memphis' six-run second; first multi-RBI game this season

GARCIA: Recently snapped a nine-game hitting streak, his longest of the season; leads PCL with 10 outfield assists

KELLY: Is hitless in last four games after hitting .407 11-for-27) in his first six games back from St. Louis earlier this month

MEJIA: Has as many RBI in June (8) as he did in April and May combined; has eight RBI and nine hits this month

MERCADO: Friday night, drove in two runs to tie the game in the eighth before scoring winning run on a wild pitch

O'NEILL: Has four multi-home run games this season; now has 18 homers between Memphis and St. Louis

RAVELO: Is hitting .394 (26-for-66) with 13 runs scored, a double, two triples, 7 home runs, and 18 RBI in last 19 games

SCHROCK: Friday night, went 2-for-5 with a double at the plate, notching his third multi-hit game this month

SOSA: Will be making Triple-A debut with the Redbirds; hit .276 with seven homers in 67 games with Springfield

TOVAR: Hitting just .233 (14-for-60) in 18 games this month; is hitting just .225 (29-for-129) since May 1

VOIT: Recently appeared in eight games with St. Louis, hitting .183 with a home run and three RBI in 11 at-bats

WISDOM: Sunday night, had first multi-home run game this season; is hitting .309 (54-for-175) since May 1

BY THE NUMBERS

104 transactions through the first 75 games this season, 1.4 per game. Before this season, Memphis had never reached 104 transactions before July 20

THE SEASON

ABOUT THE LAST ONE: The Memphis Redbirds edged the New Orleans Baby Cakes 2-1 in last night's contest.

The 'Birds were led by starter Dakota Hudson, who continued his phenomenal season with the win last night. Hudson tossed 8.0 innings, allowing seven hits and one earned run, while walking one and striking out five batters. It was his 10th win of the season.

While the 'Birds pounded out 10 hits, both runs were driven in by Rangel Ravelo. Ravelo hit a leadoff home run in the fourth inning to give Memphis the lead, and then drove in what proved to be the winning run in the fifth inning.

Hudson pitched into the ninth inning when he allowed the first two runners to reach. Reliever Edward Mujica then came in to relieve him and save the game. He allowed one of the runs to score before shutting down New Orleans to earn his seventh save of the season.

DOMINANT DAKOTA: Last night's starter Dakota Hudson was dominant once again, earning his 10th win of the season. After Hudson allowed a season-high four earned runs on May 31, taking his second loss of the season, he has been lights-out. Last night, the righty twirled 8.0 one-run innings, allowing seven hits and one walk, while striking out five batters. Hudson has now pitched at least 6.0 innings in eight of his 14 starts this season. He also has thrown three games where he has allowed no earned runs over 8.0 innings. Hudson now leads all PCL pitchers with 10 wins on the season, and also owns the most wins in all of Triple-A baseball. Hudson now owns a 2.04 ERA, the best in the PCL. Hudson has also pitched 88.1 innings this season, the top mark in the PCL, and the second-best in all of Triple-A. Since May 1, Hudson has been particularly dominant. Among qualified pitchers, Hudson's 1.19 ERA in nine starts since the beginning of May is the best mark in the PCL. In that time frame, he is 7-2 in 60.2 innings pitched, having allowed just eight earned runs, while striking out 47 batters. He is also holding opponents to a .216 batting average in that span. His 1.19 ERA since May 1 is also the best mark in all of Triple-A baseball. Barely halfway through the 2018 season, Hudson is now just one win shy of jumping into the top-10 for wins in a season by a Memphis pitcher. Hudson also hit a double last night, his first hit of the year, and his third-career professional hit.

RAVELO STILL ON FIRE: After homering in three-straight games for the first time in his career and hitting his first-career grand slam earlier this month, Rangel Ravelo has continued his dominance at the plate. Last night, Ravelo drove in both Memphis runs with a solo home run and an RBI single. Ravelo also had a triple in the game. After going 3-for-4 at the plate last night, Ravelo is now 5-for-7 in this series. Ravelo now has hits in 15 of his last 19 games, including multiple hits in 10 of those contests. Since going hitless in back-to-back games on May 21 and 22, Ravelo is hitting .394 (26-for-66) with two doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 13 runs scored, 19 RBI, and seven walks, while striking out just six times. Ravelo's career-high in home runs is 11, set in 2014. He also hit eight bombs with Memphis last season, and eight the year before while with Nashville.

MUJICA SETTLING IN: After going through a rough, three-game stretch in mid-May, Memphis reliever Edward Mujica seems to be settling in. In three appearances from May 17-22, Mujica went 0-2. The righty allowed 11 hits, 13 runs, nine earned runs, a walk and a home run in just 3.0 innings of work, giving him a 27.00 ERA in that stretch. Opponents hit .500, with an on-base percentage of .522. Since those three outings, Mujica has been lights-out. In his last 11 appearances, Mujica is 1-0 with six saves. Last night, Mujica came on with runners on the corners and no outs in the ninth. He allowed just one of those runs to score to preserve the win for Memphis. Before last night, Mujica had left the bases loaded in each of his previous two outings. In 27 appearances this season, Mujica has inherited 22 runners, and has allowed just four of them to score. After his game-saving performance last night, the righty has tossed 12.2 innings in his last 11 appearances, allowing just five hits, one run, earned, and two walks, while striking out nine batters. In that stretch, opponents are hitting just .128 (5-for-39) off him, and he is posting a 0.71 ERA.

ONE IS JUST ENOUGH: Last night, the Redbirds won another one-run game, 2-1 over the New Orleans Baby Cakes. They are now 16-6 in one-run games this season, including 12-3 at AutoZone Park. Their 16-6 (.727) record in one-run contests gives them the most wins and best overall record in the league 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 45-21 in such games, a .682 winning percentage. The 'Birds have now won 10 of their last 13 one-run contests.

DIVISIONAL STRUGGLES: Through the first half of the season, the Redbirds have struggled again opponents from their division. Memphis is 25-10 against the American Northern Division, 3-4 against the Pacific Northern Division, 5-2 against the Pacific Southern Division, and 12-14 against their own division. Against American Southern opponents, the 'Birds have won just one of five full series this season. If they win today, they would win their second series against a divisional opponent. Memphis took the opening series of the year against Round Rock, four games to one. Since then, they have dropped both series to Nashville 1-3, dropped the first series to New Orleans 2-3, and the second series to Round Rock 2-3.

WEEKEND WINS: After winning its first game on a Friday in seven weeks last week, Memphis accomplished the feat again this week. After winning 2-1 last night, Memphis won games on Friday and Saturday in the same week for the first time since April 13 and 14. Memphis is now 4-7 on Friday this season and 8-5 on Saturday. The 4-7 record on Friday is one of two days of the week that Memphis has a below .500 record. They are also 4-5 on Tuesday this season.

MERCADO ON FIRE: Last night, Oscar Mercado went 2-for-4 at the plate in the Memphis win. In Friday night's comeback win, the speedy outfielder drove in the tying two runs before scoring the winning run to complete the comeback. With one out and men on second and third in the eighth, Mercado laced a line drive double down the leftfield line to score both runners and tie the game at four apiece. Mercado then stole third base, his second steal of the game before coming around to score on a wild pitch to seal the win. Mercado finished the night going 2-for-4 with a run scored, a double, two RBI, and two stolen bases. A little over halfway through the season, Mercado is having the best season of his young career. He is hitting .300 with 79 hits, 50 runs, 16 doubles, one triple, six homers, and 18 steals.

QUALITY STARTS GALORE: After Dakota Hudson's performance last night, 'Birds starters have thrown 38 quality starts in 75 games this season. They threw 55 total in 2017. Earlier this season, the Redbirds staff had a streak of 11-straight quality starts. Of the 11 pitchers that have made a start for Memphis this season, nine of them have thrown at least one quality start. Sam Tuivailala and Sean Gilmartin have combined for seven starts, and have not thrown a quality start. Dakota Hudson has nine, John Gant has seven, Austin Gomber has five, Jack Flaherty, Kevin Herget, and Daniel Poncedeleon have four, Ryan Helsley has three, and Alex Reyes and Chris Ellis have one apiece. The 38 quality starts are the most in the PCL 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 654 batters through the first 75 games (8.7/game), which is only behind Fresno (701) for the best mark in the PCL this season. Memphis and Fresno are two of just 10 PCL teams that have struck out over 600 batters this season. 'Birds batters are also towards the bottom of the league in total strikeouts by hitters. Memphis batters have struck out just 496 times through the first 75 games (6.6/game), not only the lowest mark in the PCL, but also all of Triple-A. Memphis is now the only team in all of Triple-A baseball to have struck out under 500 times this season. They have struck out 21 fewer times than the next closest team, Syracuse of the International League (517), and 22 fewer times than the next closest PCL team, Omaha (518). Memphis also owns the best ERA in the PCL at 3.43, narrowly ahead of Oklahoma City (3.45). They are two of three teams in the PCL with ERAs under 4.00. The 3.43 ERA is the fourth-lowest in all of Triple-A baseball. Rochester has the lowest ERA at 3.32.

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)

Check out the Memphis Redbirds Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Pacific Coast League message board...

Pacific Coast League Stories from June 24, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central