PCL1 Memphis Redbirds

Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds (45-62) vs Albuquerque Isotopes (45-62)

Published on July 30, 2019 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


Memphis Redbirds (45-62) vs Albuquerque Isotopes (45-62)

Tuesday, July 30 - 6:35 p.m. (CT) - AutoZone Park (10,000) - Memphis, Tennessee

Game #108 - Home Game #53 (17-35)

RHP Harold Arauz (6-2, 6.15) vs RHP Rico Garcia (0-2, 7.80)

BY THE NUMBERS

.366 Randy Arozarena's batting average in 24 games played this month. That ranks 3rd in the Pacific Coast League among players with at least 24 games played.

59 Different players that have appeared on the Redbirds roster this season. Memphis had a franchise-record 66 different players appear on the roster last season.

THE GAME

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Memphis Redbirds open up a seven-game homestand with a three-game set against the Albuquerque Isotopes in the lone series between the two teams this season. Despite their loss on Sunday, the Redbirds have won each of their last three series, taking two of three from Omaha, New Orleans and Oklahoma City. In Sunday's defeat, Randy Arozarena, Ramon Urias and Edmundo Sosa each had two-hit games as the offense was held to just two runs. Arozarena has 19 multi-hit games in 42 games with the Redbirds this season. Tonight's game will be broadcast live on www.memphisredbirds.com with Steve Selby on the call.

ON THE HILL: Right-hander Harold Arauz is scheduled to make his 13th appearance and ninth start for the Redbirds tonight. It will be his 19th appearance overall across all levels this season. In his last time out on July 19 at Omaha, he earned the win in his start (5.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R/ER, 3 BB, 2 SO, 2 HR, 1 HBP) in the Redbirds' 8-4 victory over the Storm Chasers. The win was his sixth of the season, which ranks T-1st among all Redbirds pitchers this season. Arauz has allowed at least one home run in seven-straight outings, but that was the first time since April 20 that he has allowed two long balls in a game. He was ejected in the sixth inning of the game after hitting the Strom Chasers' Nick Dini with a pitch. Tonight will be the first start in his career against the Isotopes. Prior to rejoining the Redbirds on June 6, Arauz went 0-4, 8.86 (21 ER/21.1 IP) in five starts with Double-A Springfield. He yielded an opponent's average of .385 (40x104) and allowed 11 extra-base hits. He also allowed career-highs in hits (12, May 4) and walks (5, May 15) during that span. Overall, he has allowed three earned runs or fewer in seven of his 14 starts overall and has made just two quality starts in his outings. The 24-year-old has fanned 48 has issued 32 walks in 80.2 innings across all levels this season. Arauz has yielded an opponent's average of .319 (106x332) overall but has limited opponents to a .220 average (11x50) when pitching as a reliever. The Chiriqui, Panama, native is in his 8th professional season and first within the Cardinals organization. He has also spent time in the Houston and Philadelphia systems at various levels. At Advanced-A Clearwater on July 30, 2017, Arauz tossed a no-hitter.

The Isotopes are scheduled to start right-hander Rico Garcia in tonight's series opener. The 25-year-old has gone 0-2, 7.80 (26 ER/30.0 IP) in his first seven career Triple-A starts. In his last time out on Wednesday at Salt Lake, Garcia took no-decision (5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO, 1 HR) in the Isotopes' 10-6 victory over the Bees. His 5.0 innings of work matched his season-high with the Isotopes and it was his second start at Triple-A that he has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 5.0 innings tossed. His six strikeouts are also a season-high with the Isotopes. Garcia began the season at Double-A Hartford, where he went 8-2, 1.85 (14 ER/68.0 IP) in 13 starts. He made six quality starts and had two starts with 11 batters fanned, setting his career-high mark on April 30 vs. Portland. During a span of two starts from June 4-9, Garcia went 2-0, 0.75 (1 ER/12.0 IP), whiffed 15 batters and issued no walks. His performances led him to be named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for June 3-9. At the time of his promotion to Albuquerque, Garcia ranked 1st in the EL in wins (8), 2nd in ERA (1.85), 2nd in strikeouts (87) and opponent's average (.179). The Honolulu, Hawaii, native is in his fourth professional season and he has spent them all within the Colorado organization. He entered the season ranked as the No. 22 prospect in the Rockies system by Baseball America and he is currently ranked as the No. 20 prospect in the organization by MLB.com.

HISTORY WITH ALBUQUERQUE: The Redbirds have faced off against the Albuquerque Isotopes every year since 2003. The Redbirds trail in the all-time series 87-109 and trail by a narrow 47-50 margin at AutoZone Park. Prior to the Isotopes moving to the Pacific Conference in 2014, the 'Birds went 72-108 from 2003-13 when the teams met 16 times each season. During that span, the Redbirds won the season series just once (2006) and split the series in two other seasons (2011, 2012). Following the move, the Redbirds have gone 9-7 against the Isotopes, but have lost the series here at this facility in two of the three years the teams have met here.

The two teams have squared off twice in the postseason, with the Redbirds coming away victorious in both matchups. They first met in the 2000 American Conference Finals, where the 'Birds took the series 3-2 and later in the 2009 American Conference Finals where Memphis swept Albuquerque 3-0.

This is 22nd-straight year that the Redbirds have faced off against the Colorado Rockies' Triple-A affiliate. Albuquerque has been the Rockies' top affiliate since 2015 and Memphis has a 7-8 record during that span. From 1998-2014, the now defunct Colorado Springs Sky Sox was the organization's top affiliate, where the Redbirds went 66-61. Overall, Memphis is 73-69 against the Rockies' Triple-A club.

THE SEASON

ABOUT THE LAST ONE: Two multi-run innings doomed the Memphis Redbirds in an 8-2 loss at the Oklahoma City Dodgers (Dodgers) in the series finale Sunday night in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Memphis (45-62) allowed three runs in the bottom of the third and five runs in the bottom of the seventh to account for Oklahoma City's (49-57) scoring.

Despite the loss, Memphis has won seven of its last 10 games and three-straight series.

The top three hitters in the Memphis lineup, Randy Arozarena, Ramon Urias, and Edmundo Sosa, all had two-hit games for the Redbirds' offensive output in the game. Urias and Sosa had two-out RBI, and Sosa and Arozarena doubled.

Arozarena has now reached base in 28-straight starts.

Junior Fernandez threw a scoreless eighth inning out of the Redbirds bullpen, lowering his season ERA to 0.55.

The Redbirds turned three double plays in the game and had an outfield assist by Adolis Garcia.

ROSTER MOVES: The following roster moves were made prior to tonight's game: Hunter Cervenka and Mike Hauschild were unconditionally released, Johan Mieses was transferred to Springfield and Lane Thomas was recalled by St. Louis. Harrison Bader was optioned by St. Louis, Marcell Ozuna begins his Major League rehab assignment, Zac Rosscup was assigned following his trade yesterday, Chasen Shreve was assigned outright and Justin Williams was reinstated off of the 7-Day injured list.

Bader is making his first stint with Memphis this season after appearing for 90 games with Cardinals, where he slashed .195/.309/.339/648.

Ozuna is slated to make his first game appearance at any level since June 28 as he continues his recovery after suffering multiple fractures on fingers on his right hand. He posted a .259/.331/.515/.847 slash in 78 games with the Cardinals, launching 20 home runs and driving in 62.

Chasen Shreve returns to the Redbirds after clearing waivers and being assigned outright. He has gone 2-1, 3.80 (18 ER/42.2 IP) in 37 relief appearances with Memphis this season.

Justin Williams is in line to make his first appearance for the Redbirds since July 4, where he homered twice against Iowa before being placed on the IL the next day. He had only appeared in five games at the Triple-A level before his injury.

A HAT-TRICK FOR THOMAS: In Saturday night's game, Lane Thomas homered three times, launching two solo shots and one two-run blast. He became the eighth Redbird to homer three times in a game, matching a franchise record. He is the first player to accomplish this feat since Adolis Garcia slugged three home runs on July 26, 2018 at Salt Lake.

AROZARENA HITS FOR THE CYCLE: In Friday night's contest, Randy Arozarena became the third Redbird in franchise history to hit for the cycle. He opened up the game with a bunt single, doubled in the third, homered in the fourth and completed the cycle with a triple in the fifth. After an 18-year gap between the first two cycles in franchise history (Mark Little, June 23, 2000; Luke Voit, June 30, 2018), the Redbirds have now had a player hit for the cycle in consecutive years. Arozarena's four-hit game was his third such game for the Redbirds this season, which leads the team.

OKLAHOMA CITY SERIES WRAP: The Memphis Redbirds took two of three games from the Oklahoma City Dodgers in the final meeting between the two teams this season. The Redbirds finish 2019 with a 7-9 record overall against the Dodgers, making it the sixth time in the last seven seasons that the Redbirds have dropped the season series. However, they won six of eight at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark and are unbeaten in the season series on the road in three-straight seasons. The Redbirds have now won three-straight series for the first time since winning series against San Antonio, Round Rock and Omaha from April 16-28.

In Friday's series opener, Randy Arozarena became the third Redbird in franchise history to hit for the cycle. He accomplished the feat by the fifth inning in his first-four at-bats of the game. Arozarena went 7-for-14 in the series with four runs scored and four extra-base hits. He has now reached safely in 28-straight starts. In Saturday's contest, Lane Thomas became the eighth Redbird to homer three times in a game, matching a franchise record. Against Dodger pitching this season, Thomas slugged seven homers and drove in 22 runs in 14 games. Edmundo Sosa and Ramon Urias combined to go 10-for-23 with six runs scored and six RBI while batting from the No. 3 and No. 2 spots respectively. In the series opener on Friday, every Redbird started recorded at least one hit. Five different players posted multi-hit performances and there were nine total multi-hit games. Overall in the series, the Redbirds batted .292 (31x106) against Dodgers pitching and launched six home runs.

The 'Birds starting staff went 1-1, 9.50 (17 ER/16.1 IP) fanning 18 batters while issuing 10 walks. They allowed six home runs and just 12 total extra-base hits. Genesis Cabrera and Mike Hauschild each turned in starts of 6.0 innings, with Hauschild earning his first quality start of the season in Sunday's series finale. Cabrera matched his season-high with nine strikeouts and has issued one walk or fewer in five of his last eight starts. Jake Woodford allowed a career-high 10 earned runs on Friday. Redbird relievers went 1-0, 4.89 (5 ER/9.2 IP) in the series and whiffed 14 batters. The bullpen began the series by tossing 7.2 scoreless frames, extending their scoreless innings streak to 17.1 innings in the process before Seth Elledge allowed five runs on Sunday. Hunter Cervenka converted his fourth save of the season on Friday and Junior Fernandez tossed another scoreless inning to bring his season-ERA down to 0.55. The staff overall yielded an opponent's average of .280 (28x100).

ADOLIS' BIG DAY: On June 21, Adolis Garcia put on an impressive display of power at Werner Park by homering twice and driving in eight runs. His eight RBI matched a franchise record that he also matched last season on July 26 at Salt Lake. In the third inning with two outs, he launched his second grand slam of the season. After homering again in the eighth inning, it was his third game in his last eight that he has homered twice. Garcia ranks T-1st in the Pacific Coast League with 12 dingers with two outs and 9th with 29 RBI in similar situations.

CLIMBING THE LEADERBOARDS: In 21 games in July, Adolis Garcia has launched eight home runs and driven in 22 runs while posting a slash-line of .250/.298/.602/.900. As result, he has entered and climbed into the Top-10 in several batting categories on the Redbirds all-time lists. His first home run on Friday moved him into 5th with 44 and his second blast that day moved him just six long balls away from matching Patrick Wisdom for 4th. His three RBI last night moved him to 10th place at 155. He also ranks T-5th in triples (11), 8th in strikeouts (262), 8th in hit by pitches (16) and 8th in extra-base hits (111).

THE AMAZING RANDY: Reigning Cardinals Minor League Player of the Month Randy Arozarena has continued his form all throughout July and is slashing .366/.449/.581/1.029 in 24 games. He has hit safely in 17 of those games and has also reached base safely in 28-straight starts. He has 11 multi-hit games during that span as well.

LET'S GET IT STARTED: Redbirds players batting first in the order this season are hitting .318 overall, which ranks 2nd in the Pacific Coast League. They also rank T-2nd in hits (143), 3rd in OBP (.382), 6th in OPS (.893) and 5th in SLG (.511).

Check out the Memphis Redbirds Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Pacific Coast League Stories from July 30, 2019


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