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PCL1 Memphis Redbirds

Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds (46-62) vs Albuquerque Isotopes (45-63)

July 31, 2019 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


Memphis Redbirds (46-62) vs Albuquerque Isotopes (45-63)

Wednesday, July 31 - 6:35 p.m. (CT) - AutoZone Park (10,000) - Memphis, Tennessee

Game #109 - Home Game #54 (18-35)

RHP Ryan Helsley (2-3, 4.98) vs RHP Antonio Senzatela (0-1, 4.91)

BY THE NUMBERS

12 Number of home runs hit this season by Edmundo Sosa. He has matched his career-high total, which he set last season between Double-A Springfield and Memphis.

0.52 Junior Fernandez's ERA in 12 appearances for the Redbirds this season. The Cardinals No. 10 prospect has scoreless outings in 11 games and has currently tossed 13-straight scoreless innings, fanning 13 batters during that span.

THE GAME

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Memphis Redbirds continue their seven-game homestand with in the second of three games against the Albuquerque Isotopes. Despite getting outhit 10 to five on the night, the Redbirds came away with the 6-3 victory to open the series. Joe Hudson and Edmundo Sosa each homered in the Redbirds' six-run fifth to bring team's home run total to 37 in July. They are just one home run away from matching the franchise record for home runs in July. Junior Fernandez earned his first save of his Triple-A career last night and Redbird relievers have converted their last six save opportunities. Tonight's game will be broadcast live on www.memphisredbirds.com with Steve Selby on the call.

ON THE HILL: Right-hander Ryan Helsley is scheduled to take the mound in tonight's game and make his seventh start of the season and his 25th appearance overall across all levels. In his 16 outings with the Redbirds this season, Helsley has gone 2-3, 4.98 (19 ER/34.1 IP) with 37 strikeouts and 20 walks. In his last time out on Thursday vs. New Orleans, he took no-decision in the start (2.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R/ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) in the Redbirds' 3-1 victory over the Baby Cakes. It was his first start since May 31 vs. Oklahoma City and his first appearance for the Redbirds since July 15. During his fifth Major League stint of the season on July 20, he made one appearance against Cincinnati, where he tossed two scoreless innings relief during the Cardinals' 3-2 defeat to the Reds. In his first eight career MLB appearances this season, Helsley has gone 0-0, 2.92 (4 ER/12.1 IP) with 13 strikeouts and six walks. He has also allowed six hits two home runs. In Helsley's appearance for the Redbirds on July 15 at Round Rock, where he earned the win in relief (3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 SO) in the Redbirds' 8-6 victory over the Express. It was his first win since May 12 and the most innings pitched in an appearance since May 26. Tonight will be his first start and appearance against the Isotopes in his career. The Talequah, Okla., native is in his fifth professional season and has spent them all within the St. Louis organization. He made his MLB debut on April 16 at Milwaukee where he tossed 2.1 innings of one-run ball and fanned four batters. He went 0-0, 2.84 (2 ER/6.1 IP) in three games during his first MLB stint of his career. The 25-year-old entered the season ranked as the No. 11 prospect in the Cardinals organization by Baseball America and is currently ranked as the No. 9 prospect in the system by MLB.com. He is also the highest ranked right-handed prospect in the organization.

The Isotopes are scheduled to start right-hander Antonio Senzatela in tonight's contest. The 24-year-old has gone 0-1, 4.91 (6 ER/11.0 IP) in three starts with Albuquerque this season. In his last time out on Thursday at Salt Lake, Senzatela suffered the loss (4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R/ER, 3 BB, 2 SO, 3 HR, 1 HBP) in the Isotopes' 8-3 defeat to the Bees. It was his first start with the Isotopes since April 11 and his third start in his last four across all levels that Senzatela has not worked at least 5.0 innings. Prior to that start, he had made 18 starts for the Colorado Rockies, where he went 8-7, 6.29 (65 ER/93.0 IP) and had 53 strikeouts and 45 walks. He also yielded an opponent's average of .305 (115x377) during that span. Tonight will be Sentazela's first start against the Redbirds in his career. At the big-league level, he has gone 1-2, 4.84 (12 ER/22.1 IP) against the St. Louis Cardinals in four starts. The Valencia, Venezuela, native is in his eighth professional season and he has spent them all within the Rockies organization.

HISTORY WITH ALBUQUERQUE: The Redbirds have faced off against the Albuquerque Isotopes every year since 2003. The Redbirds trail in the all-time series 88-109 and trail by a narrow 48-50 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 74-69 against the Rockies' Triple-A club.

THE SEASON

ABOUT THE LAST ONE: The Memphis Redbirds scored all six of their runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, and five Redbirds pitchers struck out 11 while limiting Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies) scoring opportunities in a 6-3 victory in the series opener Tuesday night at AutoZone Park.

The Redbirds (46-62) have won eight of their last 11 games.

Joe Hudson hit a two-run home run in the fifth, and Edmundo Sosa had a three-run shot of his own. In between, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Marcell Ozuna, playing his first injury rehab game with the Redbirds, had an RBI single up the middle.

Harold Arauz earned his seventh win of the season with 5.0 innings of work, pitching into the sixth and allowing two runs on seven hits. After Arauz, Jesus Cruz retired the Isotopes (45-63) in order in the sixth, Chasen Shreve struck out the side in the seventh, Dominic Leone left two on base in the eighth, and Junior Fernandez earned his first-career Triple-A save with a scoreless ninth inning while also stranding two.

Redbirds relievers struck out eight Albuquerque hitters in their 4.0 innings.

All but one of Memphis' five hits in the game came in the six-run fifth inning. The other was a Ramon Urias double in the seventh. Urias was on base three times in the game including two walks.

ROSTER MOVES: The following roster moves were made prior to last night'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-2nd in the Pacific Coast League with 12 dingers with two outs and 9th with 29 RBI in similar situations.

CLIMBING THE LEADERBOARDS: In 23 games in July, Adolis Garcia has launched eight home runs and driven in 22 runs while posting a slash-line of .239/.286/.576/.862. 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), T-7th in strikeouts (263), 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 .362/.444/.574/1.019 in 25 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.

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