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PCL1 Memphis Redbirds

Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds (47-32) at Colorado Springs Sky Sox (43-34)

June 28, 2018 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


Memphis Redbirds (47-32) at Colorado Springs Sky Sox (43-34)

Thursday, June 28 - 7:40 p.m. (CT) - Security Service Field (8,500) - Colorado Springs, Colorado

Game #80 - Road Game #40 (23-16)

RHP Dakota Hudson (10-2, 2.04 ERA) vs. RHP Bubba Derby (4-3, 3.91 ERA)

THE GAME

TODAY'S GAME: The Memphis Redbirds and Colorado Springs Sky Sox will play the finale of a four-game set tonight at 7:40 p.m. in Colorado Springs. This will be the third of four series the two teams will play against each other this season. Memphis won the first two series, 3-1 and 4-1, respectively. This series marks the first stop in a nine-game road trip for Memphis. After tonight's game, the 'Birds will be traveling to Iowa for a five-game set. The 'Birds are coming off a 3-1 series win over New Orleans, while Colorado Springs is coming off a 4-1 series win over Iowa. Earlier today, Memphis players Dakota Hudson, Daniel Poncedeleon, and Patrick Wisdom were all named PCL All-Stars. Hudson will start the game for the PCL squad. Today's game will be broadcast on www.memphisredbirds.com and in St. Louis on KTRS 550 AM with Steve Selby on the call.

ON THE HILL: Right-hander Dakota Hudson will make the start for the Redbirds in tonight's series finale. Hudson has been phenomenal in his first 14 starts this season. So far, he is 10-2 with a 2.04 ERA for the 'Birds. He owns the top ERA in the PCL this season and the most wins. He is also tied for the league-lead with 88.1 innings pitched this season. So far, Hudson has pitched at least five innings in each of his starts, and has allowed four earned runs just once. He has posted eight starts in which he has allowed one or less earned runs. Since May 1, Hudson has been lights-out. The righty has started nine games in that time, spanning 60.2 innings, allowing just eight earned runs, a 1.19 ERA, best in the league.

The Sky Sox will send right-hander Bubba Derby to the mound to face Hudson. Derby is 4-3 with a 3.91 ERA in 16 appearances, including 12 starts, this season. In two starts against the Redbirds this season, Derby is 0-1 in 6.2 innings of work. He has allowed 13 hits and nine earned runs in his appearances against the 'Birds.

HISTORY WITH COLORADO SPRINGS: Memphis and Colorado Springs have played every year dating back to 1998 when the 'Birds joined the PCL. Memphis holds a narrow lead in the all-time series at 101-86. Colorado Springs holds the edge at its home field with a 52-43 record. So far this season, the 'Birds are 8-4 against the Sky Sox, including 4-3 at Security Service Field. In 12 games this season, Memphis is out-playing Colorado Springs at the plate and on the mound. The 'Birds are hitting .289, compared to .247 for Colorado Springs. Memphis is also posting a 3.56 ERA, compared to their 5.58 mark.

BIRD BITES

AROZARENA: Tues. night, hit pinch-hit two-run home run in the ninth to extend lead to 11-4; second homer of year

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

GARCIA: In Sunday's 11-5 win over New Orleans, went 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run, driving in four runners

KELLY: Tues. night, snapped six-game hitless streak, recording one hit and one walk in the win over Colorado Springs

MEJIA: Has as many RBI in June (8) as he did in April and May combined; has eight RBI and 11 hits this month

MERCADO: Is hitting a career-high .295 (82-for-278) this season; is tied for third in PCL with 18 stolen bases this season

O'NEILL: Has hit home runs in consecutive games for the fifth time this season; 20 HR between St. Louis and Memphis

RAVELO: Is hitting .430 (34-for-79) with 16 runs scored, a double, two triples, 8 home runs, and 23 RBI in last 22 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: Stole three bases in Sunday's win, doubling his total; first time since July 3, 2009 he stole 3 bases in a game

VOIT: Has hit home runs in consecutive games for the first time this season and the first time since June 10-11, 2017

WISDOM: Has hit home runs in back-to-back games for the first time this year; is hitting .319 (59-for-185) since May 1

BY THE NUMBERS

3 Memphis players were named midseason All-Stars today. It is the eighth time in the history of the Redbirds that at least three players or staff members have been named to the team

THE SEASON

ABOUT THE LAST ONE: The Memphis Redbirds dropped a wild game, 9-8 to the Colorado Springs Sky Sox on a walk-off balk, yesterday afternoon.

The 'Birds jumped out to an early 7-0 lead through three innings. Patrick Wisdom, Tyler O'Neill, and Luke Voit all homered for the second-straight game to provide much of the scoring.

Starter Chris Ellis pitched 5.1 innings, allowing five hits and four earned runs, while walking three and striking out two batters.

Edward Mujica was the first to relieve Ellis, allowing three earned runs, including two home runs, to score in 1.2 innings of work, giving him his second blown save of the season.

Hector Mendoza took the loss, allowing two earned runs in one inning. Tommy Layne balked in the winning run.

POWER SURGE: In the last two games, Memphis has hit seven home runs, six of them coming off the bats of Patrick Wisdom, Tyler O'Neill, and Luke Voit, and the other coming off the bat of Randy Arozarena. In the fifth inning of Tuesday's win, Luke Voit crushed his second homer of the year to extend the Memphis lead to 3-1. Entering the seventh inning, the 'Birds trailed 4-3 before rallying for eight unanswered runs. With two outs, Voit doubled and then scored one batter later on Tyler O'Neill's ground-rule double. Patrick Wisdom then launched his 11th bomb of the season to cap off the three-run inning. In the ninth, the 'Birds broke the game wide open with five runs. In the frame, O'Neill smacked his 16th homer of the year, a three-run bomb, before Randy Arozarena came off the bench to hit a pinch-hit, two-run home run to round off the scoring. Yesterday, Wisdom, O'Neill, and Voit all hit solo home runs in the first three innings to contribute to the early 7-0 Memphis lead. The 'Birds have now hit 28 home runs through 24 games this month. They hit just 24 in 30 games in May, and 23 in 25 games in April.

LUKE'S ON FIRE: After hitting just one home run through his first 24 games with Memphis this season, Voit has now homered in back-to-back games for the first time this season, and the first time since June 10-11 last season with the 'Birds. In last night's game, Voit launched his third bomb of the season with Memphis, and his fifth overall, in the fourth inning. In Tuesday night's game, Luke Voit had one of his finest performances of the season. The slugging infielder went 3-for-5 at the dish, notching a double and a home run in the game. Voit also scored four runs in the game, the most for any Memphis player this season, and the highest total of his career. After struggling in the three games he played against New Orleans over the weekend, Voit has looked much better the last three nights. Over the weekend, Voit collected two hits, going 2-for-11 with six strikeouts in the series. In this series, he has now gone 6-for-14 at the dish, recording a double, two home runs, two RBI, and scoring six runs.

WIZ HEATING BACK UP: After posting a .100 (2-for-20) average in six games from June 18-25, Patrick Wisdom has been unstoppable over the last two games. Last night, the slugging infielder launched his 12th homer of the year, and his second in as many days, in the second inning. It was one of three hits he posted on the night, also recording a double, scoring two runs, and driving in two runners. The night before, Wisdom went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and a homer, driving in two runs, and scoring three times. Since May 1, Wisdom is hitting .319 (59-for-185) in 51 games. In that span, he has hit 14 doubles, one triple, and nine home runs, while scoring 38 runs, and driving in 31 runs. Wisdom is now second on the all-time Redbirds home run list with 58, behind 74 from Nick Stavinoha. Wisdom is also tied with manager Stubby Clapp for sixth on the all-time RBI list with 167, fifth on the all-time extra-base hit list with 123, and just outside the top-10 in games played (278), runs scored (146), and doubles (62).

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 came off the bench to extend his season-long, seven-game hitting streak with a pinch-hit single in the eighth inning. Two nights ago, he went 2-for-3 at the plate, driving in one run. This came the day after he went 4-for-4 at the plate, scoring two runs and driving in four runs, while also taking a walk. In the third inning Sunday, he started the scoring by launching his ninth home run of the season over the leftfield wall. On Saturday night, Ravelo also drove in both Memphis runs with a solo home run and an RBI single. Ravelo also had a triple in the game. After his performances over the weekend, Ravelo finished 9-for-11 with two home runs, a triple, and six RBI in the three games he played against New Orleans. After last night's performance, he is now 13 for his last 20. Ravelo now has hits in 19 of his last 23 games, including multiple hits in 12 of those contests. Since going hitless in back-to-back games on May 21 and 22, Ravelo is hitting .430 (34-for-79) with two doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 15 runs scored, 23 RBI, and nine walks, while striking out just six times. Ravelo now has nine long balls this season, the second-highest mark of his career after hitting a career-high 11 in 2014.

OH HEY, BUDDY: In last night's loss, outfielder and Cardinals' No. 4 prospect Tyler O'Neill launched his 17th home run of the season. It was the second-straight night O'Neill had homered after going six-straight games without hitting a home run. O'Neill now has 29 home runs in 83 career games with the Redbirds. Since being traded to the St. Louis organization last July, O'Neill has hit 29 home runs in 83 games with the 'Birds.

BULLPEN STRUGGLES: In yesterday's loss and Monday's loss, the Memphis bullpen has struggled mightily. In Monday's loss, the bullpen pitched three innings, allowing four earned runs on four hits, while walking three, and striking out two. They also allowed a home run in the game. In yesterday's walk-off loss, the bullpen pitched 2.2 innings, allowing seven hits, five runs, four earned runs, and two walks, while also allowing two home runs.

GOOD GRACIOUS, GARCIA: In Tuesday night's win against Colorado Springs, outfielder Adolis Garcia continued his recent hot-stretch at the plate, going 1-for-4 with a triple and two RBI on the night. On Monday, Garcia went 2-for-3 with a sac fly, and drove in two of the three Memphis runs. That came the day after Memphis won 11-5 over the New Orleans Baby Cakes, in a game that saw Garcia go 3-for-4 at the plate, hitting a three-run home run, and driving in four runs. After seeing his batting average drop to a season-low .203 at the end of May, Garcia has been on fire. Since June 1, Garcia has recorded a hit in 17 of 19 games, and multiple hits in five of those games. Over that stretch, he is hitting .310 (22-for-71) with 11 runs scored, three doubles, a triple, five home runs, and 19 RBI. Over his last 14 games, which saw him notch a season-long nine-game hitting streak, Garcia is hitting .353 (18-for-51). In Sunday's game, Garcia hit cleanup for the sixth time this season. He has excelled in the role thus far. After Sunday's performance, he is now hitting .478 (11-for-23) with seven RBI in the four spot.

QUALITY STARTS GALORE: After Kevin Herget's performance Sunday, 'Birds starters have thrown 39 quality starts in 78 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 12 pitchers that have made a start for Memphis this season, nine of them have thrown at least one quality start. Sam Tuivailala, Sean Gilmartin, and Jake Woodford have combined for eight starts, and have not thrown a quality start. Dakota Hudson has nine, John Gant has seven, Austin Gomber has five, Jack Flaherty, Kevin Herget has five, Daniel Poncedeleon has four, Ryan Helsley has three, and Alex Reyes and Chris Ellis have one apiece. The 39 quality starts are the most in the PCL this season.

NO LONGER PERFECT ON WEDNESDAY: With the 9-8 loss to Colorado Springs yesterday, the Redbirds are no longer undefeated on Wednesday this season. So far this season, Memphis is now 7-1 on Wednesday, and they are 17-5 on Wednesday since Stubby Clapp took over.

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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