PCL1 Memphis Redbirds

Game Notes: Memphis Redbirds Vs Omaha Storm Chasers

Published on June 4, 2017 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


Memphis Redbirds (34-22) vs. Omaha Storm Chasers (28-26) Sunday, June 4 * 2:05 p.m. (CT) * AutoZone Park (10,000) * Memphis, Tennessee Game #57 * Home Game #28 (16-11) RHP Luke Weaver (5-1, 2.08) vs RHP Miguel Almonte (0-0, --)

THE GAME TODAY'S GAME: The Memphis Redbirds complete their eight-game homestand with the finale of a four-game series against the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals). Memphis has split its last four series while Omaha has won six of its last nine contests. Today's game will be broadcast live on Sports56 and 87.7 FM and internet webcast at MemphisRedbirds.com, with Steve Selby on the call.

ON THE HILL: Memphis hands the ball to Luke Weaver in hopes of a third straight win and a series victory. Weaver was dominant in his last outing on Monday, giving up just two solo homers in seven innings against Iowa. He also tied a season-high with nine strikeouts. The righthander doesn't have enough innings to qualify, but would rank second on the PCL leaderboard in ERA. He was lights out against Omaha in his first encounter with the Storm Chasers, facing one over the minimum in six innings (6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 5 K).

Omaha counters with Miguel Almonte, who will be making his season debut with the Storm Chasers. Almonte's last outing came with Kansas City in relief last Sunday when allowed three runs on four hits in an inning vs Cleveland. The 24-year-old started the year with AA Northwest Arkansas and posted a 1-0 mark with a 1.86 ERA in seven games (six starts), striking out 35 in 29.0 innings. Almonte has faced the Redbirds four times (three starts) in the last two seasons (1-0, 5.84 ERA, 12.1 IP, 16 H, 10 R, 8 ER, 7 BB, 16 K).

SCHEDULE WITH OMAHA: The Redbirds and Storm Chasers meet for the second time this season after Memphis swept Omaha at the beginning of May. It was the first sweep for the Redbirds at Omaha since 2000. Last season, the teams split 16 matchups with Memphis coming out victorious in five of eight games at AutoZone Park.

THIS DATE IN REDBIRDS HISTORY (June 4, 2004): John Gall hit his second extra-inning, walk-off home run of the season (also 5/12/04). This blast came as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Redbirds a 5-4 win over Colorado Springs.

BIRD BITES BADER: Back-to-back three-hit games; Leads team with seven games of 3+ hits CALDWELL: Promoted to Memphis Monday after hitting .245 with seven home runs in Double-A Springfield CUNNINGHAM: Second in the league in on-base percentage (.421); Leads team with 27 walks HUFFMAN: Hitting .373 (19-for-51, 5 2B, 2 HR, 10 R, 9 RBI) at home compared to .215 (14-for-65) on the road KELLY: Hit .381 (32-for-84, 7 2B, 3 HR, 16 R, 15 RBI) in the month of May, second-best in the PCL MARTINI: Has scored 22 runs in 26 games for Memphis; hitless in only six starts RAVELO: Hits in 15 straight games since May 9 (21-for-49, .429, 5 2B, HR, 10 R, 9 RBI); longest streak for MEM since '14 ROSARIO: Has accrued nine RBI in his last seven games after none in his first 11 appearances TOVAR: Hits in 15 of his last 16 games (19-for-54, .352, 8 R, 3 RBI) VALERA: 3-for-24 (.125) in his last seven games with five strikeouts (12 K's in first 37 games this season) VOIT: 6-for-18 (.333) in his last four games after season-long 0-for-14 skid; Leads league with 18 doubles WISDOM: Leads team with 17 hits with runners in scoring position (17-for-53, .321, 5 2B, 2 HR, 22 RBI)

BY THE NUMBERS +22 run differential in seven games vs Omaha this season (43-21) 0 players in the PCL with a longer active hitting streak than Rangel Ravelo (PCL season-high is 22)

THE SEASON ABOUT THE LAST ONE: Memphis started hot, scoring six runs over its first four at-bats to cruise to a 6-1 win over Omaha. All nine starters recorded a hit, led by Nick Martini and Harrison Bader, who contributed three hits a piece.

On the mound, Mike Mayers tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts in seven innings of work. The righthander earned his fourth win of the season with his fifth quality start.

A LONG AWAITED EXPLOSION: The Redbirds offense combined for 17 runs on 22 hits during a six-inning stretch from the seventh inning Friday to the fourth inning on Saturday, making up for an offensive rut on this homestand. The 17 runs equaled Memphis' total from its prior 53 innings while the 22 hits were equivalent to the previous 27 frames.

Memphis was also finally able to build innings thanks to hits with runners in scoring position. Before the seventh inning, the 'Birds were 7-for-45 (.156) with RISP in the homestand, but proceeded to go 10-for-20 (.500) in the next six frames.

START ME UP: Memphis' prospect-laden rotation has rounded into form nicely, authoring six straight quality starts. Overall, Redbird starters have allowed two runs or fewer in eight straight games, compiling a 2.63 ERA (14 ER in 48 IP). During the eight games, opponents are hitting .214 (37-for-173) vs Memphis starters. The starters' season-long ERA has dropped from 4.28 to 4.01 during the stretch.

LOCK IT DOWN: The 'Birds have also received significant contributions from the bullpen recently. Memphis relievers have allowed only two baserunners in this series, combining for eight scoreless, hitless innings (8.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K). Dating back to Tuesday's series finale vs Iowa, the relief corps has fired 10 consecutive scoreless, hitless innings.

IN A PINCH: After starting the year by going 5-for-23 (.217), Redbirds pinch-hitters are 10-for-their-last-18 (.556) over the last 19 games, including a 5-for-7 mark on this homestand. Overall, pinch-hitters are 15-for-41 (.366) on the season. Chad Huffman has been the primary contributor, hitting two pinch-hit homers and collecting seven RBI's.

RUN, RUN, RUNAWAY: The Redbirds are 23-for-48 in steal attempts and have been picked off 12 times. The Redbirds are the only PCL team to have a success rate less than 50 percent, but have shown signs of life lately. After attempting just six stolen bases in the previous 19 contests, Memphis has attempted seven steals in the last six games and been successful in six of the seven tries.

STOP HITTING ME: Alberto Rosario was plunked last night, continuing an interesting trend for Redbird hitters. Memphis has now been hit 39 times, which is far and away the most in the PCL (Round Rock, 26).

Chad Huffman and Todd Cunningham has now been hit eight times each this year, which is tied for the most in the PCL.

EXTRA, EXTRA: The Redbirds have recorded 186 extra-base hits this season (115 doubles, 11 triples, 60 home runs), which is third in the PCL. The 'Birds have vaulted to a tied for fourth in the league in hitting (.280), and are also fourth in slugging percentage (.446) and total bases (854).

MEMPHIS MASHERS: The Redbirds homered yesterday, improving their season-long total to 60. Memphis improved to 24-8 on the year when hitting at least one home run. The 'Birds have dropped to sixth in the circuit standings in homers after leading the league for a majority of the first month-and-a-half. Memphis has had a knack to hit their homers in bunches, recording eight games this season with at least three homers.

The Redbirds are still way ahead of their pace from a season ago when the squad did not hit its 60th homer until game 79, which came on June 30.

Additionally last season, Memphis had just five players hit seven or more homers all season. This year, the Redbirds already have five players with at least seven bombs: Carson Kelly (7), Harrison Bader (8), Luke Voit (8), Patrick Wisdom (9), and Paul DeJong (11).

CONNECT FOUR: The Redbirds are averaging 4.9 runs per games this season, ranking seventh in the league in total runs. But so far this season, four runs has usually been enough for Memphis.

The Redbirds have scored at least four runs in their last 20 victories and are 25-1 when scoring at least five runs in a game this year.

AMONG THE ORGANIZATION: The Redbirds pepper the Cardinals minor league affiliate leaderboard in multiple offensive categories:

- AVG: Voit (.323, 2nd), Kelly (.317, 3rd), Martini (.297, 7th), Bader (.292, 9th), & Cunningham (.284, 10th) - HR: Wisdom (9, t-2), Voit (8, t-4), & Bader (8, t-4) - RBI: Martini (32, t-1), Voit (32, t-1), & Wisdom (31, t-3)

STARTING OUT QUICK: The Redbirds have scored 36 runs in the first inning and 33 runs in the second inning of games, which are two of their most fruitful frames of the season.

Memphis has scored first in 33 of its initial 56 games this season, which is second in the PCL (Iowa, 34). However, the Redbirds are just 31-12 overall in those contests, which is middle of the pack in the league.

The Redbirds have scored the game's final run 26 times and are 20-6 (2nd in the PCL) in such games.

WRAPPING UP MAY: The Redbirds had a historic month of May, finishing with a 19-10 record, the best mark in the season's second month in franchise history (previously 18-10 twice). Memphis won 19 games in a month for the first time since August 2014 (20-11).

The 'Birds bats came alive to a .295 team average, second in the PCL (Reno, .313). After hitting 29 dingers in April, Memphis hit 29 home runs again in May, its most in the month since 2013.

On the mound, Memphis pitchers posted a 3.84 ERA, second in the PCL (Nashville, 3.38). The mark was nearly a full run better than what the club authored in April (4.54). Redbird starters had 13 quality starts in 29 games.

TURNED UP TO ELEVEN: Memphis posted a franchise-record 11-game winning streak from April 28 - May 8. The Redbirds outscored opponents 81-38 during the run, scoring at least four runs nine times and limiting the opponent to two runs or fewer on seven occasions. Memphis dominated on both sides of the diamond, hitting .330 with 19 homers over the stretch while averaging 7.4 runs per game. On the mound, Redbird pitchers posted a 3.43 ERA.

The wins came in a variety of ways for Memphis, with seven of the 11 decided by three runs or fewer, five victories coming from behind, three last at-bat triumphs, and two wins in extra innings.

MEMPHIS PLAYERS AND COACHES WRANGLING HITS: Rangel Ravelo is the latest Redbird to post a lengthy hitting streak, having hit safely in 15 in a row since May 9 (21-for-49, .429, 5 2B, HR, 10 R, 9 RBI), setting a new team season-high. The feat is perhaps more impressive as Ravelo has stretched the streak three times as a pinch hitter, and once as a replacement after an ejection.

The Redbirds now have three double-digit hitting streaks this season (Breyvic Valera, 11, Todd Cunningham, 13, and Ravelo, 15) while every current position player (minus newcomer Bruce Caldwell) has hit in at least four straight at some point this year.

KEEPING THINGS ROSY: Reserve catcher Alberto Rosario has not let his sporadic playing time affect his time at the plate recently, turning into an RBI machine since mid-May. Starting on May 15, Rosario has only played in seven games, but has hit safely in each contest (9-for-25, .360, 2B, 3 R, 9 RBI).

Rosario did not have a multi-hit game or an RBI prior to this stretch but now has a pair of two-hit games and three multi-RBI outings, highlighted by three RBI against Omaha on Friday.

A NEW SHERRIFF IN TOWN: Ryan Sherriff has been one of the most heavily used relievers in the PCL this season, appearing in 22 games. The southpaw has allowed runs in only five of his outings and is currently riding an 10.0-inning scoreless streak over his last eight appearances.

Six of the 10 runs Sherriff has allowed this year came in one outing at Colorado Springs on April 19. Aside from that, Sherriff has a 1.57 ERA (4 ER/23 IP).

PROSPECTS ON THE MOUND: With the addition of Jack Flaherty from Double-A Springfield Thursday, the Redbirds currently possess three of the top starting pitching prospects in the St. Louis organization (BA/MLB.com rank): Luke Weaver (#2/#3), Flaherty (#11/#5), and Marco Gonzales (#13/#19).

All three were selected in the first round of their respective drafts: Gonzales (13th, '13), Weaver (27th, '14), Flaherty (34th, '14), and join Mike Mayers (93rd, 2013) as top 100 picks in the rotation.

PROSPECTING: The Cardinals organization has seen a steady growth in its prospect ranking the last three years, elevating from 15th to 14th to 12th this season, according to Baseball America. While top prospect Alex Reyes is sidelined for the season, seven of the top 30 prospects tabbed by the publication are currently on the Redbirds roster. That includes Luke Weaver (#2), Carson Kelly (#4), Harrison Bader (#7), Jack Flaherty (#11) Marco Gonzales (#13), Sam Tuivailala (#23), and Breyvic Valera (#29).

THE ROSTER: Of the 25 players who comprise Memphis' active roster, 21 appeared at Triple-A last season, be it with Memphis or another organization. Of those who played at Triple-A, 14 donned a Redbirds uniform. Additionally, the roster is full of MLB experience with 11 players combining for 321 games played.

Check out the Memphis Redbirds Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 4, 2017


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