León's 11th-Inning Single Sends Stripers to Victory over Memphis
IL Gwinnett Stripers

León's 11th-Inning Single Sends Stripers to Victory over Memphis

Published on April 18, 2026 under International League (IL)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


MEMPHIS, Tennessee - An RBI single past the drawn-in infield by Sandy León snapped a 1-1 tie in the top of the 11th inning and propelled the Gwinnett Stripers (13-7) to a 2-1 victory over the Memphis Redbirds (13-7) on a cloudy Saturday afternoon at AutoZone Park. Gwinnett, 3-2 in the series, is once again tied with Memphis for first place in the International League.

Decisive Plays: The game remained scoreless until the top of the seventh inning, when Brewer Hicklen walked, stole second, took third on a throwing error, and scored on a rocket single by Nacho Alvarez Jr. off the glove of shortstop Cesar Prieto. The 1-0 lead lasted until the bottom of the eighth, when Blaze Jordan tied it at 1-1 with an RBI single off Daysbel Hernandez. The game went to extra innings, and after both teams failed to score in the 10th, Ben Gamel stole third and scored on León's single into left field. Hunter Stratton (W, 2-1) pitched both a scoreless 10th and 11th, striking out the final three batters to end the game.

Key Contributors: Atlanta Braves' No. 2 prospect JR Ritchie struck out eight over 6.0 scoreless, three-hit innings in a no-decision, lowering his ERA through five starts to 0.99. Alvarez Jr. (2-for-5, RBI), Gamel (2-for-4, run), and Jair Camargo (2-for-5) had multi-hit games for Gwinnett. Memphis was led by Jordan, who went 2-for-5 with an RBI.

Noteworthy: With the win, the Stripers are now 4-0 in extra innings this year, 5-1 in games decided in the last at-bat, and 5-3 in one-run decisions. Jim Jarvis walked in the fifth inning, extending his on-base streak to 20 games. He went 0-for-4, however, snapping his 11-game hitting streak.

Next Game (Sunday, April 19): Gwinnett Stripers at Memphis Redbirds, 2:05 p.m. ET at AutoZone Park. Radio Broadcast: 1:50 p.m. on MyCountry993.com. Live Video Stream: Bally Sports Live.

Next Home Game (Tuesday, April 21): Gwinnett Stripers vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, 6:05 p.m. ET at Gwinnett Field. It's a 5-4-3 Tuesday, presented by Sahlen's Hot Dogs. Radio Broadcast: 6:50 p.m. on MyCountry993.com. Live Video Stream: Bally Sports Live.

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International League Stories from April 18, 2026


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