Memphis Walks off Louisville to Keep Pace in First Half Race
IL Memphis Redbirds

Memphis Walks off Louisville to Keep Pace in First Half Race

Published on June 7, 2026 under International League (IL)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Memphis Redbirds finished off a six-game homestand with a 4-3 walk-off win over the Louisville Bats (Triple-A, Cincinnati Reds) on Sunday afternoon at AutoZone Park.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the tenth, Memphis catcher Leo Bernal drew a four-pitch walk to win the game. Sunday's win marked the second Redbirds walk-off victory of the season and joined Blaze Jordan's walk-off hit-by-pitch on April 1 against the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A, Baltimore Orioles). Bernal finished the win 0-for-4 with two RBIs and a runner caught stealing defensively.

Right fielder Joshua Báez led the Memphis offense with a 3-for-5 day at the plate. The right-handed hitter added a double and run scored in the win. MLB Rehabbing center fielder Nathan Church smacked his first hit of the MLB Rehab Assignment at a clutch moment. The left-handed hitter smacked a game-tying solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Church finished the game 1-for-5 with the home run.

Opener Tink Hence worked a scoreless top of the first inning and struck out one in his second appearance in the opener role in the series. Right-handed pitcher Brandt Thompson followed with 4.0-plus innings of three-run, five-hit baseball and struck out five. Hancel Rincón (1-4) worked a scoreless 1.1 to earn his first career Triple-A victory.

The win kept Memphis a half-game behind the Rochester Red Wings (Triple-A, Washington Nationals) for first place in the International League first half standings and in a tie for second place with the Nashville Sounds (Triple-A, Milwaukee Brewers).

The Memphis Redbirds return to AutoZone Park on Tuesday, June 16 to begin a six-game series against the Nashville Sounds to close out the first half of the 2026 season with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT.

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International League Stories from June 7, 2026


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