Redbirds Claim Home Opener with Offensive Outburst
IL Memphis Redbirds

Redbirds Claim Home Opener with Offensive Outburst

Published on March 31, 2026 under International League (IL)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Memphis Redbirds snagged the home opener of the 2026 season with a 10-5 score over the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A, Baltimore Orioles) on Tuesday night at AutoZone Park.

Memphis opened the scoring with three consecutive two-out doubles in the second inning to jump ahead 3-0. After Norfolk tied the game in the top of the third, third baseman Blaze Jordan blasted his first homer of the season to grab the lead back.

Shortstop César Prieto smacked a home run to right in the fourth to double the lead. Catcher Jimmy Crooks stamped the win with a three-run blast with two outs in the seventh. The three home runs are the most by the Redbirds offense this season. Designated hitter Matt Koperniak finished the win 1-for-3 with three RBIs and a double.

Starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins (1-0) allowed three runs on three hits, walked two and struck out three over 5.0 innings in his MLB Rehab Start. The right-handed pitcher allowed all three runs before an out was recorded in the third. Gerson Moreno and Ryan Fernandez each worked a scoreless inning in relief.

The Memphis Redbirds return to AutoZone Park on Wednesday, April 1 to continue a six-game series against the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A, Baltimore Orioles) with first pitch scheduled for 12:05 p.m. CDT.

Check out the Memphis Redbirds Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



International League Stories from March 31, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central