PCL1 Memphis Redbirds

Redbirds End Homestand with 9-4 Loss to Omaha

Published on April 16, 2015 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Memphis Redbirds News Release


MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Brett Eibner homered twice and drove in six to lead the Omaha Storm Chasers to a 9-4 win over the Memphis Redbirds in the finale of a three-game series on Thursday night at AutoZone Park.

The Redbirds finished their season-opening homestand with a 3-4 record against Iowa and Omaha. The club travels to Round Rock on Friday to open a four-game series with the Express (Triple-A Rangers).

Only three Redbirds combined for all seven hits. Leadoff man Dean Anna had three to raise his average to .393. First baseman Xavier Scruggs tripled, doubled, and scored two runs. Second baseman Greg Garcia (2-for-3, BB) also drove in three.

Omaha jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Memphis starter Tim Cooney (1-1). Whit Merrifield began with a single to right, moved to third on a Reymond Fuentes base hit, and came home during a double play.

Scruggs tripled and scored with one out in the second inning to knot the contest at 1-1, missing his fifth home run of the season by a matter of three feet. The slugger trotted home on Garcia's RBI base hit to right on the next play.

A pair of Omaha home runs in the next two frames put Omaha back in front for good, beginning with Eibner's two-run blast onto the TruGreen Bluff. Cheslor Cuthbert led off the following inning with a solo job that made it a 3-1 Omaha advantage. Francisco Pena later doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly.

Memphis fought back with three runs in the sixth to trail 5-4, which began with doubles by Anna and Scruggs and removed Omaha starter Joe Blanton (1-0) from the game. Garcia followed by hammering a two-run single up the middle off reliever Joe Paterson.

Eibner's grand slam in the seventh off reliever Nick Greenwood concluded the scoring for both teams on the night.

Cooney allowed six runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings for the loss. Reliever Boone Whiting threw two scoreless frames in relief.

Blanton (1-1) allowed four runs over 5 2/3 innings for the win.

The Redbirds embark on an eight-game road swing through Round Rock (Triple-A Rangers) and Omaha, beginning with a 7:05 pm CT series opener against the Express on Friday night. Right-hander Zach Petrick (0-1, 12.46) will toe the rubber for Memphis against Round Rock righty Chi Chi Gonzalez (0-1, 3.60).

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 16, 2015


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