MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The first-place Memphis Redbirds (61-35) bent but did not break Tuesday night at AutoZone Park, leading the Iowa Cubs (Cubs) 3-0 before giving up a run in the seventh and the eighth innings but stranding two runners on base in the top of the ninth for a 3-2 win.
Memphis has now defeated Iowa 11-straight times.
Austin Gomber started on the mound for the Redbirds and gave up just one hit in 5.0 shutout innings. He struck out six and walked two. The hit did not come until the fifth inning, and the only baserunner he allowed until that inning was a batter reaching on an error in the first.
Offensively, Luke Voit was 3-for-4 for Memphis, and four other Redbirds had a hit. Oscar Mercado scored a run in the first on a wild pitch, and the Redbirds held that 1-0 lead until the sixth inning. Voit singled and scored on a Carson Kelly double, and Kelly then crossed the plate when Patrick Wisdom had an RBI knock.
In the seventh, Tommy Layne allowed an unearned run for Iowa’s first tally of the game, but he got a groundout to end the inning. John Brebbia came on for the eighth and gave up three hits and a run, but after an intentional walk he got two outs to leave the bases full of Cubs and keep the game 3-2 in favor of Memphis.
Andrew Morales was tasked with the ninth inning, and the first two Cubs reached on a double and a single. But the righty retired Iowa’s two-, three-, and four-hitters to leave the pair right where they were and pick up his fourth save of the season.
Iowa went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position. The Cubs left five on base in their last two at-bats alone.
After two more games against Iowa, the Redbirds finish their seven-game homestand with three games against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Brewers) Friday-Sunday. For more information on single-game tickets and ticket mini-memberships, visit www.memphisredbirds.com.
