NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Nashville Sounds (Athletics) scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and came from behind to defeat the division-champion Memphis Redbirds in the final game of the regular season Sunday afternoon in Nashville, Tenn., 6-5.
Memphis finishes the season with an 83-57 record, with the 83 wins tied for second-most in a season in franchise history (91, 2017; 83, 2000). For the second-straight year the Redbirds’ pitching staff set a franchise record for team ERA, clocking in at 3.54 this year after a then-record 3.77 one year ago.
In the last two seasons, Memphis is 174-107 (.619).
The Redbirds led 4-0 after the top of the third and 5-0 after four-and-a-half innings. The four runs in the third came on a Ramon Urias solo home run and a Lane Thomas three-run bomb. Memphis kept a 5-2 advantage until the bottom of the eighth, when the Sounds scored four runs off Andrew Morales.
Memphis had the tying run on second and the go-ahead run on first with two outs in the top of the ninth, but Thomas grounded out to end the ballgame.
Thomas, Wilfredo Tovar, and Rangel Ravelo had two hits for the Redbirds.
Chris Ellis started and went 2.0 innings, before Genesis Cabrera came on and tossed 2.0 scoreless innings in his Triple-A debut with three strikeouts.
The playoffs begin Wednesday at either Colorado Springs or Oklahoma City. Redbirds playoff tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.memphisredbirds.com/playoffs. The Redbirds open their home playoff slate on Friday, which is Game 3 of the first round.
