NORFOLK, Virginia – The Memphis Redbirds ended their two-week-long road trip in a glum fashion, losing both games in a doubleheader at the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A affiliate) to finish their 12-game road trip. The Redbirds played six games at the Durham Bulls (Triple-A affiliate, Tampa Bay Rays) last week.
The first game of the doubleheader was totally dominated by Norfolk, as they rode outstanding starting pitching and timely hitting to an easy 5-1 victory. Kyle Bradish kept Memphis hitters off balance the entire game, allowing just two hits and one walk in five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. However, the Tides didn’t pull away at the plate until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Rylan Bannon pounded a three-run double off the right-center field wall to make the game 4-0 and put the game out of reach. Bannon was a man possessed at the plate this week, going 7-for-14 with five home runs, a double, and nine runs driven in.
The second game of the doubleheader also went Norfolk’s (37-51) way, as they utilized excellent pitching and timely hitting once again. Memphis (41-49) grabbed the early lead when Kramer Robertson doubled and later scored in the top of the first, but after that, the Tides pitchers ruled the day. Ryan Hartman, Alexander Wells, and Felix Bautista combined to allow just one run on five hits in seven innings with eight strikeouts.
Norfolk scored all the runs they needed in the second game of the doubleheader via the long ball. Kelvin Gutierrez launched a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth to give the Tides a 2-1 lead, followed by an insurance solo blast from Zach Jarrett later in the inning.
Connor Thomas pitched the entire second game of the doubleheader for Memphis, allowing three earned runs on five hits in six innings with three strikeouts and just one walk.
