NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Catcher Cody Stanley and first baseman Dan Johnson each homered in the Memphis Redbirds’ 7-4 win over the division-rival Nashville Sounds in the third game of a five-game series on Friday night at First Tennessee Park.
The win snapped a two-game losing skid and brought the season-series between the Tennessee rivals to a 7-7 tie. The Redbirds retain the coveted Tennessee Lottery I-40 Cup Series with one win over the final two games in the series.
The Redbirds offense banged out 15 hits, highlighted by multiple-hit efforts from Rafael Ortega (3-for-5), Johnson (2-for-5), Tommy Pham (3-for-5), Jeremy Hazelbaker (2-for-5), and Alex Mejia (2-for-4).
Nashville moved out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with a Jake Smolinski RIB single.
Memphis quickly answered in the top of the second on Mejia’s two-out RBI single, and took a lead in the third on Hazelbaker run-scoring double.
The lead didn’t last for long as Nashville went ahead at 3-2 in the bottom of third on Max Muncy’s two-run single.
Memphis went back ahead in the fifth on Stanley’s two-run jack to center. Pham, who singled up the middle, scored on the blast. The club tacked on another run in the sixth on Dean Anna’s RBI single, scoring Ortega.
Johnson’s 12th home run of the season capped off Memphis’ scoring, a solo shot over the right field wall in the ninth.
Redbirds starter Zach Petrick (7-5) churned his 11th quality start for the win, allowing three runs on nine hits over 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander also walked one and fanned five. Right-hander Sam Tuivailala recorded his team-leading 15th save with a perfect ninth.
The Redbirds and Sounds continue their series at 6:35pm CT on Saturday night from First Tennessee Park. Left-hander John Gast (5-8, 5.08) will toe the rubber against Nashville right-hander Cody Martin (0-3, 6.37).
