OMAHA, Neb. – A six-run sixth inning gave the Memphis Redbirds a cushion en route to a 7-1 win Tuesday night over the Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple-A Royals), and Deck McGuire was outstanding on the mound to move the Redbirds to 3-2 on the current eight-game road trip.
McGuire earned his first win with seven innings of work, allowing just five hits and one run while striking out six and walking one. Memphis (13-16) set a season high in hits for the second time in five games with 14 after having 13 at Nashville on Friday. It was McGuire’s longest outing since going seven frames on June 14, 2015 as a member of the Oklahoma City Dodgers against Colorado Springs, and it was his first game of at least seven innings and fewer than two runs since pitching for Double-A Tulsa and allowing no runs and four hits in seven innings at Arkansas on April 28, 2015.
Before seeing seven support runs on Tuesday, McGuire had received a total of five runs from the Redbird offense in his first six starts of the season.
Five Redbirds had multiple hits Tuesday night, led by Greg Garcia and Alberto Rosario’s three-hit games. Rosario has now had back-to-back three-hit games, and Garcia’s three-hit performance comes after a 1-for-13 series at Nashville. Dean Anna, Nick Martini and Patrick Wisdom also had a pair of hits for the Redbirds.
David Washington hit his second home run as a Redbird to lead off the second inning, and the Redbirds stranded a pair of runners in both the fourth and fifth innings.
But the Redbirds made the most of their scoring chances in the sixth, pouring home a season-high-tying six runs on six hits to take a 7-0 lead. After a Wisdom walk and a Martini one-out double, Anthony Garcia was intentionally walked to load the bases in the final batter Omaha (17-14) starter Brooks Pounders would face.
Anna greeted reliever Brian Duensing with a first-pitch, two-run double, scoring Wisdom and Martini, and Matt Williams followed with a first-pitch base knock that scored Garcia and Anna. G. Garcia had a two-run double of his own that plated Williams and Rosario, who singled after the Williams knock.
The only blemish against McGuire was a Jorge Bonifacio home run in bottom of the sixth.
John Church and Justin Wright finished the game for the Redbirds and gave up just two hits and a walk in two innings.
The Redbirds have not committed an error in three-straight games and five of the last seven outings.
After the series with Omaha finishes on Friday, Memphis returns to AutoZone Park on Saturday to play eight games in nine days. May 14 is Star Wars Night, Adam Wainwright Bobblehead giveaway and postgame fireworks.
The upcoming homestand also features Prairie Farms Ice Cream Sunday (May 15), two Education Days on May 16 and 17, King Cotton $1 Hot Dog Day (May 17), College Night (May 19), Silky’s hat giveaway (May 20), replica Cardinals Yadier Molina jersey giveaway and postgame fireworks (May 21) and another Prairie Farms Ice Cream Sunday (May 22).
For tickets or for more information on the 2016 Redbirds season, contact the Redbirds front office at (901) 721-6000 or visit www.memphisredbirds.com.
