MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Mike Mayers earned the win in his first Triple-A start of the season, and David Washington reached base four times and extended his hitting streak to eight games in a 5-1 Memphis win over Sacramento (Triple-A Giants) Monday afternoon at AutoZone Park.
Mayers pitched into the sixth and gave up five hits and one run while striking out four and walking two. He was transferred from Double-A Springfield over the weekend, and it was his second Triple-A start after starting the 2014 season finale for the Redbirds in New Orleans.
Washington walked in the second, singled in the fourth, walked in the sixth and singled in the eighth, and he has had a hit in nine of his 10 games as a Redbird. Nick Martini, Dean Anna and Mike Ohlman also had two hits apiece for the Redbirds (15-20), who have won six of the seven games with the River Cats (15-24) over the last two seasons. Jarrett Parker was 3-for-4 for Sacramento.
The Redbirds opened the scoring in the bottom of the second when Washington walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Martini single. Sacramento tied the game in the fourth, but the Redbirds countered with a leadoff walk coming around to score in the home-half to take the lead for good.
In the series, Memphis has walked 12 times, and eight of those walks have scored.
Memphis manufactured its fifth-inning run when Ohlman doubled, went to third on a successful Mayers sacrifice bunt and scored on a Charlie Tilson sac fly to center. Ohlman powered the offense in the Redbirds’ two-run sixth with a two-out, two-RBI single to make it 5-1.
Ryan Sherriff, Miguel Socolovich and Juan Gonzalez followed Mayers out of the Redbird bullpen and did not allow a run.
Tilson had a seventh-inning single to extend his hitting streak to five games, and Matt Williams’ five-gamer was snapped after going 0-for-3.
The finale of the Memphis-Sacramento series is tomorrow at 11:05 a.m. on another Education Day, and it is also King Cotton $1 Hot Dog Day.
After an off-day on Wednesday, Memphis’ eight-game homestand resumes with College Night and all-you-can-eat bar-b-que and slaw with a buffet ticket purchase on Thursday, Silky O’Sullivan’s Irish Heritage Night and green Redbirds hat giveaway on Friday, replica Yadier Molina Cardinals jersey giveaway, Cardinals full-zip hooded sweatshirt theme ticket and postgame fireworks next Saturday, and another Prairie Farms Ice Cream Sunday to conclude the homestand on Sunday the 22nd.
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.
