Five Salt Lake runs in the first and six more in the third proved insurmountable for the Memphis Redbirds in a 14-3 loss Monday night in Salt Lake City.
The Redbirds (17-24) traveled from Memphis this morning and fell behind right from the start, with J.C. Sulbaran allowing 11 runs, 10 earned, on 13 hits in two innings of action. Kurt Heyer, who arrived from Springfield (AA) on Monday, gave up one run in his first four innings of relief and ended with three runs allowed on seven hits in 4.2 innings.
Miguel Socolovich fanned three in 1.1 innings to close the game.
Nick Martini hit his second home run of the season in the fifth inning and Jonathan Rodriguez homered for the second-straight game and fifth time this season in the ninth, and Greg Garcia had an RBI single in the sixth to account for the Redbird scoring. Rodriguez also doubled in the game, and Charlie Tilson, Mike Ohlman, Dean Anna and Matt Williams had the other Memphis hits.
After going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts yesterday against Fresno, Martini’s home run means he has still not been held hitless in back-to-back games in his 29 starts this season.
Eight of Salt Lake’s (24-18) 20 hits were doubles, tying a single-game game record for two-baggers by a Redbird opponent.
The 20 hits allowed were a season high, and the 14 runs were one shy of the most allowed by Memphis this season.
The Redbirds and Bees play game two tomorrow at 7:35 p.m. (CT), and Memphis stays on the road for four games at Las Vegas this weekend before returning to AutoZone Park for a four-game series with New Orleans May 31-June 3. The Tuesday–Friday homestand features King Cotton $1 Hot Dog Night on May 31, College Night on June 2 and a Replica Cardinals 1946 World Series Ring giveaway on June 3.
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.
