NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Memphis Redbirds secured a series win over the division-leading Nashville Sounds (Triple-A Athletics) with a 5-2 win Thursday night in Music City.
Tommy Pham was 2-for-4 with a home run, four RBI and a stolen base, and Kolten Wong was also 2-for-4 with three runs scored and a steal. Jerome Williams pitched 6.0 innings and gave up six hits and just one run and picked up his second-straight win. Wong now has a hit in all seven games he has played in Memphis.
By taking three-of-four from Nashville (40-27), Memphis (29-35) has won back-to-back series after 10 series ties and five losses to start the season.
Memphis started the scoring with a run without the benefit of a hit in the first inning, with Wong being hit by a pitch to lead off the game, moving to second on a groundout, stealing third and then scoring when Pham reached on a fielder’s choice.
The Redbirds added two more in the third, thanks to Pham’s second home run as a Redbird, which came on a 1-2 pitch and went out to left field.
Pham again was the catalyst to a Redbird run in the fifth, when he singled home Wong who reached on a bunt single.
The Sounds scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to end Williams’ streak of 14.1 scoreless innings dating back to his complete game shutout Saturday night against Colorado Springs. But the Redbirds got that run back in the top of the eighth when Dean Anna doubled home Charlie Tilson, who walked with two outs and stole second.
The Sounds scored again in the bottom of the eighth off Ryan Sherriff, and Miguel Socolovich pitched a perfect ninth to earn his first save of the season.
Carlos Peguero returned from the Disabled List and threw a runner out at third from right field. Brayan Pena and Seth Maness continued their rehab assignments, with Pena catching all nine innings and going 1-for-4 with a walk at the plate, and Maness pitching the seventh inning and giving up one hit.
Memphis returns to AutoZone Park tomorrow through Monday to host the Iowa Cubs (Triple-A Cubs). The homestand features an Adult Performance T-Shirt giveaway tomorrow night at 7:05 (CT), a Redbirds Beach Towel giveaway on Saturday along with a Kolten Wong Hawaiian Jersey theme ticket and postgame fireworks, and a Father’s Day celebration and Cardinals adult socks giveaway on Sunday.
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.
