MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The Memphis Redbirds won their fourth-straight game with a 4-1, 7-inning victory over the Round Rock Express (Triple-A Rangers) Saturday night after the game was called due to rain before the start of the eighth inning.
After falling 12.5 games out of first place on June 10 with a 24-34 record, Memphis (44-44) is 20-10 since then and within 3.5 games of first place at the time the game ended.
Trey Nielsen earned the win in his first start at the Triple-A level with 5.1 innings of two-hit baseball. He allowed a lone home run and struck out four. Ryan Sherriff picked up the save with 1.2 perfect innings of relief and three strikeouts.
Eight different Redbirds had a hit in the seven innings, led by Jose Martinez and Breyvic Valera’s two-hit games. Martinez also drove in two of Memphis’ four runs.
Memphis took a 1-0 lead after the first inning thanks to Harrison Bader’s one-out double and a Martinez single to right that scored Bader from second.
Round Rock (46-44) equaled the game in the fourth when Brett Nicholas homered to start the inning, but after that, Nielsen and Sherriff retired 11 of the final 13 Express to finish the game. One of the batters who reached on a walk was erased trying to steal.
Memphis scored two more in the bottom of the fourth and another in the fifth to secure the win.
Efren Navarro scored two runs in the game, and Martinez and Valera also doubled.
The series finale, and also the final game before the All-Star Break, is tomorrow at 1:35 p.m. It is Prairie Farms Ice Cream Sunday, with 2,500 kids ages 12 and under getting a free ice cream treat upon entering, and the first 2,000 kids also get a ceramic ice cream bowl on Rockey The Redbird’s birthday, courtesy of Prairie Farms. Kids may also run the bases after the game.
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.
