MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The Memphis Redbirds ended a three-game losing streak with a 7-2 win over the Oklahoma City Dodgers (Dodgers) Wednesday night at AutoZone Park, behind solid pitching by Luke Weaver and two home runs in a four-run eighth inning.
Weaver, who was named a Pacific Coast League All-Star earlier in the day, improved his record to 7-1 on the season with 6.0 shutout innings. He gave up three hits and struck out six, and the Dodgers did not manage a hit until the fifth inning. In what would be his final inning of work, Weaver made a sensational defensive play with the bases loaded and two outs, throwing out a runner falling down from the third-base side of the mound, to end the inning and keep the score 2-0 in favor of the Redbirds.
Memphis (47-31) led 2-0 after an inning, with Chad Huffman hitting a two-run home run, his first since rejoining the Redbirds after a stint with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Redbirds added a third run in the seventh, after Breyvic Valera singled, moved to second on an error, and scored on a pinch-hit single by Rangel Ravelo.
After the Dodgers (44-33) plated two runs, one earned, in the top of the eighth, Memphis sealed the game with a four-run eighth inning aided by a pair of two-out, two-run home runs.Harrison Bader hit his 13th of the season after Adolis Garcia doubled, and Wilfredo Tovar ended an 0-for-31 slump with his first home run of the season.
Josh Lucas gave up a leadoff double in the ninth but got a groundout and two strikeouts to end the game and pick up his sixth save of the season.
Todd Cunningham, Bader, and Valera all had two hits, with every position player starter except one having at least one knock.
Oklahoma City had won seven-straight games prior to tonight’s Memphis win.
The Redbirds and Dodgers conclude their four-game series tomorrow night at 7:05. Memphis then begins a series with New Orleans running Friday–Monday.
