NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Trailing 2-1 and down to their final strike in the top of the ninth, the Memphis Redbirds scored twice and then stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to win a 3-2 thriller of the Nashville Sounds (Athletics) Saturday night in Nashville.
With Patrick Wisdom the tying run on first with two outs in the top of the ninth, trailing 2-1, Todd Cunningham drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to prolong the inning. Breyvic Valera then roped a double to left-center field, scoring Wisdom and Cunningham, and putting the Redbirds (55-33) ahead 3-2 heading to the bottom of the ninth.
Mark Montgomery came on to pitch the penultimate inning, and the Sounds (42-47) quickly loaded the bases on two singles and an intentional walk. But Montgomery got a big strikeout and a flyout to end the game and give the Redbirds their ninth win in the last 11 games.
John Gant started and tossed 7.0 innings, allowing two runs on six hits, and he struck out six with one walk. Triple-A Pacific Coast League All-Star Ryan Sherriff threw a perfect eighth inning, setting up the Redbirds’ ninth-inning rally.
Wisdom, Valera, and Nick Martini all had two hits for Memphis, with Martini’s multi-hit game his ninth in his last 15 starts. Valera is now on a six-game hitting streak.
Carson Kelly was 0-for-3, ending his seven-game hitting streak, and Harrison Bader saw his 11-game on-base streak and 11-game run scored streak come to a close after an 0-for-4 game.
The win was Memphis’ 11th of the season when trailing in the seventh inning or later.
Memphis and Nashville conclude their series tomorrow night at 6:35, and the All-Star Break follows Monday–Wednesday. The Redbirds return to AutoZone Park for four games startingThursday.
