For the third time during Opening Week, the Memphis Redbirds used a seventh inning home run to defeat the Gwinnett Stripers, 8-7, on Saturday afternoon at AutoZone Park.
The Redbirds offense struggled early, with the first 10 batters going down in order. With one out in the bottom of the fourth, second baseman Kramer Robertson flipped the switch with his first home run of the season, the team’s first baserunner of the game.
Memphis would then score seven unanswered runs between the sixth and seventh innings. Third baseman Juan Yepez hit his first home run of the year, a three-run shot to tie the game at 4-4 in the sixth. An inning later, a two-run double by first baseman Brendan Donovan and a two-run homer by left fielder Alec Burleson put the Redbirds up 8-4.
Memphis used a total of seven pitchers in the win. James Naile (1-0) recorded final out of the seventh inning to earn the win while Jake Walsh (1) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save.
Catcher Ivan Herrera ended the game by throwing Gwinnett’s Pat Valaika attempting to steal second base to complete a strike-’em-out, throw-’em-out double play.
Memphis (3-2) returns to AutoZone Park on Sunday afternoon (2:05 first pitch) for series finale with Gwinnett (2-3).
Communications and Public Relations Assistant/Broadcaster for the Memphis Redbirds
