MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Jeremy Hefner pitched 5.0 innings of one-hit baseball, and the Memphis Redbirds had six extra-base hits in a 4-0 win over Colorado Springs (Triple-A Brewers) Saturday night in front of 6,415 fans at AutoZone Park.
Four Redbirds pitchers combined on the three-hit shutout, and the Memphis staff had 10 strikeouts on the night. Memphis’ three starting pitchers so far this season, Deck McGuire, J.C. Sulbaran and Hefner, all making their debuts in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, have worked 15.1 innings and allowed just three earned runs for a 1.79 ERA.
Six of the Redbirds’ 10 hits went for extra-bases, including four doubles, two by Anthony Garcia, a Alex Mejia triple and a pinch-hit home run by Mike Ohlman. Memphis did not have a pinch-hit extra-base hit in the entire 2015 season.
Memphis got on the board in its first at-bat for the second-straight night, with Matt Williams doubling and coming around to score on a Garcia double. Nick Martini knocked Memphis’ third double in the first six plate appearances to start the second inning and scored when Mejia lined the other way for a triple. Mejia trotted home on an Alberto Rosario sacrifice fly to deep center field, and Memphis led 3-0 through eight players in the batting order.
While Memphis was getting it done at the plate, Hefner was taking care of business on the mound. After walking Eric Young Jr., to start the game, Hefner retired 10-straight Sky Sox and 13 of the next 14. Hefner fanned five on the night and allowed just one hit, giving him his first one-hit outing with at least 5.0 innings pitched since April 20, 2010 when he was in Double-A with the San Diego Padres, a span of 88 starts.
Ohlman stepped to the plate to pinch hit for reliever Heath Wyatt to lead off the seventh inning and blasted a home run to left-center field to put Memphis up 4-0.
Miguel Socolovich pitched the final two innings to secure the win and struck out two in the process.
Memphis looks to take three-of-four from Colorado Springs in the season’s first series Sunday afternoon at 2:05. It is Prairie Farms Ice Cream Sunday at AutoZone Park, and the first 2,500 kids ages 12 and under will receive a free ice cream treat, courtesy of Prairie Farms, and they can run the bases after the game. Thomas Lee is set to oppose Colorado Springs’ Jorge Lopez.
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.
