The Memphis Redbirds dropped game two of a six-game series against the Nashville Sounds on Wednesday night at AutoZone Park by a final score of 8-4 in extra innings.
Left fielder Alec Burleson had a historic night at AutoZone Park. The left-handed hitter blasted two home runs, one to tie the game at 1-1 in the sixth and one to take a 2-1 lead in the eighth.
His home run in the eighth inning drilled the top of the left-center field wall and bounced all the way to right-center field. In that time, Burleson sped around the bases and became the first Redbirds in franchise history to ever hit an inside-the-park home run.
Memphis attempted back after allowing six runs in the top of the tenth inning, plating two runs. Burleson added his third RBI of the night with a one-out single to plate designated hitter Lars Nootbaar, but the comeback fell short.
James Naile was stellar in his third start of the year. The right-handed pitcher lasted 4.0 innings of one-run baseball, allowed just four hits and struck out four batters. Reliever Kyle Ryan gets tagged with the loss after pitching the top of the tenth inning.
The Memphis Redbirds (36-26) will return home to AutoZone Park to continue a six-game series and the 12-game homestand against the International League West leading Nashville Sounds on Thursday, June 16 for a 7:05 p.m. CDT first pitch.
