The Memphis Redbirds rallied late to snag the team’s third straight win in game five of a six-game series against the Indianapolis Indians on Saturday night at Victory Field by a final score of 6-5.
After falling behind 4-0 after the first inning, center fielder and leadoff man Scott Hurst blasted a solo homer, his first home run of the season to right-center field to put Memphis on the board. The Redbirds offense would struggle until the top of the seventh, trailing 5-1.
After third baseman Delvin Perez and Hurst reached with two outs in the seventh, shortstop Paul Dejong lifted a ball deep into the Indianapolis night sky to pull Memphis within one. First baseman Luken Baker led off the next inning with a single, representing the tying run. Three batters later and after a designated hitter Clint Coulter walk, catcher Austin Romine slapped a ball into the right-center field gap to tie the ballgame at five.
Memphis carried the momentum into the ninth inning. DeJong and left fielder Alec Burleson each singled with two outs in the inning to set up Baker to come through in a clutch situation. The tall right-handed hitter lined a ball up the middle to put the Redbirds on top 6-5 and drive home the game-winning RBI.
Starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore provided a gutsy performance for the Redbirds. After allowing four runs in the first, the left-handed hurler finished his seven-inning start by tossing six innings of one run baseball and struck out seven Indianapolis hitters. Right-handed reliever James Naile finished the game, going six-up-six-down while striking out three to earn his third win of the season.
The Memphis Redbirds (41-30) return to Victory Field to finish out a six-game series against the Indianapolis Indians (34-35) on Sunday, June 26 for a 12:35 p.m. CDT first pitch.
