The Memphis Redbirds dropped game four of a six-game series to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp at 121 Financial Ballpark on Friday night by the final score of 2-1.
In the top of the second inning, first baseman Luken Baker led off the frame with his 19th home run of the season and second blast of the series to give Memphis a 1-0 lead. The home run ties him with Alec Burleson for the team lead in the category and catapults the right-handed hitter into a fifth place tie in the International League home run race.
The Redbirds bats would go silent for the rest of the night, going 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, pushing the series-long tally in the situation to 3-for-26. Memphis stranded the tying run in scoring position in the top of the ninth inning.
On the pitching side, Jake Woodford continued a tremendous stretch on Friday night. The right-handed pitcher tossed 6.0 innings, allowed one run on five hits and struck out five hitters. After reliever Kyle Ryan threw a scoreless seventh inning, Zach McAllister allowed a run in the bottom of the eighth and is credited with the loss.
The Redbirds have now lost four straight games to start the series and fall to 3-13 against the Jumbo Shrimp this season. The loss also marks the second time Memphis has lost four straight game to Jacksonville (May 5-8).
The Memphis Redbirds (54-48) return to 121 Financial Ballpark on Saturday night against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (58-45), Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins for a scheduled 5:35 p.m. CDT first pitch.
