MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Redbirds took advantage of a dominant outing on the mound Friday in a 5-2 win over Round Rock in the first game of their doubleheader with the Express. Memphis starter P.J. Walters delivered another blistering performance in his second seventh-inning start in as many appearances after allowing two runs on just four hits. The right-hander struck out 13 Express batters, including every member of the Round Rock starting lineup en route to his third straight win and fifth victory this season. Walters has been on a bit of a tear as of late, punching out 32 batters over his last 20 innings of work, with a season-high 14 strikeout performance also coming in the first game of a doubleheader against New Orleans, July 25. The 'Birds bats made certain Walters received an adequate amount of run support in a seven-hit outing for the Memphis line-up. Redbirds Allen Craig and Mark Hamilton jumpstarted the second inning with back-to-back homers that helped Memphis leap-frog over Round Rock's one-run advantage and take a 2-1 lead. Memphis stretched their edge over the Express to 4-1 thanks to centerfielder Shane Robinson's two-RBI single to right that drove in Craig and Hamilton in the fourth. Robinson was responsible for another Redbirds run two innings later with another single, this time to center, that gave Memphis a 5-2 lead and the center fielder his third RBI of the evening. Craig put on another powerful display, upping his hit streak to seven games after going 2-for-2 with a homer and three runs scored. The outfielder now has 19 long balls this season with nine of those coming over his last 13 games. The Redbirds close out their double-dip with the Express tonight with right-hander Oneli Perez facing off against Round Rock southpaw Mark McLemore. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs. |
