Redbirds Split Series With 8-3 Defeat To Oklahoma City

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The visiting Oklahoma City RedHawks dealt the Memphis Redbirds an 8-3 loss in the finale of a four-game series on Tuesday afternoon at AutoZone Park.

With the loss, Memphis drops to a half game behind Round Rock in the PCL American Southern Division.

Starter David Martinez improved to 3-2, surrendering one run over five frames for Oklahoma City.

Outfielder Stephen Piscotty went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Outfielder Joey Butler raised his team-leading batting average to .426 with two hits while also scoring a pair of runs.

Both clubs traded runs in the opening frame, beginning with Domingo Santana hitting a two-out RBI single to score Robbie Grossman. Piscotty answered with an RBI double to score Butler.

Oklahoma City pushed its lead to 4-1 over the next three frames with a Ronald Torreyes RBI base hit and a pair of solo homers from prospect Jon Singleton and Jonathan Meyer.

The RedHawks extended its lead to 7-1 in the seventh against Memphis reliever Heath Wyatt, highlighted by an Enrique Hernandez RBI double down the left field line. The club tacked on an insurance run in the next frame on a Nick Greenwood wild pitch.

Memphis plated its final two runs in the eighth. After shortstop Greg Garcia extended his hitting streak to a season-best eight games with a base hit, Butler smoked an RBI double to left, followed by Piscotty's third hit of the afternoon.

Scott McGregor moved to 0-3 with the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and a pair of homers in five innings.

After a league-wide off day on Wednesday, the Redbirds travel to face the division-rival Round Rock Express (Triple-A Rangers) in a four-game series at the Dell Diamond. Memphis will send right-hander Boone Whiting (0-1, 1.93) to the hill for Thursday's 7:05 pm CT opener against Round Rock righty Justin Germano (0-2, 4.50).