Memphis Falls Behind Early, Loses 8-3

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Jon Singleton homered and drove in three as the Oklahoma City RedHawks beat the Memphis Redbirds by an 8-3 margin on Thursday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

Memphis (16-18) went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and grounded into three double plays. Oscar Taveras (1-for-3, 3B, RBI, R, BB) tripled and drove in a run for the ninth time in his last 11 games. Catcher Ed Easley and Stephen Piscotty each added two hits.

The Redbirds jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. After a one-out walk from Shane Robinson, Taveras connected on an RBI three-bagger off the center field wall and scored two batters later on a wild pitch from pitcher David Martinez.

Oklahoma City got a run back in the bottom of the first as Robbie Grossman worked a four-pitch walk to lead off the game, stole second base, advanced to third on a throwing error, and scored an unearned run on a wild pitch from Scott McGregor. The club went ahead for good with four more runs in the second, highlighted by run-scoring doubles from Erik Castro and Domingo Santana to chase McGregor from the game. Jonathan Meyer concluded the rally with an RBI single off Redbirds reliever Jose Almarante.

Singleton extended the RedHawks lead to 7-2 in the next inning on a two-run homer from Jon Singleton, his league-leading 11th of the season.

Kolten Wong led off the fifth, stole second base, and scored the Redbirds' final run on a Piscotty base hit.

Martinez (4-2) gave up three runs on six hits for the victory. McGregor (0-5) was charged with five runs (four earned) on four hits in a season-low 1 2/3 innings.

Right-hander Boone Whiting (0-4, 5.06) will take the mound for Memphis in Friday's 7:05 pm CT series finale with Oklahoma City. The RedHawks will counter with right-hander Bobby Doran (0-2, 6.83).