Redbirds Conclude Postseason Run With 6-2 Loss In Game 4

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Omaha Storm Chasers advanced to the Pacific Coast League Championship for the fourth consecutive year, topping the Memphis Redbirds by a 6-2 score in Game 4 of the Pacific Coast League American Conference Championship on Saturday night from AutoZone Park.

Omaha won the best-of-five series, 3-1, over Memphis and will travel to face the winner of the Pacific Conference Championship between the Reno Aces and Las Vegas 51s beginning on Tuesday.

The Storm Chasers pitching staff hurled two shutouts and limited the Redbirds offense to a .167 batting average over the four games.

Omaha jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Memphis starter Mike Mayers (0-1), who was making his second career Triple-A start and AutoZone Park debut. Whit Merrifield doubled to lead off the game and came around to score on a Brett Eiber single.

The Storm Chasers added four more runs in the fifth for a 5-0 advantage. Merrifield began the four-run rally with a solo homer to left, his third of the series. Brett Eibner followed with an RBI single to center to remove Mayers from the game. Omaha's final two runs were highlighted by a Cheslor Cuthbert sacrifice fly and Memphis throwing error during a pickoff attempt.

Memphis plated its only two runs in the bottom the fifth, scoring for the first time in 13 innings. After a leadoff Mike O'Neill walk and Tommy Pham double, Ed Easley hit an RBI groundout for the club's first run. Stephen Piscotty followed with a sacrifice fly.

A Brett Hayes sacrifice fly in the sixth extended the Storm Chasers lead to 6-2.

Mayers was charged with five runs on eight hits in four plus innings. The right-hander also struck out a pair before departing with two runners on base in the top of the fifth inning.

Omaha starter Buddy Maumann (1-0) yielded two runs over five innings for the win.

The Redbirds will open 2015 by hosting the St. Louis Cardinals in a special Exhibition Game at AutoZone Park on Friday, April 3, giving fans the first glimpse of the 2015 Cardinals in their final pre-season game leading up to Opening Day.