Mamajuana Rally Falls Just Short as Redbirds Hold On

Allentown, Pennsylvania (May 11, 2023) – A furious late comeback attempt came up just shy for the Lehigh Valley Mamajuana (18-17) as the Memphis Redbirds (22-14) held on for an 8-6 win on Thursday night at Coca-Cola Park.

Memphis scored the first run of the game in the first inning on an Ivan Herrera RBI double, but Lehigh Valley answered back in the third with a Weston Wilson two-run homer, his ninth of the year, to jump in front 2-1.

Memphis put the first six runners on to begin the fifth, plating all of them. Masyn Winn had an RBI single, and Herrera drove in his second run of the game with a bases loaded walk. Moises Gomez followed with a grand slam, his fifth of the season, to put Memphis up 7-2.

With two on and one out in the sixth for Lehigh Valley, Jim Haley ripped a ball of the right-centerfield wall that caromed back into center. Haley never missed a stride, flying around the bases for an inside-the-park three-run homer, his second homer of the season. The inside-the-parker is the third in Lehigh Valley history and the first since J.P. Crawford on June 26, 2017 against Gwinnett. Dustin Peterson drilled a solo homer later in the frame, his second of the year, to bring the Mamajuana to within one at 7-6.

Memphis plated a pivotal insurance run in the ninth on a Jordan Walker sacrifice fly.

Kodi Whitley (1-0) earned the win for Memphis, throwing one scoreless inning in relief, allowing a hit and a walk, striking out three.

Cristopher Sanchez (0-2) suffered the loss for Lehigh Valley, allowing seven runs on six hits and five walks, striking out three in four-plus innings.

The IronPigs and Redbirds square off in game four of their series on Friday, May 12 with first pitch at 7:05 p.m.

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The IronPigs are presented by Capital BlueCross.

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