Garcia, Redbirds outlast Isotopes

Jaime Garcia struck out five of the first six batters and yielded an unearned run on one hit over 5 1/3 innings Wednesday as the Memphis Redbirds defeated the Albuquerque Isotopes, 6-2, in Game 1 of the Pacific Coast League semifinals.

On the road back from Tommy John surgery, Garcia (1-0) set down the first 13 Isotopes before Jamie Hoffmann singled with one out in the fifth. The 23-year-old left-hander allowed just one other baserunner -- J.D. Closser reached on an error -- before exiting in the sixth.

Royce Ring, Josh Kinney and Pete Parise each worked a hitless frame to swing home-field advantage in the best-of-5 series over to the Redbirds.

Memphis staked Garcia to a quick lead as Jon Jay, Tyler Greene and Jarrett Hoffpauir opened the game with singles to make it 1-0. Greene later came home on Brian Barden's groundout.

In the second, Jay grounded out to plate Shane Robinson and Greene delivered an RBI single to extend the Redbirds' advantage to 4-0.

Isotopes starter Eric Stults (0-1) surrendered five runs on 11 hits in six innings and was aided by a triple play.

With two on in the sixth, shortstop Chin-Lung Hu snared Matt Pagnozzi's ground ball, tagged Barden, stepped on second base and fired to first to complete the third triple play in team history.

Following a two-hour rain delay, Albuquerque got on the board in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI triple by Tony Abreu, who scored on Hector Luna's base hit.

In other PCL action:

Sacramento 8, Tacoma 2
Tommy Everidge drove in three runs, Chris Carter hit a two-run homer and Brett Wallace added a solo shot to power Sacramento past Tacoma in the opener of their best-of-5 series. Box score