Redbirds Fall in Pitcher’s Duel

Box Score

NORFOLK, Virginia – The Memphis Redbirds fell victim to dominant pitching from the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A affiliate, Baltimore Orioles) on Tuesday night, losing 4-0 in the series opener. It was the first win for the Tides this season against Memphis. The Redbirds swept a six-game series from Norfolk on July 13-18 at AutoZone Park.

Matthew Liberatore tossed a quality start for Memphis (40-45), allowing three runs on seven hits in seven innings with seven strikeouts. The hallmark of his evening was attacking the strike zone. Of the 91 pitches that Liberatore threw on Tuesday night, 70 of them were strikes.

On the other side, the Norfolk (33-50) pitching staff kept the ‘Birds batters guessing all night. Bruce Zimmermann, Kyle Bradish and Felix Bautista combined to allow just one hit and seven total baserunners in a shutout performance. They struck out nine Memphis batters in the process.

Timely hitting from the Tides ensured their strong pitching would not go to waste. Single runs in the second, third, sixth, and eighth innings from Norfolk gave them the runs they needed for victory. Adley Rutschman starred in his Triple-A debut. The top prospect in Minor League Baseball went 2-4 at the plate, driving in a run with a single in the sixth and scoring a run after doubling in the eighth.

The Memphis Redbirds are the proud Triple-A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Memphis has claimed four League Championships and one Triple-A National Championship since their affiliation with St. Louis began in 1998. For the latest team news, follow the Redbirds on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Ticket information can be found at memphisredbirds.com/tickets.

Next Game

Wednesday, August 11 @ Norfolk (6:05 p.m. CT)

-Redbirds Probable Starter: RHP Angel Rondon

-Tides Probable Starter: RHP Dean Kremer

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