Redbirds Outlast Tides and Win Marathon Game
Box Score MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The Memphis Redbirds outlasted the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A affiliate, Baltimore Orioles) in one of the games of the season, winning 7-6 in 11 innings. The game took four hours and 12 minutes to complete and featured 24 combined hits and 11 combined pitchers between the
*MEMPHIS, Tennessee – *The Memphis Redbirds outlasted the Norfolk Tides (Triple-A affiliate, Baltimore Orioles) in one of the games of the season, winning 7-6 in 11 innings. The game took four hours and 12 minutes to complete and featured 24 combined hits and 11 combined pitchers between the two teams.
Early on, the teams were trading runs. Memphis (41-46) plated a run in the first without recording a hit, as three walks loaded the bases with one out and Alec Burleson brought home Kramer Robertson with an RBI groundout. Norfolk (34-51) then scored lone runs in the first and third innings to take a 2-1 lead. Adley Rustchman’s RBI double in the third scored Brett Cumberland and briefly gave the Tides the lead.
From there, the Redbirds surged in front. They scored a combined five runs between the fifth and sixth innings (three in the fifth, two in the sixth) to grab a 6-2 lead. Burleson contributed a two-run double in the fifth – he finished the night with three runs driven in. Ali Sánchez thumped a two-run double of his own in the sixth en route to a two-hit evening.
The star of the night for Memphis at the plate, however, was Nolan Gorman. The top hitting prospect in the Cardinals system went 4-for-5 at the dish, including a double in the sixth, a walk and three runs scored. He’s now 6-for-13 in the first three games of this week’s series in Norfolk.
After that, the game slipped out of the Redbirds grasp. They allowed the next four runs as the Tides tied the game utilizing timely hitting. Yusniel Diaz slapped a two-run single in the sixth, Mason McCoy hit a solo home run in the seventh, and Rylan Bannon launched a game-tying, two-out solo homer in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings. Bannon has three home runs in the past two games – all five of his hits this season against Memphis are homers.
Yep, he can run too 🏃 🏃 🏃
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) August 13, 2021
Nolan Gorman scores on the sacrifice fly and we’ve got the lead in extras ‼️ pic.twitter.com/1FHfKVW1BF
The game remained knotted at six into the 11th inning, where the ‘Birds finally seized control. A sacrifice fly from Sánchez scored Gorman and made it 7-6 entering the bottom of the 11th, where Norfolk had one final push. They loaded the bases with two outs, but Kodi Whitley wouldn’t let the game continue. He struck out McCoy swinging to end the evening. The righthanded reliever struck out four batters in two scoreless relief innings (the 10th and 11th).
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
Friday, August 13 @ Norfolk (6:05 p.m. CT)
- Redbirds Probable Starter: RHP Johan Oviedo
- Tides Probable Starter: RHP Ofelky Peralta
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