Cardinals Cruise To 8-1 Win Over Memphis
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The St. Louis Cardinals topped the Memphis Redbirds by an 8-1 margin in a special Exhibition Game in front of 9,827 fans on Friday night at AutoZone Park.
The special contest was the eighth between the two clubs since the St. Louis Cardinals signed a player development contract with Memphis in 1998. The Cardinals are now 5-2-1 against the Redbirds all-time and winners of five straight since 2004.
St. Louis starter Marco Gonzales took the win for St. Louis, allowing one unearned run with four walks and four strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. The left-hander also helped his own cause by driving in a run in the sixth.
Cardinals outfielders Matt Holliday and Randal Grichuk each hit two-run homers in the victory. Outfielder Peter Bourjos also added two hits while driving in three.
Holliday gave the Cardinals a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a line drive home run over the new left field videoboard. Matt Carpenter, who was hit by Tim Cooney to lead off the game, came home on the blast. It was Holliday's first and only at-bat in AutoZone Park in his career.
St. Louis added its next run in the fourth inning on a pair of doubles by Bourjos and former Redbird Pete Kozma (3-for-4, 2B, 2 R).
The Cardinals scored two more runs in the seventh and eighth innings, beginning with a two-run bloop single by Bourjos. Grichuk concluded the special evening with a two-run homer over the right wall in the top of the 8th inning, pushing the Cardinals lead to 8-1 and scoring Stephen Piscotty.
Memphis plated its lone run in the sixth as catcher Cody Stanley came home on a fielder's choice groundout.
Redbirds first baseman Xavier Scruggs added two hits for Memphis, and missed a home run by a matter of two feet later in the contest. Shortstop Dean Anna accounted for the Redbirds' third hit of the evening.
Cooney took the loss in the exhibition, allowing three runs on three hits and a pair of strikeouts in four innings.
The Redbirds open the 2015 Pacific Coast League regular season by welcoming the prospect-laden Iowa Cubs (Triple-A Cubs) for a four-game series at AutoZone Park. Opening Night festivities begin at 7:05 pm Thursday night. Gates open at 6:05 pm.