Memphis Mashes Omaha 5-2

Redbirds designated hitter Randal Grichuk crushed two of Memphis' three home runs and drove in three RBI, while starter Mike Mayers yielded one run over seven quality innings in a 5-2 victory over the Omaha Storm Chasers on Thursday evening at Werner Park.

All was quiet until the fourth, when Grichuck broke the scoreless draw with his first of two longballs. He slammed the first pitch of the fourth frame over the left field wall, his fourth big fly of the year, to put Memphis ahead 1-0.

Just one inning later it was 3B Jacob Wilson's turn to leave the yard, roping a two-run blast to left to increase the advantage to three. Grichuk would eventually come up with two outs in the fifth and cap the Redbirds' scoring via a two-run smash down the left field line that snuck inside the foul pole to make it 5-0.

Omaha then got on the board in the last of the fifth to end Memphis' shutout hopes. SS Orlando Calixte slapped a one-out double to right-center prior to being brought plateward courtesy of C Parker Morin's run-scoring two-bagger down the left field line. The Storm Chasers would take advantage of a Redbirds fielding miscue in the eighth, with 2B Ramon Torres motoring home on a bad throw to cut the deficit to 5-2, a score that would not change.

3B Hunter Dozier and DH Tony Cruz led the way for Omaha with two hits each. Grichuk, Wilson and CF Charlie Tilson each recorded multi-hit efforts for Memphis.

Mayers (7.0 IP, 5 H, R, ER, BB, 3 SO) earned the victory by scattering five hits and yielding the lone earned run over seven solid frames to improve to 3-2. Reliever Ryan Sherriff (1.0 PI, 3 H, R, 0 ER, SO) then allowed an unearned run in the eighth before Sam Tuivailala (1.0 IP, H, SO) notched his 13th save with a scoreless ninth.

Omaha starter and Royals hurler Kris Medlen (5.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) suffered the defeat in his second start with the Storm Chasers as part of a Major League Rehab Assignment. Medlen fired 88 pitches, the highest total of his four rehab outings with Omaha and Double-A Northwest Arkansas, which included 60 strikes. Relief men Malcom Culver (1.1 IP, H, 2 BB, 2 SO) and Joe Beimel (2.0 IP, 2 H, BB, SO) joined forces for the last 3.1 shutout innings.

The two teams are slated to face off in the second game of their four-game set at Werner Park Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT with Omaha expected to send RHP Alec Mills (2-0, 2.31), who has earned victories in each of his first two Triple-A outings, to the hill. RHP Corey Baker (1-0, 0.00) is anticipated to counter Mills for Memphis.