Memphis rally cut short

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Redbirds came up short Monday night against the division-leading Nashville Sounds, losing 7-6 despite a strong final-inning effort and a line-up sprinkled with big league talent.

Troy Glaus and Khalil Greene were the big names coming into the contest, both men on rehab assignments for the Cardinals. The line-up put Glaus, rehabbing his right arm, in the clean-up spot playing left field.

Glaus caught a couple of fly balls in the game as he got acquainted with the new terrain, both Memphis and the outfield position.

"That's the first time I've gone nine innings out there," Glaus said. "It's going to take a little bit [to get comfortable], but it felt good tonight. It felt better than the first time I went out there, so hopefully we can improve and work hard tomorrow afternoon and try and get better."

Glaus went two-for-four and was walked once as he helped the 'Birds start their late-inning charge. With a runner on first and second in the ninth, Glaus dropped a single into right that brought home Tyler Greene to cut the lead to one. The left-fielder's hit proved to be the last one of the game, which left Memphis a base-hit short of a comeback.

Khalil Greene, rehabbing due to anxiety issues, played shortstop for Memphis and had several grounders hit his way, that were a result of starter Clayton Mortensen's pitching.

Greene displayed good range as a fielder, but left a few of his throws slow to the target. The eight-year pro recorded one error on a backhand grounder that he mishandled. Offensively, Greene went one-for-five.

Despite all of the changes in the line-up since their series against Omaha, Manager Chris Maloney didn't let the rehab assignments and roster moves be an excuse for the loss.

"It's just a baseball game and they beat us," Maloney said. "They got more than we did and that was the ball game."

The first inning saw four runs to each team and six of them the result of home runs. Nashville's Adam Heether hit a two-run shot to left to put the Sounds up 4-0, but Memphis quickly responded with a Tyler Green lead-off homer and a Brian Barden three-run bomb.

Alcides Escobar drove in a run on his single in the fourth to retake the lead and a pair of sacrifice flies to right in the seventh made it 7-4 Nashville. Glaus scored in the seventh on a wild pitch to the backstop.

Nashville's Chase Wright nabbed his sixth save of the season, while Matt Ginter recorded the save. Wright fanned two Redbirds and allowed four runs on seven hits over six innings. Memphis' Mortensen was credited with the loss, finishing with six earned runs in six innings.

The Redbirds will play again Tuesday at 7:05 P.M. and will bring Blake Hawksworth to the hill as Tim Dillard gets the nod for the Sounds. The first 1,500 fans to arrive for the game will receive former Redbirds pitching coach Dyar Miller bobbleheads. Gates open at 6:00 P.M.