OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma - The Memphis Redbirds (22-13) struggled on the mound and in the field, falling to the Oklahoma City Dodgers (23-9) 8-4, Thursday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Okla. The game started out well for the Redbirds, but they struggled to finish in the final
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma - The Memphis Redbirds (22-13) struggled on the mound and in the field, falling to the Oklahoma City Dodgers (23-9) 8-4, Thursday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Okla.
The game started out well for the Redbirds, but they struggled to finish in the final innings. After starter Austin Gomber allowed a solo home run in the first inning, the Redbirds took the lead with a four-run third inning. Gomber helped himself with a single to leadoff the third, Max Schrock reached on an error, Luke Voit singled, and Yairo Muñoz extended his hitting streak to 10 games by blasting a grand slam, the first for Memphis this season. Gomber's single was also the first hit by a Memphis pitcher this season.
Gomber was cruising through the first four innings, allowing two solo home runs, and striking out six before running into a wall in the fifth. Former Redbird Breyvic Valera led off the inning with a home run to start a four-run rally for the Dodgers. All nine batters went to the plate in the inning, and only three of them recorded a hit. After Valera's homer, Gomber got two quick outs before Henry Ramos doubled and Jacob Scavuzzo walked to put two men on. Danny Espinosa then hit a three-run homer to put the Dodgers ahead for good. Memphis also committed two of its three errors in the inning.
Gomber's night was done after the fifth inning, but Scavuzzo and Kyle Garlick both hit solo home runs off Arturo Reyes in the seventh to extend the Oklahoma City lead. Gomber finished the night with a final line of 5.0 innings pitched, eight hits, six earned runs, two walks, eight strikeouts, and four home runs allowed.
Gomber tied the franchise record by allowing four home runs. He is the first Redbirds pitcher to allow four home runs since Corey Baker did so on July 14, 2016 at Tacoma. The team also fell just short of tying the franchise record for most home runs allowed in a game, which stands at seven.
Brett Cecil , on rehab from St. Louis pitched 1.0 shutout inning, allowing a single hit, while Reyes pitched the final two frames, allowing two hits, both home runs, and striking out one. Voit and Munoz led the offensive charge for Memphis, both going 2-for-4 on the night.
The Redbirds and Dodgers will play the series finale tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. After tomorrow's game, the Redbirds return to AutoZone Park for four games against Nashville starting on Saturday. For more information on single-game tickets and ticket mini-memberships, visit www.memphisredbirds.com.
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