Redbirds Roll To Fifth Straight Win

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Memphis Redbirds won their fifth straight game as Stephen Piscotty delivered an RBI single in the top of the ninth for a 6-5 win over the Albuquerque Isotopes on Wednesday night at Isotopes Park.

The back-and-forth battle featured three lead changes before Piscotty's (3-for-3, RBI, R) third hit of the evening ultimately gave Memphis the victory. Pinch hitter Jermaine Curtis, who previously reached on a broken-bat pinch hit single in the ninth, scored the winning run from second base.

Pitcher Jorge Rondon stranded a runner in the bottom of the ninth while converting his eighth save of the year, keeping the Redbirds within a half of a game behind the cross-state rival Nashville Sounds in the division. Both Redbirds wins in Albuquerque this series have been last at-bat, giving the team 11 on the season.

First baseman Xavier Scruggs extended his hitting streak to nine games. Shortstop Pete Kozma homered and drove in a pair. Randal Grichuk's season-best 12-game hitting streak came to an end on his 23rd birthday after the slugger flew out in a pinch hit at-bat.

Former Redbirds utility man Jamie Romak homered twice and drove in three runs for Albuquerque.

The Isotopes opened with a 1-0 lead in the second inning as Albuquerque starting pitcher Barry Enright helped his own cause with an RBI single.

Memphis took a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning, beginning with a Tommy Pham leadoff single. After Piscotty's first hit, Scruggs lined an RBI single to center, followed by an Audry Perez double. Garcia concluded the scoring rally with an RBI groundout to short.

Albuquerque knotted the game at 3-3 in the next frame on a two-run homer from Romak, his 22nd of the season. Joc Pederson hit his league-leading 28th homer of the year in the fifth that gave Albuquerque the lead at 4-3.

The lead didn't last long as Memphis went back ahead at 5-4 in the next inning on Kozma's two-run blast over the left field wall. Garcia scored on the tater, who reached on a two-out double.

Romak's second homer quickly re-tied the game at 5-5 in the in the next inning, a blast that traveled beyond the picnic pavilion in left field.

Redbirds starter Marco Gonzales gave up four runs on four hits, including a pair of homers in five innings. The left-hander also walked two, struck out two, and hit a batter in the no-decision. Justin Wright hurled two scoreless in relief to move to 3-0.

Memphis and Albuquerque continue its series at 7:35pm CT on Thursday night at Isotopes Park. Left-hander Tyler Lyons (7-1, 3.63) looks for his sixth straight win against Isotopes left-hander Chris Reed (0-1, 5.06).