Redbirds Send Zephyrs To Heartbreak Hotel With 21-3 Loss On Elvis Night
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Memphis Redbirds exploded for a season-high 21 runs on 21 hits in a 21-3 rout of the visiting New Orleans Zephyrs in front of 9,545 fans on Elvis Night on Saturday at AutoZone Park.
The first four batters in the lineup went a combined 11-for-19 with two homers, 11 RBIs, eight runs scored, and four walks. Outfielder Tommy Pham went 4-for-5 with a homer, four RBIs, four runs scored, and a stolen base from the leadoff spot. Also highlighted in the offensive onslaught was outfielder Randal Grichuk (3-for-5, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB), third baseman Scott Moore (2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, R), and shortstop Pete Kozma (1-for-5, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R).
The 21 runs were the most scored in a single game since Memphis set a franchise record of 24 on July 22, 2012 vs. Oklahoma City (24-7). Kozma, who clubbed his fifth homer of the season that put this game out of reach in the fifth, hit a grand slam in that record-setting game from 2012.
The 21 hits matched a season high for the second time, while the 18-run winning margin set a franchise record. The previous record was 17 (24-7, May 19, 1999 & 24-7, July 22, 2012).
All nine starters in the Redbirds lineup came away with at least one hit in the 21-hit attack, including pitcher Tyler Lyons and defensive replacements Ed Easley and Mike O'Neill. Seventeen of the Redbirds' 21 hits were singles as the Memphis lineup batted around on three occasions.
Lost in the shuffle was Lyons picking up his fifth consecutive win to move to 7-1. The left-hander yielded three runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts in six innings.
Memphis opened the contest with a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, beginning with Pham singling and scoring on a Moore RBI base hit to right.
New Orleans quickly tied the game at 2-2 in the next frame on a Justin Bour double off the right field wall and Kyle Jensen homer to left. The long ball was Jensen's second in as many days and 24th of the season. The club's final run came in the fourth on pitcher Alex Sanabia's (5-5) double.
Memphis answered with two more runs in the next frame on RBI singles from Pham and Grichuk.
The Redbirds batted around and plated eight runs in the fifth for a 12-3 advantage. Moore's and Kozma's homers highlighted the eight-run outburst, which also featured RBI hits from the outfield trio of Pham, Stephen Piscotty (2-for-4), and Grichuk. Moore drove in a run in two different at-bats, while Piscotty recorded two singles.
The eight runs tied a season-high for the second time this season, following the eight-run output in the eighth frame of a 10-8 loss to Oklahoma City on May 23,2014 at AutoZone Park.
Memphis tacked on four more runs in the sixth inning and five more in the eighth to conclude the scoring.
The Redbirds and Zephyrs continue their series at 6:05 pm CT on Sunday night at AutoZone Park. Right-hander Carlos Martinez (0-0, 0.00) will make his second start for Memphis opposite New Orleans right-hander Elih Villanueva (10-7, 3.62).