MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis Redbirds had a pair of big innings offensively that led to a season-high eight runs and an 8-1 win over Oklahoma City (Triple-A Dodgers) Wednesday night at AutoZone Park.
Carlos Peguero and Jonathan Rodriguez hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning, and Memphis (3-4) added three more in the fifth inning and another in the eighth. The Dodgers (5-2) had allowed only six runs in the first six games of the season entering Wednesday.
J.C. Sulbaran earned his second win of the season after working 5.0 innings and allowing just one run on six hits. Justin Wright, Ryan Sherriff and Heath Wyatt worked the final four innings and did not allow a hit.
Charlie Tilson, hitting leadoff for the first time, was 3-5 with a triple and two runs. Jacob Wilson and Mike Ohlman added two hits apiece for the Redbirds.
Oklahoma City started the scoring for the third-straight game, plating a run on three hits in the top of the third inning. But the Redbirds answered back in a big way in the home-half, with Peguero and Rodriguez hitting back-to-back home runs, with Peguero’s being a three-run shot to right field after singles by Tilson and Wilson, and the Redbirds led 4-1.
The home runs were Memphis’ third and fourth of the season, and it was the first instance of back-to-back homers by Redbirds since Cody Stanley and Jeremy Hazelbaker against Nashville on July 10, 2015.
Memphis added three more runs in the top of the fifth, with Tilson tripling to lead off the inning and scoring on a Wilson double. Peguero walked, and after a popout, Nick Martini singled to score Wilson and move Peguero to third. Peguero trotted home with the seventh Memphis run of the game when Ohlman had a base knock to third base.
The Redbirds added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, with Ohlman singling, moving to second on an Alex Mejia single and to third on a sacrifice bunt by Wyatt, and advancing the final 90 feet when Tilson reached on an error by the shortstop.
Wyatt set the Dodgers down in order in the ninth to end the game and end the Redbirds’ three-game losing skid.
Memphis’ eight-game homestand concludes tomorrow at 11:05 a.m. against Oklahoma City. Jeremy Hefner gets the call for Memphis against Oklahoma City’s Sam LeCure. After an eight-game road trip to Colorado Springs and Oklahoma City, the Redbirds return to AutoZone Park on Saturday, April 23 to start a four-game set against Round Rock.
For tickets or for more information on the 2016 Redbirds season, contact the Redbirds front office at (901) 721-6000 or visit www.memphisredbirds.com.
