OMAHA, Nebraska – The Memphis Redbirds picked up their seventh-straight win in dramatic fashion Thursday night in Omaha, Neb., putting up a three-spot in the top of the 10th en route to a 12-9 win, after losing a 9-3 lead before the bottom of the eighth inning.
The seven-game winning streak for the Redbirds (17-11) is their longest since winning eight-straight from May 30-June 6, 2015. During this current seven-game streak, Memphis has outscored its opponents, 47-24. Memphis remains a perfect 4-0 in extra-inning games this season.
Carson Kelly was 3-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, two runs scored, and three RBI, and Todd Cunningham and Chad Huffman also had three hits for the Redbirds. Cunningham was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI after entering the game as a pinch-hitter. Wilfredo Tovar and Breyvic Valera each had two hits and combined to score five runs, while Harrison Bader crossed the plate twice on a 2-for-5 night. Billy Burns had three hits for Omaha (13-13).
Daniel Poncedeleon worked 6.0 innings and gave up three runs on four hits in the start for the Redbirds.
Memphis scored nine runs in its first five at-bats and led 9-3 after the top of the eighth inning. But the Storm Chasers scored four times in the bottom of the eighth to make the score 9-7 and twice more in the bottom of the ninth, coming on a pinch-hit home run by Ryan O’Hearn, to send the game to extras.
But the Redbirds did not dwell on the final couple of innings, scoring three times in the top of the 10th to set up the win. Tovar singled, stole second, and moved to third on a Valera single, before scoring when Cunningham singled to center field.
Rangel Ravelo then hit a sacrifice fly that scored Valera, and Patrick Wisdom knocked in the third run of the inning with a single up the middle that scored Cunningham.
Ryan Sherriff came on and needed just six pitches to set down the Storm Chasers and secure Memphis’ seventh-straight win.
