DES MOINES, Iowa – The first-place Memphis Redbirds (49-32) scored three runs in their first two at-bats and captured game one of a five-game series at the Iowa Cubs (Cubs), 6-2, Friday night in Des Moines, Iowa.
Paul DeJong went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored in his first game on an injury rehabilitation assignment. Patrick Wisdom and Carson Kelly had two hits apiece, and Kelly drove in two. Max Schrock also had two RBI for Memphis.
Kevin Herget picked up the win with 6.0 innings of one-run work, and he scattered seven hits. Matt Bowman, also on injury rehab, threw a scoreless seventh inning with two strikeouts, and Landon Beck allowed one unearned run in 2.0 innings to finish the ballgame.
In the top of the first, DeJong doubled on an 0-2 pitch and scored along with Tyler O’Neill on a Kelly single through the hole at shortstop. Oscar Mercado was hit by a pitch to start the second inning, moved to third on a Herget sacrifice bunt, and scored on a sacrifice fly to the second baseman to make it 3-0 Memphis after an inning-and-a-half.
Iowa scored a run in the bottom of the third, and the Redbirds plated three in the top of the seventh on the strength of three RBI singles to increase their lead to 6-1. The Cubs got a run back in the bottom of the ninth, but Beck got a strikeout to end the contest.
The Cubs left eight runners on base in the game and were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. In contrast, Memphis was 6-for-14 with runners poised to score.
Memphis and Iowa play game two of their five-game series tomorrow night at 7:08, before the Redbirds return to AutoZone Park on Wednesday for the 4th of July Celebration, presented by AutoZone. For more information on the 4th of July Celebration, visit www.memphisredbirds.com/4thofJuly. For more information on single-game tickets and ticket mini-memberships, visit www.memphisredbirds.com.
