Redbirds Hold on to Win Third in a Row

Eight runs in the first four innings pushed Memphis Redbirds to a 10-7 victory and held off a ninth-inning rally by the Gwinnett Stripers.

The win was third in a row in the young season for Memphis and improved their record to 6-5

Leftfielder, Moises Gomez, drove in the first run in the top of the first with a sacrifice fly to score third baseman Kramer Robertson.

After the Stripers scored a first inning run of their own, second baseman Juniel Querecuto singled in centerfielder Oscar Mercado to give the ‘Birds a 2-1 lead.

Gwinnett once again answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning; this time with a solo home run by their catcher Joe Hudson.

After giving up his first runs of the season in each of the first two innings, Matthew Liberatore settled into the game for the Redbirds.

The lefty shutout the Stripers for the next five innings, ending his night after seven innings, giving up only three hits, two runs, three walks, and 10 strikeouts.

Liberatore has been the star of the Memphis pitching staff early on with 1.06 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 17 innings of work.

Designated Hitter Paul DeJong, who was down on a rehab assignment from the Cardinals, gave the Redbirds the lead in the third with a two-run double.

The MLB veteran added in an RBI single the next inning to give him a three-RBI night.

The Redbirds poured it on in the fourth inning, plating four runs, led by top shortstop prospect Masyn Winn’s first homer as a Redbird with a two-run bomb.

The bomb was icing on the cake in what was arguably his best offensive game early this season, going 3-for-6 on the night 

Querecuto plated his second run of the night on a single in the seventh, and catcher Ivan Herrera hit his second homer of the season in the eighth.

Kodi Whitley gave up one run in his inning of relief in the eighth, leaving the ninth inning to Grant Black with a 10-3 lead to work with.

It is a good thing Black had room to breathe because Forrest Wall of the Stripers ripped a grand slam to right field to cut the Redbirds lead to three.

Black eventually was able to finish the game without letting the inning get out of hand. 

Dakota Hudson will take the mound next for the Redbirds in their series against Gwinnett at 6:05 CDT from Coolray Field in Lawrenceville, Georgia.