Memphis Redbirds win fifth-straight contest

The game between the Memphis Redbirds and the Sacramento River Cats was definitely a back-and-forth affair on Friday with the Redbirds coming out the victor, winning their fifth-straight game, 8-6.

After the River Cats scored again in the bottom of the seventh, Memphis answered back when Jacob Wilson notched his second run-scoring single of the night, tying things at 5-5 in the top of the eighth. In the top of the ninth, the Redbirds gave themselves some breathing room, hanging a three-spot on the board.

A Dan Johnson RBI single, a Stephen Piscotty sac fly and a Greg Garcia run-scoring double accounted for the three runs – which proved to be helpful as Sam Tuivailala came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth, giving up a home run. Despite the long-ball, he picked up his fourth save of the season.

Tim Cooney took the ball to start things out for the Redbirds, pitching five innings while giving up four hits, four earned runs, two walks and striking out seven. Marcus Hatley received the win in the game, pitching the eighth inning and giving up two hits and a walk.

The scoring started early in the game, when Dean Anna reached on an error by the River Cats’ right fielder, before advancing to third on a throwing error on the play. Dan Johnson later drove him in with a sacrifice fly. That lead was short-lived as Cooney surrendered a two-run homer in the bottom of the first to make the score 2-1 Sacramento.

The next run for Sacramento was an avoidable one. In the third, Cooney threw a pickoff attempt wide of first, which allowed the Sacramento runner to reach second. He later came around to score on RBI single by Travis Ishikawa to make it 3-1 Sacramento.