photo: Memphis Redbirds PCL title celebration (Memphis Redbirds)
On Saturday, Memphis defeated Fresno to win the Pacific Coast League Championship. Peoria lost to Bowling Green in Game 3 of the Midwest League Championship Series and is down 2-1. Our Players of the Day are Memphis left fielder Randy Arozarena, who went 2-for-4, with two home runs and five RBI, and Redbirds starter Jake Woodford, who pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings with only three hits allowed.
Results for games played Saturday, September 15.
At AutoZone Park, the Redbirds blanked the Fresno Grizzlies in Game 4 of the PCL Championship Series, to win the Championship for the second consecutive year. Brilliant pitching by starter Jake Woodford, and two home runs off the bat of Randy Arozarena were the keys to the victory.
Woodford pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings, during which he struck out six, walked one, and allowed only three hits. Giovanny Gallegos finished the game by pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Arozarena followed back to back singles by Rangel Ravelo and Alex Mejia with a three-run blast to left field to give the Redbirds a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Fresno pitching kept the Redbirds off the board for the next six frames, but in the eighth, Alex Mejia reached on a throwing error, and Arozarena followed with a two-run home run to left center field to make the score 5-0, Memphis. The score held despite of a mini rally in the ninth that put a runner on third with one out. Gallegos induced two pop outs to end the inning and give Memphis the victory.
Arozarena went 2-for-4 with five RBI and two runs scored. Alex Mejia was 2-for-4 and Edmundo Sosa was 2-for-3. Arozarena and Tommy Edman were named finals co-MVPs.
#Beak2Beak PCL Champions!
So, so, sweet.
🏆🍾🏆 pic.twitter.com/eBAIeAavjn
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) September 16, 2018
Next game: In a 2017 rematch, the Redbirds will face the Durham Bulls in the Triple-A Championship Game on Tuesday, September 18 in Columbus, Ohio. It will be televised nationally on NBCSN starting at 6 pm CT.
The Chiefs were defeated by the Bowling Green Hot Rods in Game 3 of the Midwest League Championship Series on Saturday. The Chief are now behind 2-1 in the series.
Chiefs starter Jake Dahlberg had a rough second inning, as Bowling Green put up four runs to take the 4-0 lead. Dahlberg pitched a total of four innings, giving up the four runs, three earned, on six hits. C.J. Saylor pitched a scoreless, 1-2-3 fifth inning. Fabian Blanco started the sixth but was unable to record an out. Blanco walked the first batter he faced, then gave up a single to center and a bunt single to load the bases. Robbie Gordon threw a wild pitch to score the runner from third, then walked the next two hitters to score a second run belonging to Blanco. Gordon induced a groundball force out at home then struck out the final two batters to end the inning. Both runs were charged to Blanco. Alvaro Seijas pitched the final two scoreless innings.
The Chiefs scored their only run in the seventh, when Dennis Ortega walked and scored on a double by Nick Dunn.
Game 4 of the series will be played on Sunday.
Sunday’s game: at Bowling Green, Angel Rondon 6:35 CT.
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