photo: Arquimedes Gamboa (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals system was 1-0 on Saturday. The Cardinal Nation’s Player of the Day, shortstop Arquímedes Gamboa, was 2-for-4 with four RBI in Memphis’ shutout win. Other standouts include Zack Thompson, Connor Thomas, Matt Koperniak and Nolan Gorman.
Results for games played Saturday, September 21.
Behind shutout pitching and three long balls, the Triple-A Redbirds blanked the Bulls by the score of 8-0 on Saturday afternoon at AutoZone Park.
Zack Thompson started for Memphis in the contest delayed one hour by rain. The left-hander pitched six scoreless innings, allowed three hits, struck out four and walked two to earn the win. It was just his fourth victory of the season in his 20th start.
Connor Thomas relieved Thompson and completed the shutout with three scoreless innings on one hit, no walks and two strikeouts.
Memphis went up 1-0 in the first inning. Victor Scott singled and stole second base. Matt Koperniak singled. César Prieto drove in Scott on a single.
The Redbirds made it 2-0 in the third on a solo home run by Koperniak, his 20th long ball in 2024.
KOPERNIAK ATTACK!
HIS 20TH @HueysRestaurant HOMER OF THE SEASON! pic.twitter.com/y6E0fuJTon
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) September 21, 2024
In the fifth, Memphis scored five times to run the score up to 7-0. Alfonso Rivas walked. Nick Dunn singled. Chance Sisco walked. Chandler Redmond walked and Rivas scored. Number nine hitter Arquímedes Gamboa followed with a grand slam.
GOMBOA GRAND!@HueysRestaurant HOMER pic.twitter.com/L4QHfbCRAG
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) September 21, 2024
The Redbirds topped off the scoring in the eighth on a solo home run by Nolan Gorman to win 8-0.
GORMAN! GONE!
OUR 3RD @HueysRestaurant HOMER OF THE DAY! pic.twitter.com/d1lQlW9w7O
— Memphis Redbirds (@memphisredbirds) September 21, 2024
Memphis scored eight runs on 11 hits. Gamboa was 2-for-4 with four RBI. Dunn was 2-for-4. Koperniak was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Hitting .312 for the season, Koperniak is just three points short of the International League batting title with just one game remaining.
Scott stole his 30th base with the Redbirds in 2024.
Memphis is 73-74 on the season, including 35-37 in the second half. They are in sixth place in the International League West, 12.5 games back of Columbus.
With a win in Sunday’s finale, Memphis can clinch .500, which would be its best year since the championship season of 2018.
Sunday’s game: vs. Durham, TBD vs. RHP Cole Wilcox 1:05 CT.
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Cardinals Pitching Prospect Ian Bedell Activated at Triple-A
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