Garcia, Herget provide heroics for Redbirds
For 11 innings Thursday afternoon, the Triple-A Memphis pitching staff did its part. Then with one swing, the club's bats did just enough to seal the deal and send AutoZone Park off in style.Kevin Herget struck out a career-high 15 over eight scoreless innings before Jose Adolis Garcia hit a
For 11 innings Thursday afternoon, the Triple-A Memphis pitching staff did its part. Then with one swing, the club's bats did just enough to seal the deal and send AutoZone Park off in style.
"Going into an opposing team's park, it can be tough to think about having to win three games," said Memphis manager Stubby Clapp. "But we're able to have a different mindset now. We've been able to take care of business at our place, and now we're just trying to get one win instead of three, which is big."
The Memphis right-hander came flying out of the gate with whiffs for his first five outs. By the fourth, he had matched his career high for strikeouts -- eight, set on Aug. 28 against Iowa -- and by the end of the fifth, he was into double-digits in the category for the first time since being selected in the 39th round of the 2013 Draft.
Herget's 15 total strikeouts fell one short of the Memphis club record of 16 -- a mark amassed by Lance Lynn on Sept. 10, 2010 in Game 3 of the PCL semifinals against Oklahoma City. The Kean University product allowed only four hits and one walk and threw 80 of his 107 pitches for strikes.
"He was unbelievable right when the team needed him," Clapp said. "He pounded the strike zone with his fastball, had command of his secondary pitches and made them honor three pitches really. He threw his curveball well, his changeup. It was just a combination of everything coming together on one day for him."
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The 26-year-old posted a 4.62 ERA with 60 strikeouts and 21 walks in 62 1/3 innings with Memphis during the regular season, but only nine of his 22 appearances came as starts. He combined with relievers
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That's when the Memphis bats, which had been silenced for 10 frames, took over. With one out in the 11th, Aledmys Diaz singled to left field off right-handed sidearmer
"It can get kinda crazy every time you get into extras, just thinking that you need that one run to get over the bump," Clapp said. "But when things like that happen, all you can do is feel blessed. ... [Garcia] was ready to hit right when he stepped up. He got a good pitch, got the barrel on it and that's all we needed."
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Both teams travel to El Paso for Game 3 at 9:05 p.m. ET Friday. Right-handers
"Everybody's in good spirits right now," he said. "But they're humble too. Everyone here knows that El Paso is not an easy team to face, and that's especially true in their home stadium. We haven't been there yet [this season], so that'll be new too. We're happy with the win, but we're not there yet."
Sam Dykstra is a reporter for MiLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Twitter, @SamDykstraMiLB.