Redbirds advance on Gallegos' unlikely hit
In less than ideal circumstances on Sunday, Giovanny Gallegos had a chance to go from goat to hero. He left AutoZone Park the latter. The 27-year-old Cardinals pitching prospect came up with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning in a tie game because Memphis was out of position
In less than ideal circumstances on Sunday,
He left AutoZone Park the latter.
The 27-year-old Cardinals pitching prospect came up with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning in a tie game because Memphis was out of position players. Gallegos delivered a walk-off single to give the Redbirds a 4-3 victory over Oklahoma City and a spot in the Pacific Coast League Championship Series.
Memphis took the best-of-5 American Conference Finals, 3-1, and will meet Fresno for the crown.
Gallegos' clutch knock eliminated the need for a second game in what would have been a doubleheader and kept alive the Redbirds' chances of a second straight title.
"That's exactly how I drew it up when I woke up this morning," Memphis manager Stubby Clapp joked. "I think he'd had one at-bat in the Minor Leagues before today. Why not today for his first hit?"
Cardinals No. 8 prospect
Gameday box score
Down to his last strike,
Mejia stole second before
"Gio comes up, a pitcher, and you kind of have to assume the chances of him getting a hit are pretty low," Mejia said. "But for him to hammer it like he did, it wasn't just a jam job. He took it and he hit it hard."
Clapp quoted a popular movie to describe the walk-off.
"It's like in Dumb and Dumber -- [Gallegos] 'totally redeemed' himself!" the manager said.
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The Obregon, Mexico, native joined the St. Louis organization on July 29 as part of the trade that sent
Oklahoma City's
The Dodgers kept the lead until the seventh, when fifth-ranked Cardinals prospect
"When I pinch-ran for Knizner in the seventh, I think that was the notice that, 'Hey, we're going to win this one and this one only,'" Clapp said. "It's the epitome of what can happen. It was awesome. I never say die on these guys. It worked out. It's unbelievable. I'm so happy for these guys."
Cardinals No. 19 prospect
"The bullpen was awesome," Clapp said. "[
In other PCL action:
Grizzlies 10, Chihuahuas 1
After winning the first two games of the series and dropping the second two, Fresno punched its ticket to the Finals on the strength of contributions by second-ranked Astros prospect
Chris Bumbaca is a contributor for MiLB.com based in New York. Follow him on Twitter @BOOMbaca.