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
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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.