Redbirds Take Game 1 of PCL Finals, 6-4

MEMPHIS, Tennessee - The Memphis Redbirds jumped out to a 4-0 lead and held on for a 6-4 win over the El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres) in Game 1 of the Pacific Coast League Championship Series Wednesday night at AutoZone Park.

The Redbirds are two wins from their first PCL title since 2009. The best-of-five series continues tomorrow at 12:05 p.m. at AutoZone Park before shifting to El Paso Friday-Sunday.
Tyler O'Neill hit his fourth home run of the postseason and ninth in 13 games in the third inning, and Patrick Wisdom had two RBI doubles in his first two at-bats. Nick Martini was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and Jeremy Martinez also had two hits for Memphis.
Dakota Hudson earned his second win of the playoffs and third in his last three starts overall with 6.0 innings of work Wednesday night, allowing two runs on six hits. Hudson stranded six Chihuahuas on base on the night, including one in each of his final three innings. Sean Gilmartin struck out two in the seventh inning, before Mark Montgomery allowed two runs to start the eighth.
Montgomery gave way to Josh Lucas , who left the bases loaded in the eighth and then worked a quick ninth inning with two strikeouts to pick up the five-out save.
The Chihuahuas left 10 runners on base in the ballgame.
Tickets for tomorrow's Game 2, Memphis' final home game of the 2017 season, cost $5 and include a hot dog/soda voucher, and the first 5,000 fans get a Redbirds hat. Tickets can be purchased at www.memphisredbirds.com/playoffs, over the phone at (901) 721-6000, and at the AutoZone Park Box Office.