Metairie, LA-Outfielder Jamie Romak went 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs to lead the Memphis Redbirds to a 8-2 victory over the New Orleans Zephyrs on Tuesday night at Zephyr Field.
Combined with the loss by Omaha, Memphis (66-72) moves to one game back in the PCL American Northern Division with six games remaining to play in the regular season. Iowa improves to four games behind Omaha in third place.
Back-to-back home runs by Romak and Chad Huffman in addition to 12 singles accounted for Memphis’ 14 hits on the night. Greg Garcia, Ryan Jackson, and Brock Peterson each added two hits.
Memphis starter Boone Whiting (5-5) gave up two runs on five hits while fanning nine in six innings for his first win in his last 14 starts, which last came on June 11 over New Orleans.
Both teams traded a pair of runs in the second inning. Romak scored the first run on a throwing error, followed by Jermaine Curtis ripping an RBI single up the middle. With a runner aboard, Kyle Jensen hit his 11th home run of the season to knot the contest, a two-run shot over the left field wall.
Four consecutive one-out singles by the Redbirds broke the tie game in the fifth. With the bases loaded full of ‘Birds thanks to base hits by Jackson, Justin Christian, and Peterson, Romak lined an RBI single to left.
Romak’s homer fueled a five-run scoring rally in the ninth inning against New Orleans reliever Steve Ames. Huffman hit the second of back-to-back blasts, the seventh time this season two Redbirds have homered in consecutive at-bats.
Deryk Hooker pitched two shutout frames before Jorge Rondon recorded worked around a hit for a scoreless ninth.
Marlins pitching prospect Brian Flynn (6-11) took the loss after giving up three runs (one earned) in six innings.
Memphis and New Orleans continue their series at 7:00 pm CT on Wednesday night at Zephyr Field. Memphis right-hander Eric Fornataro (1-4, 6.95) will start against New Orleans right-hander Elih Villanueva (2-2, 3.93)
