The Rochester Red Wings won the International League championship Sept. 24, beating the Memphis Redbirds 3-2 in the third game of the best-of-three series.
Four outs from victory and a spot in the AAA national championship game, the Redbirds were victimized by a rash of clutch hits from the Red Wings. Leading 2-1 with two outs and the bases clear in the top of the eighth, Memphis reliever Matt Svanson gave up three straight hits — back-to-back doubles by Leandro Pineda and Andrew Pinckney, then a go-ahead RBI single by Cortland Lawson — to reclaim the lead.
The Redbirds, who took a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning on a two-out double from Bligh Madris, had scoring opportunities late but could not come through.
The Red Wings advance to the AAA national
championship game, where they will face either the Las Vegas Aviators or the Oklahoma City Comets in Las Vegas on Sept. 26 (9:05 p.m. CST).
Memphis (83-68) earned a spot in the International League Championship Series by winning the first-half title in June. The Redbirds lost Game 1 (4-3), then forced a third game after drilling the Red Wings 15-4 on Sept. 23.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com, follow him @munzly on X.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Redbirds' season ends after International League Championship series loss
