Luken Baker Hooks Record In Win Over Stripers
One player has hit more home runs than any other in Memphis Redbirds history. Luke Baker, Redbirds First baseman, is now the franchise leader with 75 career long balls. The history being made was great but the comeback win was greater. Memphis would come back to defeat the Gwinnett Stripers, 6-4, on Wednesday night in Atlanta.
We go to the 6th inning, with the Redbirds trailing 3-0, as Baker takes the plate. This is when Baker would tie former Redbird Nick Stavinoha with 74 total. This deep ball would start the above mentioned comeback and cut the deficit to one run at a 3-2 score.
Baker would step to the plate, in the ninth inning, up 5-3 for a chance at history. The right hander would send a 425 foot moon shot down the left field line for the record and to close out the game with the 6-4 final score. The record would be broken by Baker in 803 fewer plate appearances and 202 fewer games than Stavinoha accomplished this in.
The former Horned Frog from TCU is on pace to make another trip up, to St. Louis, with the Cardinals as the season matures. To further this point, Baker has a .239 batting along with a .561 slugging percentage. With this, Baker has 55 hits, 21 home runs, 53 RBI’s, and scored 34 runs in 230 at bats. We could see Baker making another appearance in ‘The Lou’ as he had a call up to the St. Louis Cardinals last season, he played 33 games and hit two homeruns and 10 RBI.
The game was won on a swing from right fielder Matt Koperniak would blast three runs across the plate prior to the Baker record breaking hit. The deep ball or Koperniak was his 10th of 2024 and now becomes the third batter for Memphis to reach double-digit homeruns. In addition to the power from the Redbirds the bullpen was vital in the road win.
In total Memphis would use five pitchers at Coolray Field for the win. We would see Victor Santos, with a now 2-4 record, receive the win after he would pitch in relief two scoreless innings. Along with Santos, we would see Ryan Loutos hook the Stripers with another perfect performance as he would remain perfect in save opportunities with his 7th save of 2024.
With the win, the Redbirds are now 39-38 on the season and have split the two games played thus far in Atlanta. Game four, tonight, will start at 6:05 pm and see Michael McGreevy scheduled to start for Memphis. With the Redbirds in 4th place of the International League West standings this series is more than a fishing trip.
Memphis will return to AutoZone Park to begin a three-game homestand, on July 1st for a 7:05 pm first pitch, as they host their long time rival, and AAA affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, in the Nashville Sounds.
