Memphis rallies past Indianapolis, stays atop International League

Memphis turned a chaotic Friday night into another proof of standing at the top, rallying past Indianapolis 11-7 at AutoZone Park despite falling behind 3-0 early. The Redbirds answered the early punch, reclaimed the lead three separate times and finished with 21 wins, still one game ahead of Gwinnett in the International League.

The game had the kind of swing-heavy feel that can unmake a contender, but Memphis kept forcing the issue. Ramon Mendoza was at the center of it, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, the steady middle-of-the-order presence the Redbirds needed after the Indians grabbed the first lead. Blaze Jordan added his own damage with two doubles and two RBI, part of a night in which all nine Memphis hitters reached base safely and the lineup drew a season-high tying eight walks. The Redbirds managed only seven hits, but they paired patience with timely contact and got four multi-hit performances across the order.

That depth mattered because the pitching staff had to manage the mess behind it. Pete Hansen worked his longest outing of the season in his third Triple-A start of 2026, allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out two, giving Memphis enough length to keep the bullpen from becoming overextended. Luis Gastelum and Chris Roycroft then handled the final 2.1 innings without allowing a run, closing out a win that required calm after the early wobble.

The victory fit a pattern that has defined Memphis’ first month. The Redbirds became the first team in Minor League Baseball to reach 20 wins with Thursday’s 5-2 win over Indianapolis, then pushed to 21 the next night. They had also taken sole possession of first place on April 17 with a win over Gwinnett, and they have not spent a day outside at least a tie for first all season. Mendoza has been a recurring part of that start since Opening Night, when he opened the season with a solo home run in his first plate appearance.

The game drew 2,352 fans and started at 7:07 p.m. in 61-degree, partly cloudy weather with a 6 mph wind in from center field. For a Memphis club that has been the St. Louis Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate since 1998 and has won four league championships and one Triple-A National Championship in that span, surviving nights like this is part of how first place is defended.