Sounds Open Homestand With 6-3 Victory
Published on April 25, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds opened their homestand with a 6-3 victory over the division-leading Iowa Cubs in front of a season-high 8,091 fans on Saturday evening at Greer Stadium.
Mat Gamel belted a two-run homer and Brendan Katin added a three-run double to fuel the offense for Nashville (10-7), which has won seven of its last nine contests.
Sounds center fielder Tony Gwynn singled in the eighth inning to extend his hitting streak to 15 games, the longest by a Pacific Coast League player this season.
Iowa jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Sounds starter Mike Burns. With one out, Nate Spears and Doug Deeds singled before PCL RBI leader Jake Fox (2-for-3) ripped a run-scoring double down the right field line to bring in the game's first run. The two-bagger was his league-best seventh of the year and produced his 26th RBI. Brad Snyder followed with an RBI groundout.
Katin, the Sounds' cleanup hitter, pulled the home team ahead, 3-2, with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the fifth inning, lifting a bases-loaded, three-run double to left-center off Iowa reliever Jesse Estrada. The two-bagger plated Burns, who had singled, along with Gwynn and Gamel, who each walked.
Fox evened the game in the top of the sixth when he slugged his PCL-leading ninth home run of the year, a leadoff solo shot to center off Burns.
Nashville pulled back in front in the seventh with a three-run frame. Jason Bourgeois greeted Cubs reliever Jason Waddell with a double to center and scored two batters later on an Alcides Escobar RBI single to give the Sounds a 4-3 advantage. Gamel capped off the rally with a two-run homer to left, his sixth roundtripper of the year.
Sounds reliever Chris Smith (1-0) picked up his first victory of the year after working three scoreless frames.
Burns, who took a no-decision in the contest, turned in his third straight quality start for the Sounds. He allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings. Waddell (0-1) drew the loss for Iowa after giving up three runs in his 1 2/3 frames of action.
The teams continue the series with a 2 p.m. meeting on Sunday afternoon. Left-hander Chase Wright (1-1, 4.02) will toe the rubber for the Sounds to face I-Cubs righty Esmailin Caridad (2-1, 6.14).
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 25, 2009
- Aces fall in series opener - Reno Aces
- O'Sullivan victorious in Triple-A debut - Portland Beavers
- Isotopes topple Zephyrs, 11-2 - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Express lose to Memphis - Round Rock Express
- Sky Sox Win Close Game Against Rainiers, 2-1 - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Sounds Open Homestand With 6-3 Victory - Nashville Sounds
- Royals vs. RedHawks Rained Out - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Aces-Grizzlies Announce Twitter Wager - Reno Aces
- Ortega to Make Major League Debut Tonight - Salt Lake Bees
- Grizzlies Welcome Reno With Twitter Wager - Fresno Grizzlies
- RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Reno Drops Finale To Sky Sox, 13-3 - Reno Aces
- Rainiers Win by Two Touchdowns - Tacoma Rainiers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
