Sounds Back on Winning Track with Shutout of I-Cubs
Published on April 28, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
DES MOINES, Iowa - The Nashville Sounds snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 3-0 victory over the division-rival Iowa Cubs on Saturday evening at Principal Park in the middle game of a weather-shortened three-game series.
Three Sounds hurlers combined on the three-hit shutout, the club's second of the young season. Mike Fiers started and worked six frames, Juan Perez put up zeroes in the seventh and eighth innings, and Amaury Rivas closed out the win by notching his first career save with a scoreless ninth.
Iowa had runners on base in six of the nine innings but did not advance a runner past second all evening, finishing 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position against Nashville pitching.
Nashville (5-17), which recorded a win for the first time since April 15th, broke up a scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning against Iowa reliever Casey Coleman.
After Logan Schafer legged out a one-out double, Iowa intentionally walked Brooks Conrad to put two runs on base for Caleb Gindl, who hit a grounder to first. I-Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo hit Conrad with the throw to second as he attempted to turn a double play and the ball caromed into left field, allowing Schafer to score the night's first run. Sean Halton followed with an RBI double to left to bring home Conrad for a 2-0 advantage.
The Sounds missed a chance to add to the lead, however, as Taylor Green was intentionally walked to load the bases but Coleman struck out Martin Maldonado looking and induced an inning-ending groundout from Eric Farris to escape the jam with no further damage.
Nashville tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth when pinch-hitter Corey Patterson led off with a triple off Coleman and scored on Hainley Statia's ensuing RBI single to center to extend the Sounds' lead to 3-0.
Conrad went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple to extend Nashville's longest hitting streak of the season to seven games. He is batting .395 (15-for-38) in 12 games this season.
Both starting pitchers turned in outstanding efforts but took no-decisions in the contest.
Fiers continued his career dominance of the I-Cubs with six frames of scoreless, three-hit ball. In three starts against Iowa, the right-hander has posted a miniscule 0.82 ERA (2er/22.0ip).
Iowa starter Chris Rusin continued his strong start to the season by authoring his third quality start of the year, allowing only three hits and striking out four Sounds batters over six scoreless innings to drop his season ERA to 2.63 through five starts.
Perez (1-0) picked up the win with his two hitless innings of relief for the Sounds and Rivas worked around a one-out walk to put up a goose egg in the ninth and notch his first professional save in his 28th career relief outing.
The Sounds will attempt to secure their first winning series of the season when the teams complete the three-game set with a 1:05 p.m. finale on Sunday afternoon. Right-hander Mark Rogers (0-2, 7.50) makes his third start of the year for Nashville. Iowa will counter with right-hander Jay Jackson (1-2, 6.20).
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 28, 2012
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