PCL1 Nashville Sounds

9th-Inning Homer Leads Redbirds Past Sounds, 8-5

May 23, 2007 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


NASHVILLE - Memphis third baseman John Nelson belted a three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to give the visiting Redbirds an 8-5 victory over the Nashville Sounds on Wednesday afternoon at Greer Stadium in each club's longest game of the season.

Nelson's blast, which came off Sounds reliever Alec Zumwalt, was his third of the season and highlighted a five-RBI afternoon. Edgar Gonzalez and Rico Washington, who had both singled, scored on the roundtripper.

The three hour and forty-two minute contest featured three ties before Memphis took its final lead in the last inning. Nashville (24-22) never led in the contest. The defeat was the ninth suffered by the Sounds this season after an opponent scored the winning run in its final at-bat.

The teams traded first-inning runs. Memphis shortstop Brendan Ryan scored an unearned run in the top of the frame on a Vinny Rottino passed ball. The Sounds responded in the bottom of the inning when Ryan Braun (3-for-4) led off with his team-leading 12th double of the year and tied the game when Callix Crabbe followed with an RBI single to center, which snapped a 12 at-bat hitless stretch.

Memphis pulled ahead with a run in the second then two more in the third against Sounds starter Zach Jackson. Skip Schumaker gave the visitors a 2-1 lead in the second with a two-out RBI single before Nelson increased the advantage to 4-1 an inning later with a two-run double to left.

Nashville erased the three-run deficit in the fifth and sixth innings. Braun made it a 4-3 contest with a one-out, two-run homer to left off Redbirds starter Troy Cate in the bottom of the fifth. The blast was his team-leading tenth of the year and second in as many days. The Sounds tied the game at 4-4 in the fifth when Rottino led off with a double, stole third, and scored on an errant throw by Redbirds catcher Matt Pagnozzi.

The clubs exchanged runs again in the seventh to bring the score to 5-5. Gonzalez plated Ryan with a one-out RBI single in the top of the frame before Joe Dillon evened the score with a sacrifice fly in the home half, bringing in Andy Abad from third.

Neither team scored again until Nelson's game-winning longball in the top of the ninth pushed the score to its final 8-5.

Andy Cavazos (1-2) earned his first win of the season after working a scoreless inning of relief. Brian Falkenborg held the Sounds at bay in the ninth to notch his team-leading 11th save of the year.

Zumwalt (0-2) took the loss after surrendering three runs on four hits in his lone inning of action.

Jackson, who took a no-decision, worked his shortest outing of the season for Nashville, pitching only 3 2/3 innings while allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits with six strikeouts.

The teams wrap up the series with a 7 p.m. finale on Thursday evening. Right-hander Jose Capellan (3-2, 3.79) will make his second start of the season for the Sounds. Memphis will counter with right-hander Mike Smith (5-3, 5.55).

ZUMWALT TRADED TO A'S: Following the game, the Milwaukee Brewers announced that Sounds reliever Alec Zumwalt has been traded to the Oakland Athletics organization in exchange for cash considerations. He is expected to report to Triple-A Sacramento. Zumwalt, who took the loss in Wednesday's game for Nashville, finished 0-2 with a 4.82 ERA in 13 relief outings for the Sounds in 2007 after leading the club with 15 saves in 2006.

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