Braun Blast Give Sounds A Doubleheader Split
Published on May 2, 2007 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
DES MOINES - Ryan Braun belted his team-leading eighth home run, a two-run shot in the top of the seventh inning, to cap off a 4-for-4 contest and give the Nashville Sounds a 2-0 victory in the second game of a doubleheader against the Iowa Cubs on Wednesday afternoon at Principal Park.
With the blast, Braun also gave Nashville (15-12) a split of the doubleheader. Iowa won the afternoon's first game, 2-1 in eight innings. The 2-0 win in the nightcap was the Sounds' first shutout victory of the year.
Braun, who matched a career high with his four hits in the second contest, finished the afternoon a combined 6-for-8 to raise his team-leading average to .366 on the year. His eight home runs tie for the Pacific Coast League lead.
Chris Barnwell joined Braun with a solid afternoon at the plate, going 5-for-8 over the two contests to extend his hitting streak to a season-best four straight games. Vinny Rottino his safely in both contests to up his season-high hit streak to five games.
The Sounds and Cubs played scoreless baseball for six innings in the nightcap before Nashville broke through in the top of the seventh against Iowa reliever Randy Wells. With two outs in the frame, Barnwell singled up the middle and scored a batter later on Braun's go-ahead blast.
Wells responded to Braun's longball by throwing up and in at Vinny Rottino with his very next pitch then plunked the Sounds outfielder and was immediately ejected by the game for his unprofessional action.
The Iowa defense did a great job of keeping Nashville off the board earlier in the contest, throwing out two runners at the plate to end innings and turning three double plays.
Left-hander Lindsay Gulin turned in a solid outing for Nashville in his first start of the season. The left-hander worked four scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out three, but did not factor in the decision. He was removed due to a pitch count limit after throwing 66 pitches.
Jose Capellan (2-1) followed Gulin with a pair of scoreless frames and was awarded the victory. Grant Balfour worked a 1-2-3 seventh to notch his first save for the Sounds.
Wells (1-3) took the loss for Iowa after allowing Braun's game-winning homer.
The Sounds suffered a tough 2-1 loss in eight innings in the twinbill opener, Nashville's third extra-inning contest of the year. Both Cubs runs in the game were unearned.
R.A. Dickey (1-4) went the distance for Nashville and turned in a solid outing, allowing two unearned runs on six hits over 7 2/3 innings. However, the knuckleballer took a hard-luck loss, his fourth defeat in five starts this season.
Nashville grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third when Callix Crabbe scored an unearned run on a two-out infield single off the bat of catcher Mike Rivera.
The Cubs tied the game at 1-1 in the fifth with an unearned run of their own. Koyie Hill singled to open the frame, moved to second on a Rivera passed ball, advanced to third on a Scott Moore single, and scored on a R.A. Dickey wild pitch.
In the Iowa eighth, Angel Pagan reached on a one-out single and Carlos Rojas followed with a routine grounder to Barnwell at second base. The normal sure-handed defender mishandled the potential double-play ball to allow both runners to remain on the basepaths. After Chris Walker singled to load the bases, Eric Patterson lifted a game-ending sacrifice fly to right on which Pagan beat Rottino's throw to the plate.
Howard (2-1) picked up the victory for Iowa after allowing one hits and striking out four batters over three scoreless innings.
Barnwell, Braun, and Rottino each recorded two hits for the Sounds in the opener.
The teams wrap up the five-game series with a 7:05 p.m. finale on Thursday evening at Principal Park. Right-hander Tim Dillard (0-2, 3.68) makes his sixth start of the year for the Sounds in search of his first career Triple-A victory. Iowa will counter with southpaw Ryan O'Malley (0-2, 4.88).
Pacific Coast League Stories from May 2, 2007
- Late Rally Not Enough For Sidewinders - Tucson Sidewinders
- Grizzlies to Host Division Rival 51s in Four Game Homestand - Fresno Grizzlies
- Braun Blast Give Sounds A Doubleheader Split - Nashville Sounds
- RedHawks return favor in win - Oklahoma City Comets
- Beavers' Game Suspended Due To Rain In Fourth - Portland Beavers
- Isotopes succumb to RedHawk rally - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Royals Game Notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Oklahoma RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
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