Braun, Rivera Homer To Lead Sounds To 5-4 Win
April 10, 2007 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
NASHVILLE - Ryan Braun and Mike Rivera delivered first-inning home runs and Zach Jackson turned in a solid start to lead the Nashville Sounds to a 5-4 victory over the Oklahoma RedHawks on Tuesday evening at Greer Stadium.
With the win, Nashville (2-4) snapped a three-game skid and registered season highs for hits and runs scored.
Jackson (1-1) earned his first win of the year after allowing two runs (one unearned) over five-plus innings of work. He struck out six batters while walking one.
For the second straight night, the RedHawks scored in the top of the first inning against Nashville. Ramon Vazquez reached on a one-out single and came around to score the game's first run when Victor Diaz followed with an RBI double to the wall in left-center.
The Sounds responded quickly, putting up a four-spot against Oklahoma starter John Koronka in the bottom of the frame to grab a 4-1 advantage.
Braun (2-for-4) put Nashville on top when he slammed his first career Triple-A homer, a two-run shot that careened off the guitar-shaped scoreboard in left-center. The one-out blast scored Jose Macias.
Rivera continued the big inning two batters later when he belted his first homer of the year, an opposite-field two-run shot to right that also scored Joe Dillon (single).
The Sounds tacked on another run against Koronka in the fifth when Dillon scored on a Vinny Rottino double-play groundout.
Oklahoma made it a 5-2 contest when it scored an unearned run against Jackson in the sixth, stemming from a catcher's interference call against JD Closser.
The RedHawks pulled within a run against reliever Alec Zumwalt in the seventh when Diaz, who finished 4-for-4 and was a home run short of the cycle, drilled a two-run triple to right that rolled to the wall after skipping under the glove of a diving Rottino.
The visitors continued to apply the pressure to the Sounds bullpen in the late innings.
Sounds reliever Jose Capellan worked into and out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the eighth inning, escaping unscathed after inducing an inning-ending flyout from Freddy Guzman.
Mitch Stetter fanned the first Oklahoma batter in the ninth before giving way to Dennis Sarfate, who, like Capellan, worked into and out of a bases-loaded jam before retiring Guillermo Quiroz on a game-ending flyout to left to earn his first save of the year.
Koronka (0-1) continued his career struggles against the Sounds, taking the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits over five frames. In five career starts against Nashville, the southpaw is 0-5 with an 8.77 ERA.
Macias and Closser each picked up their first hit of the season in the contest for the Sounds. All five of Braun's hits this season have gone for extra bases (four doubles, one home run).
The Sounds and RedHawks continue the series with a noon matinee on Wednesday afternoon at Greer. Right-hander Tim Dillard (0-0, 2.84) will man the bump for Nashville to face Oklahoma right-hander Doug Mathis (0-1, 7.20).
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 10, 2007
- Stokes, Windsor Team Up To Beat Portland - Portland Beavers
- Isotopes Fall In Extra Innings, 9-7 To Iowa - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Redbirds rain on Zephyrs, 14-3 - Memphis Redbirds
- Z's fall to Birds - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Las Vegas Downs Colorado Springs, 10-2 - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Braun, Rivera Homer To Lead Sounds To 5-4 Win - Nashville Sounds
- Royals Invest to Enhance Ballpark Atmosphere - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Zephyrs Will Kick Off Season Friday With Zephyr Field 10th Anniversary Celebration - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Oklahoma RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Royals Game Notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Grizzlies Double Their Pleasure in Win Over Rainiers - Fresno Grizzlies
- RedHawks take series opener in Nashville - Oklahoma City Comets
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