PCL1 Nashville Sounds

First-place Sounds split pair in Memphis

Published on September 1, 2005 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


MEMPHIS - The Nashville Sounds split a doubleheader with the Memphis Redbirds on Thursday evening, dropping the opener 1-0 before snapping a four-game skid with a 4-3 victory in the nightcap as the club wrapped up a nine-game road trip at AutoZone Park.

With the split, Nashville (72-68) returns to Greer Stadium holding a one-game lead in the PCL American Conference Northern Division over second-place Omaha, which defeated Iowa. The Sounds' magic number to clinch the division sits at four with four games to play.

Vinny Rottino (2-for-3) end the Sounds' season-high 24-inning scoreless drought - which dated back to Sunday in Round Rock - when he plated Trent Durrington with a one-out RBI double to right-center off Memphis spot starter Josh Pearce in the top of the first inning of the nightcap, giving Nashville a 1-0 lead.

Ryan Knox upped the Nashville lead to 3-0 in the fourth with a one-out, two-run shot to left off Pearce, his fifth tater of the season. Julio Mosquera, who singled earlier in the frame, scored on the blast. The Sounds tacked on another run later in the inning on back-to-back, two-out doubles from Steve Scarborough and pitcher Brett Evert, who helped his own cause with his first knock of the year.

Evert, who made a spot start for the Sounds, did not allow a hit until Tim Hummel's fourth-inning double, which chased the right-hander from the ballgame with a no-decision to his credit.

Memphis ended the Nashville shutout bid in the fourth when John Gall, who had drawn a walk from Evert to open the frame, scored on Brad Cresse's RBI groundout against reliever Alec Zumwalt to make the score 4-1.

The Redbirds didn't go down without a fight, plating two runs against Sounds reliever Mike Adams in the bottom of the seventh. Milko Jaramillo opened the frame with a single and moved to second when Skip Schumaker followed with a knock of his own. Bo Hart missed tying the contest by a matter of inches as he drilled a ball off the top of the wall in left-center for an RBI double to bring home Jaramillo and cut the Nashville lead to 4-2. After a Chris Duncan strikeout, Chad Allen pulled Memphis within a run with an RBI groundout to second. Adams recovered to strike out Gall to put the clamps on the victory.

Zumwalt (1-0) earned his first career Class AAA victory with two scoreless innings of relief work. Adams notched his second save. Pearce (2-3) allowed four runs on eight hits in his 3 2/3 innings to take the loss for the Redbirds in a spot start, his first of the season.

In the opener, Redbirds first baseman Chris Duncan gave the home club all the offense it would need when he led off the bottom of the second with a line-drive solo homer to right off Sounds starter Ben Hendrickson, his team-leading 21st roundtripper of the season.

Outfielder Brad Nelson, who rejoined the Sounds prior to the twinbill after spending the previous two months with Double-A Huntsville, made an immediate impact in his return outing for Nashville, singling in his initial at-bat and throwing out Allen at the plate from his post in left field to end the third inning and keep the score 1-0.

Nashville had its best chance to score in the top of the sixth. Chris Barnwell and Nelson Cruz opened the frame with consecutive walks from ex-Sound Kevin Jarvis. After Nelson sacrificed both runners ahead one base, Jarvis issued an intentional walk to Mike Rivera to load the bases before being pulled in favor of left-handed reliever Tyler Johnson, who induced a fly ball to left from Warren Morris. Barnwell tagged from third and attempted to score but was thrown out by Gall.

Jarvis (11-6) tossed 5 1/3 scoreless frames to pick up his first victory in three starts against his former club this season. The right-hander went 2-for-2 at the plate to add to his solid evening. Brian Falkenborg came on to work a scoreless top of the seventh to earn his third save for Memphis.

Hendrickson (6-12) tossed the Sounds' second complete game in as many nights, working all six innings of the opener, but took the loss after surrendering the game's lone run on seven hits.

The Sounds return to Greer Stadium on Friday to begin a regular season-ending four-game series against the Round Rock Express (AAA-Astros). Left-hander Tommy Phelps (0-0, 0.00) will take the hill in the 7:00 p.m. series opener on Friday to face a yet-to-be-determined Round Rock hurler.

The Express will only be playing for pride in the series, however, as Round Rock was eliminated from postseason contention on Thursday following their loss to Albuquerque combined with division-leading Oklahoma's win against New Orleans.

Omaha, which trails the Sounds by a game in the standings, heads to Oklahoma City to take on the Southern Division-leading RedHawks in a crucial series for both clubs. Oklahoma carries a narrow half-game lead over Albuquerque, which visits Memphis, into the regular season's final weekend.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from September 1, 2005


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