PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Guerrier Pitches Gem To Lead Sounds To PCL Finals

Published on September 6, 2003 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


ALBUQUERQUE – Right-hander Matt Guerrier led the Nashville Sounds to a berth in the Pacific Coast League Championship Series by logging his first complete game of the season on Saturday evening at Isotopes Park, a 3-1 victory over the Albuquerque Isotopes in the decisive game four of the American Conference Finals.

Guerrier (1-0) -- who allowed only three hits on the evening -- threw 102 pitches and retired Derek Wathan on a grounder to first base to end the contest, which resulted in an impromptu celebration on the infield that quickly transferred to the visiting clubhouse at Isotopes Park.

Nashville, which scored a 3-1 series win over the Isotopes, now has a date with the Sacramento River Cats in the Pacific Coast League Championship Series. The top affiliate of the Oakland A's swept Edmonton in the Pacific Conference Finals.

The victory over Albuquerque gave Nashville just its second postseason series win since the club became a Triple-A franchise in 1985 as well as the team's first berth in a league final since the Sounds dropped the 1994 American Association Championship Series to Indianapolis, three games to one.

Adam Hyzdu continued his red-hot playoff hitting by opening the second inning with a solo home run down the left-field line off Albuquerque starter Aaron Small to give the Sounds an early 1-0 lead.

The longball was the outfielder's PCL-leading third of the postseason, equaling the Sounds' record for most roundtrippers by an individual in a playoff series. Hyzdu finished the four-game series against the Isotopes with a .474 (9-for-19) average, three home runs, and seven RBI.

The Isotopes evened the contest with a run in the third against Nashville starter Matt Guerrier. Abraham Nunez led off the frame with a single and came around to score on Matt Erickson's two-out RBI double into the left-field corner.

John Barnes gave the Sounds a 3-1 cushion in the top of the seventh with a two-out, two-run homer off Small, his second longball of the postseason. Dave Doster had reached with a two-out single one batter prior to Barnes' blast.

The first game of the 2003 PCL Championship Series between the Sounds and River Cats will be played at Greer Stadium at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evening.

Right-hander Ryan Vogelsong (0-0, 6.43) will start the opener for Nashville. He was the lone Sounds hurler to score a victory over the River Cats during the teams' regular season series at Greer Stadium in May, which Sacramento won three games to one.

Tickets for the 2003 Pacific Coast League Championship Series games at Greer Stadium are currently available for purchase at the Nashville Sounds ticket office.

All seats are priced the same as during the regular season – $10 for lower reserved seats, $8 for upper reserved seats, and $6 for general admission seats. Children 12 & under and seniors receive a $1 discount. Undated tickets from the 2003 regular season may also be redeemed in combination with a $5 fee for Sounds playoff tickets.

The Sounds will host the first and second games of the series before traveling to Sacramento to complete the season.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from September 6, 2003


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