Late Barnes Blast Wins Playoff Opener
Published on September 3, 2003 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
NASHVILLE â All-PCL selectee John Barnes' two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning reversed a one-run deficit and led the Sounds to a win in game one of the American Conference Finals, as they defeated the Central Division champion Albuquerque Isotopes, 6-5, in front of 6,146 fans on Wednesday evening at Greer Stadium.
Down 5-4 entering the last of the eighth, the Sounds offense finally got started before two outs were recorded in the inning. In every prior frame, no Nashville player had reached base before two had been retired. Adam Hyzdu greeted Isotopes reliever Vladimir Nunez with a sharp single to left field. Barnes followed by launching the first pitch he received from Nunez over the left-field fence for a two-run blast.
After Chad Allen gave the visiting Isotopes a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the top of the second that scored former Sound Jason Wood, Nashville built a 3-1 lead in the fourth courtesy of an Aaron Holbert three-run shot to left, scoring Barnes and Bobby Hill in front of him.
The lead lasted until the top of the seventh. Nashville starter Ryan Vogelsong, who had limited Albuquerque to four hits in the first four frames, surrendered four consecutively to the heart of the Isotopes order. Singles by Derek Wathan, Wood, and Chris Donnels cut the Nashville lead to one before Allen offered the most damaging blow, sending a drive over the wall in left-center, narrowly avoiding the glove of a leaping Tony Alvarez and giving the Isotopes a 5-3 lead.
Nashville halved the lead in the bottom of the stanza. Alvarez doubled to the gap in left-center and Dave Doster drove him in with a single to center to make the score 5-4 and set the table for Barnes.
Barnes' late heroics made a winner out of Frank Brooks (1-0). He pitched a scoreless eighth. Jim Mann entered in the ninth and gave up a leadoff single but then settled and retired the final three hitters, sewing up the opening game victory. Vogelsong went seven, allowing all five runs. He did not walk a batter and fanned eight in the no-decision.
Nunez (0-1) took the loss after failing to retire a batter and surrendering the game-winning homer.
Righty Pat Mahomes (8-4, 2.67 in the regular season) will look to give the Sounds a commanding 2-0 series lead as he takes the mound in Thursday's 7:00 p.m. contest. Opposing Mahomes will be Isotopes right-hander Sean Bergman (8-11, 4.69 in the regular season).
Pacific Coast League Stories from September 3, 2003
- Sacramento beats Edmonton 16-2 in Canada - Sacramento River Cats
- Late Barnes Blast Wins Playoff Opener - Nashville Sounds
- RedHawks McCoy wins Groundskeeper Award - Oklahoma City Comets
- River Cats Playoff Notes - Sacramento River Cats
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