PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Nelson Belts Two Homers In Sounds' 11-4 Rout

Published on August 20, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Brad Nelson swatted a pair of home runs to lead an 18-hit onslaught in the Nashville Sounds' 11-4 victory over the Round Rock Express on Wednesday evening at Greer Stadium in the opener of a five-game series.

Every Nashville position player except catcher Carlos Corporan (0-for-4) recorded at least two hits in the contest as the Sounds ripped nine of their 18 hits on the evening for extra bases, including a season-best five home runs.

Nelson's two-homer night was his third of the year and increased his longball total to 16 on the season. The slugger recorded a season-high four hits and drove in four runs on the evening to up his team-leading RBI total to 71.

The game had a late start following a one hour and 22-minute rain delay at the outset.

Continuing a recent trend, Nashville jumped out to huge early advantage against Round Rock by plating five runs in the top of the first inning against Josh Miller. Over the last five games, the Sounds have outscored the Express by a 21-3 count in the first inning.

After Callix Crabbe and Joe Dillon singled to sandwich a Tony Gwynn flyout, Nelson and Brendan Katin connected for back-to-back mammoth home runs that each cleared the 24-foot high batter's eye in center field. The blasts, the Sounds' fourth set of consecutive homers this season, were each player's 15th of the year.

Adam Heether kept the inning going by narrowing missing a third consecutive tater, doubling off the top portion of the batter's eye in center, then scored when Vinny Rottino followed with an RBI single back up the middle to make it a 5-0 contest.

Crabbe continued the early scoring barrage when he led off the second frame with his first home run of the year, a solo shot to right-center off Miller. The blast was his first in 225 at-bats, dating back to September 1, 2007.

The Sounds' big night continued in the third when Gwynn lifted a bases-loaded, two-out double to left-center to plate Heether and Rottino for an 8-0 advantage.

Nelson belted his second home run of the evening in the fourth, an opposite-field blast to left off Miller that led off the frame and increased the home team's lead to 9-0.

Ray Sadler put the visitors on the board in the top of the sixth inning with a one-out, two-run homer to right-center off Sounds starter Chris Narveson, his 21st roundtripper of the year and second in two nights against Nashville pitching.

The Express made it a 10-4 game in the seventh. Yordany Ramirez led off with a double and pinch-hitter Nick Gorneault drew a walk before Narveson retired the next two hitters. After Sadler drew a walk to load the bases, Randy Choate replaced the left-hander on the hill and was greeted by a two-run infield single by Mark Saccomanno that tipped off the end of Crabbe's glove during a diving stab just onto the outfield grass behind second base.

Crabbe (2-for-4) and Dillon (3-for-5) extended their longest hit streaks of the season to nine and five games, respectively, for the Sounds in the win.

Narveson (6-12) earned a win for the second straight start for just the second time all season. The southpaw allowed four runs on six hits while walking three batters and striking out seven in his 6 2/3 innings of work.

Miller (8-8) took the loss for the Express after surrendering nine runs on 12 hits in his four frames of action.

The teams continue the series with a 7 p.m. meeting on Thursday evening. Right-hander Nic Ungs (2-2, 8.20) will take the hill for the Sounds to face an undetermined Round Rock hurler.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 20, 2008


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