Red-Hot Sounds Sweep Away Express 4-3
Published on August 21, 2007 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Nashville Sounds completed a four-game sweep of the Round Rock Express with a 4-3 victory on Tuesday evening at The Dell Diamond in the finale of a four-game series.
Nashville (80-50) improved to a season-best 30 games over .500 and reduced their magic number to five to clinch their third consecutive division title. The Pacific Coast League's best team has won its last seven games, matching the club's longest winning streak of the season.
Nashville's lead over Iowa improved to a season-best 8 ½ games in the PCL American Conference Northern Division, as the Cubs lost to Memphis earlier in the day.
The Sounds took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Callix Crabbe (3-for-4) led off with a double and later scored on a Drew Anderson sacrifice fly. Round Rock answered in the bottom of the frame when Tim Raines, Jr. belted a two-out solo homer off Mark DiFelice to tie the contest.
Round Rock grabbed a 2-1 advantage in the second on a two-out RBI double off the bat of Barry Wesson.
The back-and-forth battle continued in the fifth as Nashville sprinted back ahead by a 3-2 count thanks to a pair of two-out hits. Ozzie Chavez singled with one out and was sacrificed to second by DiFelice. Crabbe followed with his team-leading seventh triple of the year, which tied the contest, then scored the go-ahead run on Tony Gwynn's subsequent RBI single.
Brad Nelson (2-for-4) extended the visitors' lead to 4-2 in the sixth when he led off the frame with his 20th home run of the season, a solo shot to right off Express starter Chan Ho Park.
Humberto Quintero pulled the Express back within a run at 4-3 in the bottom of the frame with a one-out solo homer to left that chased DiFelice from the contest. It was the backstop's fifth longball of the season.
DiFelice (4-1) earned the victory after he allowed three runs on six hits while striking out five batters over his 5 1/3 frames of action.
Four Nashville relievers combined to work 3 2/3 innings of scoreless ball behind DiFelice. Greg Aquino capped things off with a scoreless ninth to notch his sixth save of the year and second in two nights.
Park (6-13) suffered his PCL-leading 13th loss of the year after giving up four runs on eight hits over six innings for the Express.
Nashville outfielder Laynce Nix extended his season-best hitting streak to 10 games with a second-inning single but had his home run streak come to a close at six games, which matched a franchise record.
The red-hot Sounds return to Music City tomorrow to begin their final homestand of the 2007 regular season. Nashville opens a six-game series with the Oklahoma RedHawks (AAA-Rangers) at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening at Greer Stadium. The Sounds have won nine of the 12 previous meetings between the clubs this season.
Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (11-5, 3.59) will start on three days' rest for Nashville and face Oklahoma right-hander Eric Hurley (3-6, 4.19).
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 21, 2007
- Sidewinders Take 3 of 4 From Sky Sox With 7-3 Victory - Tucson Sidewinders
- Beavers End Homestand on Winning Note - Portland Beavers
- Red-Hot Sounds Sweep Away Express 4-3 - Nashville Sounds
- RedHawks Put the Z's to to Sleep - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- The Woes Continued for Round Rock on Tuesday - Round Rock Express
- Beavers Seek Fan Input on Potential Name-Change - Portland Beavers
- First Place 'Topes Win Seventh-Straight - Albuquerque Isotopes
- 51s Return To Cashman Field For Final Home Stand of '07 Season - Las Vegas Aviators
- RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Albuquerque Takes Game One Over O-Royals 5-1 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Grizzlies Stay Hot With Fourth Straight Win - Fresno Grizzlies
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