
Rottino, Nelson Power Sounds To 9-2 Victory
April 18, 2007 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
OKLAHOMA CITY - Vinny Rottino and Brad Nelson belted home runs and Chris Oxspring worked five strong innings to lead the Nashville Sounds to a 9-2 victory over the Oklahoma RedHawks on Wednesday afternoon at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark.
Every Sounds batter except Callix Crabbe (0-for-4) recorded a hit in the contest as Nashville (7-6) snapped a two-game skid.
It was a story of missed opportunities for Oklahoma as the home team left 14 runners on base against Sounds pitching on the afternoon. Nashville, meanwhile, left a season-low two runners on the basepaths in the contest.
Oxspring (1-1) held the RedHawks to one run on six hits over five innings of work to earn his first victory of the season. The Aussie walked four batters while striking out six.
Nashville continued its early pattern of first-inning success by grabbing a 2-0 lead against RedHawks starter Doug Mathis in the top half of the contest's initial frame. Jose Macias and Drew Anderson (2-for-4) opened the game with consecutive doubles to plate the first run. Ryan Braun followed with a fielder's choice comebacker to Mathis. Anderson maintained a rundown long enough to allow Braun to reach second before being tagged out. After a steal of third base, Braun made it a 2-0 contest when he scored on a Joe Dillon groundout.
Oklahoma got a run back in the bottom of the frame when Miguel Ojeda drew a two-out bases-loaded walk from Oxspring on a near-miss 3-2 pitch to drive in Freddy Guzman. The base on balls was the third issued by the Sounds starter in the frame.
The Sounds pulled away with three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings against Mathis (0-3), who surrendered eight runs over his five innings of work to take the loss.
Rottino accounted for the scoring in the fourth when he smashed his fourth home run of the year, a three-run shot to left that plated Dillon (walk) and Andy Abad (single).
Braun increased the Nashville lead to 6-1 in the fifth with an RBI double. Anderson scampered home on a Mathis wild pitch for the second run of the frame before Dillon plated Braun with a sacrifice fly to extend the advantage to 8-1.
Oklahoma had its chances to climb back in to the game against the Nashville bullpen in the late innings leaving the sacks full in the sixth and two on in the seventh before breaking through with a two-out run against Chris Spurling on Victor Diaz's eighth-inning RBI single.
Nelson (2-for-4) wrapped up the afternoon's scoring with an opposite-field solo homer to left off RedHawks reliever Wes Littleton in the top of the ninth. His first roundtripper of the season increased the Nashville lead to 9-2. Nelson had singled in his first at-bat to extend his hitting streak to six games, matching the longest of the year by a Sounds player (Braun).
Braun, who has hit safely in seven of the last eight games, now has five doubles, five home runs, and four singles among his 14 hits on the year. His .298 average currently leads all Nashville players.
Marlon Byrd paced Oklahoma with a 3-for-5 afternoon.
The teams continue the series with a 7:05 p.m. meeting on Thursday evening. Right-hander Yovani Gallardo (1-1, 3.27), who fanned 12 batters over six scoreless innings to earn his first career Triple-A win in his last outing, will make the start for the Sounds. Oklahoma will counter with right-hander Alfredo Simon (1-1, 2.70).
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 18, 2007
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- Express update - Round Rock Express
- Zephyrs nip Redbirds, 7-6 - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Sounds too much for RedHawks - Oklahoma City Comets
- Rottino, Nelson Power Sounds To 9-2 Victory - Nashville Sounds
- SKY SOX PLAN OPENING WEEKEND DO OVER - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Royals Game Notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
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- Beavers Upend River Cats, 6-5 - Portland Beavers
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