Seven unanswered runs net Sounds 8-5 win
August 8, 2005 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
SALT LAKE CITY - The Nashville Sounds scored seven unanswered runs to post an 8-5 victory over the Salt Lake Stingers on Monday evening in the first game of a four-game set at Franklin Covey Field.
With the win, Nashville (64-52) re-extended its lead to seven games in the PCL American Conference Northern Division over Memphis, which lost an extra-inning affair in Colorado Springs.
The Sounds' never-say-die offense, which trailed 5-1 in the sixth and 5-3 one frame later, rallied to post the club's 18th victory in a game in which it trailed in the seventh inning or later. Chris Barnwell delivered the go-ahead hit, a one-out RBI double in the top of the seventh.
Every Nashville batter recorded a hit in the game, led by first baseman Tony Zuniga's 4-for-5 effort, as the club matched its season high for knocks with 18, just two days after setting the mark in Colorado Springs.
Three Sounds batters extended season-best hitting streaks during the contest: Dave Krynzel (eight games), Warren Morris (seven games), and Mike Rivera (five games). In addition, outfielder Corey Hart pushed his current hit streak to eight games.
The win was Nashville's 12th in its last 13 series openers.
The Sounds missed a big opportunity to take an early lead in the second when they loaded the bases with none out against Salt Lake starter Chris Hunter. However, the youngster induced three consecutive outs, including a forceout of Prince Fielder at home, to escape the jam unscathed.
Stingers first baseman Zach Sorensen put the home team on the board in the bottom of the second with a two-out, three-run homer to left off Nashville starter Jeff Housman, his second longball of the year. Former Sounds Luke Allen and Curtis Pride scored on the roundtripper after singling and walking, respectively.
Fielder put the Sounds on the board in the third when he plated Krynzel with a two-out RBI single.
Salt Lake moved ahead 5-1 in the fifth following another two-out rally against Housman. Chris Prieto plated Pride with an RBI single before scoring on a run-scoring double off the bat of Alberto Callaspo.
Rivera pulled the Sounds back within a pair in the sixth with a two-run homer off Stingers reliever Dusty Bergman, who was greeted one batter earlier by a Zuniga single. The blast was the backstop's 11th of the season.
The Sounds rallied for three more against Bergman in the seventh to grab a 6-5 lead. Hart opened the frame with a bunt single, which extended the All-Star's hitting streak to eight games. Fielder followed with an RBI double to left to pull Nashville within a run at 5-4. One out later, Rivera and Zuniga recorded back-to-back singles off Bergman, the second of which tied the game when Fielder lumbered home.
Barnwell gave Nashville its first lead of the evening when he followed with a double to left to bring in Rivera for a 6-5 Sounds advantage.
Right fielder Nelson Cruz, who went 2-for-4 on the evening, provided the defensive play of the game in the bottom of the seventh, throwing out Sorensen at the plate while attempting to score the tying run on a Prieto flyout.
Cruz continued to make an impact by using the lumber in the following half-inning, smacking a two-out RBI double off Stingers reliever Jonathan Rouwenhorst then scoring a second insurance run on Zuniga's RBI single to extend the lead to its final 8-5.
Stingers third baseman Dallas McPherson, who joined Salt Lake earlier in the day to begin a rehab assignment, continued his career struggles against Nashville, going hitless in four at-bats to fall to 0-for-15 all-time with 12 strikeouts against Sounds pitching.
Housman (5-10) snapped a personal two-game skid with the victory after giving up five runs and striking out eight in his 6 1/3 innings of work. Bergman (7-4) drew the loss after allowing five runs in his two frames of action and blowing a save. He had surrendered only 14 runs in his first 59.0 innings entering the contest.
Jose Capellan came on and loaded the bases with only one out before striking out Brian Specht and pinch-hitter Brian Gordon to earn his sixth save of the year.
Due to Bergman's blown save, Hunter missed an opportunity to pick up his second win in two Triple-A starts this season for Salt Lake after allowing one run on seven hits in his five innings.
The teams play the second game of the series on Tuesday evening at 8:00 p.m. CT. Right-hander Wes Obermueller (2-0, 1.53) will start on three days' rest for Nashville and face Stingers southpaw Clayton Andrews (6-6, 6.06).
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 8, 2005
- Pickering's second homer decides see-saw battle - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Seven unanswered runs net Sounds 8-5 win - Nashville Sounds
- Royals win on walk off homer in tenth - Tucson Sidewinders
- Sele wins in RedHawk debut - Oklahoma City Comets
- Zephyrs fall to Beavers 3-2 - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Omaha Royals game notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Tip A 51 Luncheon coming - Las Vegas Aviators
- Stingers remain in first place, Dallas McPherson returns - Salt Lake Bees
- Oklahoma August 8 Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Pacific Coast League names players of the week - PCL1
- Corey Hart Named PCL Batter-Of-The-Week - Nashville Sounds
- Whiteman homer wins it in 11 - Round Rock Express
- DeVore's three home runs not enough in Grizzlies' loss to Express - Fresno Grizzlies
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
