PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Sidewinders Can't Figure Out Figueroa In 6-1 Nashville Win

July 12, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


NASHVILLE — Nashville right-hander Nelson Figueroa tossed a complete-game four-hitter in the Sounds' 6-1 victory against the Tucson Sidewinders in front of 10,855 fans – Nashville's sixth sellout crowd of the season – on Saturday night at Greer Stadium in the third game of a four-game series.

Figueroa (10-5) struck out eight against two walks in his 105-pitch effort to earn his Pacific Coast League-leading 10th victory. He sits atop the win chart with former Omaha hurler Wes Obermueller. His lone blemish was a solo homer allowed to Brian Gordon in the top of the sixth inning. With the performance, he dropped his ERA to 2.96, making him one of only five PCL starters at the inning minimum to boast a sub-3.00 earned run average.

The Sounds provided Figueroa with offensive support early. The scoring started with one down in the first. Recently-acquired outfielder Rich Thompson continued to electrify the home faithful with a bunt single. He then stole second and third, his first two swipes with the Sounds and 27th & 28th overall this season. Tony Alvarez drove in Thompson with an RBI groundout to third to give the home club a 1-0 advantage.

Nashville added a single run in the following inning. Aaron Holbert was plunked by a John Patterson offering, moved up to second on a throwing error by Patterson on a pickoff attempt, and scooted over to third on a wild pitch. Tomas de la Rosa's well-executed safety squeeze brought home Holbert, upping the lead to two.

The lead was doubled in the last of the third inning. Tike Redman started the rally with a single to right. He then stole second, his PCL-best 39th theft. Thompson followed with a drive to the gap in right-center. The ensuing track meet around the bases featuring Redman and Thompson resulted in Redman crossing the plate and Thompson arriving at third with a stand-up triple, his third three-bagger on the year. He scored the Sounds' fourth run of the game a batter later on an Alvarez sacrifice fly.

Nashville's final two runs came home in the bottom of the fourth. Holbert led off the frame with a double down the left-field line. He promptly stole third and, following a walk to Figueroa, scored on an infield single by Redman. After Thompson reached on fielder's choice to load the bases, Alvarez smoked one to the hot corner where Tucson's Mike Bell snared the liner. He came up firing back to first to try and catch Thompson napping, but the throw got away from Steve Neal, allowing Figueroa to score the final Sounds run of the game.

Patterson (5-3) suffered the loss by giving up all six runs over his six innings of work, although poor defense accounted for two unearned runs.

The Sounds will look to head into the All-Star break on a winning note as they close out their series against Tucson with at 6:00 p.m. contest on Sunday evening. Right-hander Ryan Vogelsong (8-6, 5.00), who opened the season with a win, will look to do the same to enter the break. He will be opposed a to-be-determined Tucson starter.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 12, 2003


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