Sounds Avoid Sweep, Beat RedHawks 5-3
Published on August 15, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Vinny Rottino's go-ahead home run in the bottom of the sixth inning gave the Nashville Sounds a 5-3 victory over the Oklahoma RedHawks in the series finale on Friday night at Greer Stadium.
Sounds starter Chris Narveson (5-12) delivered his team-leading seventh quality start of the season for the Sounds to pick up his third win in his last eight starts after missing out on a win in his previous 11 outings. He pitched six innings and gave up three runs (two earned) while striking out five batters.
Nashville's offense finally broke through and matched its combined total of runs over the last four games with five runs scored. The narrow 5-3 victory marked the eighth straight game for the Sounds decided by two runs or less.
With the win, the Sounds avoided a series sweep to the RedHawks, who managed to take 14 out of 16 games against Nashville during the season series.
Oklahoma took an early lead off a solo home run by John Mayberry off Narveson in the second inning. The longball was Mayberry's 14th of the year and came on a 1-0 pitch. The RedHawks added a second solo shot in the top of the fourth inning when Chris Shelton led off with his ninth longball of the season to double the Oklahoma lead to two.
Nashville got into the scoring with a pair of runs off Oklahoma starter Steve Rowe in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jay Gibbons led off with his third home run of the year for the Sounds, a solo shot to center field. Adam Heether followed with a walk, and Brendan Katin doubled him in for the second run of the inning.
The RedHawks recaptured the lead on an unearned run in the top of the fifth inning when Sounds shortstop Heether bobbled a groundball that allowed Nick Trzesniak to reach first base. Trzesniak then scored on an RBI-double from Craig Gentry to right field off Narveson.
The Sounds evened things up in the bottom half of the inning when Hernan Iribarren hustled out a double to right field and scored on a two-out single from Brad Nelson. The run-scoring hit came after a walk by Joe Dillon to keep the inning alive.
Nashville took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when Vinny Rottino belted a two-run home run to left-center field off Oklahoma reliever Kea Kometani. The longball was Rottino's seventh of the year and his fifth go-ahead homer of the year.
Sounds relievers Richie Gardner and Joe Bateman combined to pitch three scoreless innings to hold Narveson's lead and close out the game for Nashville. Bateman picked up his fourth save of the season after striking out two batters and only giving up one hit in 1 1/3 innings pitched.
Oklahoma starter Steve Rowe pitched four innings and gave up two earned runs, while reliever Kea Kometani (4-5) picked up the loss after giving up the homer to Rottino.
The Sounds will hit the road tomorrow for a four-game series against the Express in Round Rock, Texas, starting Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Nic Ungs (1-2, 9.28) will start for Nashville against lefty Josh Muecke (7-11, 4.78) for Round Rock.
Following their four-game set in Texas, the Sounds and Express will return to Greer Stadium to open a five-game series and continue their string of nine straight meetings against each other. Nashville will also play a four-game series against the Albuquerque Isotopes to close out their last homestand of the year before they head to New Orleans for their final four games of the 2008 season.
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 15, 2008
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