Sounds Blow Late Lead, Drop Series Opener
Published on August 5, 2007 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
TACOMA, Wash. - The Tacoma Rainiers plated three runs in the bottom of the tenth inning to erase a two-run deficit and hang a 9-8 defeat on the Nashville Sounds on Sunday afternoon at Cheney Stadium in the opener of a four-game series.
With the loss, Nashville (69-46) had its lead reduced to 5 ½ games over Iowa in the PCL American Conference Northern Division. The Sounds fell to 5-4 in extra-inning contests and suffered their 15th last at-bat loss of the season.
Trailing 8-6, Tacoma loaded the bases with one out against Sounds closer Luther Hackman on singles by Ronnie Prettyman and Nick Green sandwiched around a Sebastien Boucher walk. After Jeremy Reed drew a bases-full walk to force home Prettyman to reduce the Nashville advantage to one, Brant Ust followed by ripping the first pitch he saw from Hackman to right for a game-ending two-run single.
Prior to the Rainiers' outburst in the bottom of the tenth, Brad Nelson delivered a bases-loaded, two-run double in the top of the frame to give Nashville a short-lived 8-6 lead.
Cesar Jimenez (1-1) backed into his first win of the season for Tacoma after allowing two runs in his two innings of work. Hackman (1-2) drew the loss for the Sounds
The Sounds struck first in the back-and-forth contest, taking a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first inning when Callix Crabbe opened the game with a walk and later scored on Andy Abad's two-out RBI single against Tacoma starter Jake Woods.
Nashville pulled further ahead with a four-run third against Woods, plating all the runs with two outs in the inning. Rickie Weeks doubled to open the frame, Vinny Rottino singled, and Laynce Nix walked to load the bases with one out. After Nelson struck out, Drew Anderson - who extended the Sounds' longest active hit streak to nine games with a second-inning double - increased the Nashville lead to 2-0 with an infield single to third. Chris Barnwell followed with a bases-clearing, three-run double to left to extend the Nashville advantage to 5-0.
Tacoma stormed back to tie the game at 5-5 with a five-run fourth inning against Sounds starter Mark DiFelice. Prettyman pulled the home team within a run when he slugged a two-out grand slam to right, his fourth home run of the year. Later in the frame, Boucher knotted the game with a run-scoring double.
The Rainiers took a 6-5 lead in the fifth on Jeff Clement's two-out RBI single, which chased DiFelice from the contest.
The Sounds rallied to tie the game a half-inning later when Gabe Gross belted his third home run in the last two games, a two-out solo shot to right off reliever Juan Done. It was the outfielder's fourth longball since joining Nashville.
The teams continue the series with a 9:05 p.m. CT meeting on Monday. Right-hander Seth McClung (0-0, 0.00) will make his first start of the season for Nashville and face Tacoma left-hander Brad Thomas (5-5, 5.31).
Pacific Coast League Stories from August 5, 2007
- Isotopes Take Opener, 6-4, Over Sky Sox - Albuquerque Isotopes
- River Cats' Wives Diaper Drive to provide over $11,000 worth of diapers for local families in need - Sacramento River Cats
- Gordon Makes Debut After 10 Years Away - Round Rock Express
- Beavers, Health Net Raise $18,315 During Annual 'Strike Out Breast Cancer' Game - Portland Beavers
- Sounds Blow Late Lead, Drop Series Opener - Nashville Sounds
- Hammock Heroics Lift Sidewinders - Tucson Sidewinders
- Royals Game Notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
- More Than a Decade Later, Gordon Is Home - Round Rock Express
- Fresno "Giants" Unable To Salvage Fourth Game Of Series - Fresno Grizzlies
- Z's split series in Sacramento - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Beavers Rally Falls Short Against Sounds - Portland Beavers
- Offense Slugs Out 13 Hits, Five Doubles - Round Rock Express
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