PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Sounds Bullpen Implodes In 9-2 Defeat

August 21, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


NASHVILLE — Sounds' No. 22 Ryan Vogelsong performed well in front of a Hall of Fame No. 22 hurler, former Oriole ace Jim Palmer, but his outing went for naught as the Nashville bullpen failed to protect a two-run lead, allowing all but one of the RedHawks runs in one inning in a 9-2 defeat at the hands of the Oklahoma RedHawks on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium.

The loss, combined with New Orleans' 5-2 win at Memphis, reduced the Nashville lead in the PCL East to 4 ½ over both the RedHawks and Zephyrs. Nashville's magic number to clinch remains at seven.

Mike Holtz, who had saved Vogelsong's lead in the top of the sixth with a strikeout, failed to carry over the momentum as the first two batters in the Oklahoma seventh reached base. He was lifted for John Grabow, who promptly allowed five of the six men he faced to reach base. The major blow in the frame was a bases-clearing double off the bat of Jeff Pickler that untied the game, giving Oklahoma a 5-2 lead. The RedHawks would plate three more, sending 14 men to the plate all told. The eight runs scored in the frame were a season-high allowed by Nashville in a single inning.

Nashville had scraped together single-run scoring innings in the fifth and sixth to take the 2-0 lead. In the fifth, Chan Perry reached on an error, advanced to second on a single by Humberto Cota, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored when Tomas de la Rosa singled. In the sixth, Dave Doster led off with a double to right and moved to third on a wild pitch. Tony Alvarez drove home Doster with a single.

Vogelsong battled his control over his 5 2/3 innings of work, issuing four walks, but successfully worked out of jams in the first, third, and fifth, stranding runners in scoring position all three times. Grabow (0-2) was tagged with the loss after giving up five runs in just 1/3 of an inning.

Oklahoma starter Mickey Callaway (3-0) went six innings, allowing the two Sounds runs, for the victory.

In the middle game of the five-game set at 7 p.m. on Friday evening, Nashville will send right-hander Matt Guerrier (3-6, 4.14) to the mound, making his second start since returning from the disabled list. Oklahoma will counter with southpaw Tony Mounce (2-3, 2.82).

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