PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Sounds close homestand with 6-2 victory

August 22, 2006 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


NASHVILLE, Tenn. - With another solid outing from starting pitcher Carlos Villanueva, the Nashville Sounds closed out their homestand by defeating the Albuquerque Isotopes, 6-2, in the finale of the four-game series on Tuesday night in front of 5,317 fans at Greer Stadium.

With the win, the Sounds (71-60) maintain their four-game lead in the PCL American Conference Northern Division over the Iowa Cubs, who defeated Oklahoma earlier in the afternoon.

Nashville won three of four from Albuquerque and wrapped up the homestand with a 6-2 record.

Villanueva (7-0) hurled his way to his seventh win of the season by working six innings of one-run, two-hit baseball. With the victory, Villanueva becomes the first Sound to open a season 7-0 since Brian Meadows during the 2003 season. The right-hander's seventh consecutive winning decision as the most by a Nashville hurler since Meadows in 2003.

The Nashville offense continued to wield hot bats as every position player, with the exception of Drew Anderson (0-for-4), recorded a hit in the nine-hit effort.

The Isotopes took the early lead by plating a run in the first inning. With two outs, Edgar Gonzalez hit a solo home run over the left field fence, his second roundtripper of the year.

The Sounds answered right back with a longball of their own. Tony Gwynn started the team off with a leadoff home run to right field. He became just the third Sound this year to open the game with a home run. Dave Krynzel and Kennard Bibbs both started games off with roundtrippers earlier this season.

With the game tied up at ones, Chris Barnwell followed Gwynn's blast with a double off the left field wall. Barnwell moved ninety feet closer to home on an infield groundout and then scored on a Graham Koonce RBI single that rolled just under the glove of first baseman Tom Wilson. Barnwell's run gave the Sounds a 2-1 lead, one it would not relinquish.

Gwynn's home run was his fourth of the year and his second in as many contest versus the ‘Topes.

The Sounds gave their pitching staff some breathing room by etching a run in the home half of the fourth inning. With one out, Vinny Rottino blasted a double to the wall in center field then crossed home two batters latter on a two-out Krynzel two-bagger to center field. Rottino's double was his team-leading 21st of the season.

The Nashville offense kept rolling by plating three more runs in the seventh. Albuquerque reliever J.B. Miadich opened the inning with back-to-back walks to Gwynn and Barnwell. Both runners advanced ninety feet on a Miadich wild pitch. With runners on second and third, Anderson hit a ground ball to second baseman Robert Andino, who attempted to throw Gwynn out at home. The throw was just short of home allowing Gwynn to slide safely into home missing the tag, increasing the Sounds lead to 4-1. Koonce then extended the lead to five runs on a bases-clearing two-run double to center field.

Albuquerque attempted to climb back into the game in the top of the ninth against Sounds reliever Dennis Sarfate. The Isotopes led off the inning with two walks and then a single from catcher Nick Trzesniak loaded the bases. Trzesniaks's single chased Sarfate from the game and brought closer Alec Zumwalt to the mound.

With the bases loaded, Zumwalt struck out the first batter he faced before giving up a single to Eric Reed to bring the score to its final 6-2. The right-hander struck out the finale two batters to earn his team-leading 15th save of the year. His 15 saves this year tie him for fourth most saves in the PCL.

Petit (4-6) received his sixth loss of the season after hurling six innings and allowing three runs on seven hits.

The Sounds open a nine-game road trip on Wednesday when they begin a five-game series with the Memphis Redbirds at AutoZone Park in Memphis. Southpaw Dana Eveland (4-4, 2.32) will get the starting nod for the Sounds in the 7:10 p.m. CT series opener. The Redbirds will counter with right-hander Dennis Tankersley (4-13, 4.25).

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 22, 2006


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