PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Sounds Conclude Regular Season With 15-Inning Win

September 1, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


ALBUQUERQUE – Any plans Nashville skipper Trent Jewett had of giving players rest on the final day of the regular season went out the window as the Sounds played their longest game of the year on Monday afternoon, winning a 15-inning marathon, 7-6, against the Albuquerque Isotopes, who will serve as Nashville's first-round playoff opponent.

Reliever Mike Holtz became the unlikely hero by looping a single to center in the top of the 15th to plate Adam Hyzdu, who slammed a one-out triple off the top of the wall in right-center one batter earlier. The victory was Nashville's 13th in their last at-bat this season and gave the Sounds a 10-6 win in the season series against the Isotopes.

Nashville (81-62) completed the 2003 season with its largest division lead of the season, finishing 10 ½ games ahead of runner-ups New Orleans and Oklahoma in the PCL East.

The 15-inning contest was Nashville's longest in nearly two years, dating back to a 15-inning victory over division-rival Oklahoma on April 20, 2002.

Albuquerque, the 2003 PCL Central Division champions, found out that they had clinched a playoff berth in the middle of the ninth inning when word reached Isotopes Park that the first game of a doubleheader in Colorado Springs came up as an Omaha victory, giving the Isotopes a division title in their first year of existence.

Tony Alvarez – who went 5-for-6 and missed the cycle by a double – led off the game with a homer off Albuquerque starter Aaron Small, joining Tike Redman as the only Nashville players to accomplish that feat this season. It was his ninth roundtripper. Alvarez's five-hit effort was Nashville's second of the season; Redman rapped out five hits on May 27 at Iowa.

Jorge Cota touched Small for a two-run jack later in the inning to give the Sounds an early 3-0 lead. The tater was Toca's ninth of the year and second as a Sound.

The Isotopes got a run back in the bottom of the frame before taking a 5-3 lead with a four-run fourth against Nashville starter Matt Guerrier. Chris Donnels extended the lead to 6-3 in the fifth when he belted a solo homer off Guerrier, his 13th longball of the campaign.

Nashville mounted a three-run rally in the eighth to even the score at 6-6. Alvarez tripled and scored on a single by Dave Doster. Aaron Holbert pinch-ran for the veteran infielder and came around to score on a J.J. Davis double, the outfielder's 68th RBI of the year. Team RBI leader John Barnes capped the rally, driving home Davis with a single to tie things up with his 69th ribbie.

Both teams missed scoring opportunities in extra frames before the Sounds finally broke through in the decisive 15th. Nashville left the potential go-ahead run on second in the 11th following a Blake Barthol double, while Albuquerque left the sacks full in the bottom of the inning when reliever Justin Reid was able to fan fellow reliever Vladimir Nunez to escape the jam. The Isotopes had the potential game-winning run on second with only one out in the 14th, but Sounds reliever Mike Holtz quelled the rally.

Holtz (3-2) picked up the victory as a result of his own heroics after tossing one scoreless inning of relief, fanning two. Albuquerque reliever Juan Alvarez (3-2) took the loss after allowing the game-deciding run in his lone frame of work. Jim Mann retired the Isotopes in the 15th to notch his fifth save of the year.

The Sounds will participate in postseason play for the first time since 1994 when they open the 2003 PCL playoffs at 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening at Greer Stadium against the Isotopes. It will be game one of a best-of-five series. Right-hander Ryan Vogelsong (12-8, 4.29 during the regular season) will make the start for Nashville. Albuquerque has yet to name their starting pitcher for the series opener. Nashville won the regular season series between the clubs by a 10-6 count.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from September 1, 2003


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