PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Sounds Defeat Omaha In Road Trip Finale To Gain Series Split

June 3, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


OMAHA -- Home runs by the rehabbing Matt Stairs as well as Tony Alvarez led the Nashville Sounds to a 5-1 victory against the Omaha Royals in the finale of the teams' four-game series on Tuesday afternoon at Rosenblatt Stadium.

John Wasdin, pitching on just three days rest, surrendered three hits and just one run to earn his sixth win in his team-leading seventh quality start of the season for the Sounds.

After dropping the opening two games of the series to Omaha, Nashville (32-25) rallied to win the final two contests, earning a split and evening its record to 4-4 on the eight-game road trip.

Stairs, who is 2-for-9 with two home runs in three games with the Sounds during his rehab stint, homered over the right field wall with one out in the first inning off of Omaha starter Mike Fyhrie to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage. The solo longball was his second homer in as many days for Nashville.

Alvarez's three-run home run in the third inning -- his third of the season -- scored Stairs, who was hit by a pitch, and John Barnes, who had singled. The final run for the Sounds came by virtue of a sacrifice fly by Dave Doster in the sixth inning, scoring Aaron Holbert.

Tike Redman continued his hot hitting for Nashville with a 2-for-5 outing but was caught stealing in the contest for only the third time this season. He leads the PCL with 24 stolen bases. Alvarez finished 2-for-4 with three RBI for the Sounds.

Wasdin was dominant in his outing as he retired the first 11 Royals en route to the victory. He fanned four over his 5.2-inning stint. The lone run he allowed came in the sixth inning when Brian Harris scored on a Mike Kelly sacrifice fly.

The 5-1 game became interesting in the ninth inning when the Royals put two runners on with two outs, forcing Nashville closer Mark Corey into the game. He induced a flyout to earn his 16th save, tying him with Portland's Courtney Duncan for the Pacific Coast League lead.

The Sounds join the entire PCL for an off day tomorrow before opening a four-game homestand against the Fresno Grizzlies (AAA-Giants) on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium. The four-game set will be the teams' lone meeting this season. The clubs split their 2002 series, winning four games apiece. The all-time series (2000-present) is knotted at 10-10.

Right-hander Ryan Vogelsong (6-4), who pitched for the Grizzlies during the 2001 season, will take the hill for Nashville in the 7 p.m. series opener on Thursday night. Fresno will counter with southpaw Kevin Pickford (4-5), who pitched for the Sounds during the 1998 campaign.

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