PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Sounds Drop Fourth Straight Game To Redbirds

Published on May 23, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


MEMPHIS - The Nashville Sounds lost their fourth consecutive game to the division-leading Memphis Redbirds on Friday evening at AutoZone Park, falling 5-4 in the opener of a four-game series.

Nashville (19-28) dropped to 3-8 in one-run contests, including an 0-5 mark on the road, in suffering its first four-game skid since mid-April.

The Sounds didn't help their own cause, grounding into a season-high four double plays on the evening and stranding five baserunners in the final two frames.

The Redbirds took a 1-0 lead against Sounds starter Richie Gardner in the bottom of the first inning. Brian Barden (single) and Jarrett Hoffpauir (double) ripped two of the right-hander's first three offerings of the contest for knocks to put runners on second and third. Memphis cleanup hitter Josh Phelps put the home team on the board with a one-out RBI single through the left side of the infield.

Nashville jumped in front with four runs against Redbirds starter Mitchell Boggs in the top of the second. The Sounds loaded the bases on a single by Russell Branyan and Vinny Rottino along with an Adam Heether walk before Mel Stocker knotted the contest with an RBI single up the middle. Gardner followed with a grounder to third baseman David Freese, who fired wildly to the plate to allow a pair of runs to score. Stocker scored from third with the inning's fourth run on Hernan Iribarren's fielder's choice groundout.

Phelps pulled the Redbirds within a run at 4-3 in the bottom of the third with a two-run homer to left off Gardner, his seventh roundtripper of the year. Hoffpauir, who drew an inning-opening walk, also scored on the blast.

Neither team scored again until Memphis tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth on a bases-loaded Barden sacrifice fly.

The Redbirds took a 5-4 lead in the following frame as they scored a rare run against Sounds reliever Erasmo Ramirez. The veteran southpaw had only been scored upon once in his initial 15 outings, including 11 consecutive scoreless outings (13.0 IP) entering Friday evening. Freese put the home team in front with a two-out, opposite-field double off the right field wall that plated Phelps, who had doubled.

The Sounds threatened in the eighth, putting runners on first and second for Branyan before Ron Flores struck him out to end the frame.

Nashville again put the tying run in scoring position in the ninth. Heether doubled with one out and moved to third on a Stocker single to put runners on the corners for pinch-hitter Laynce Nix, who was intentionally walked after Stocker stole second to load the bags for Iribarren.

Memphis reliever Kelvin Jimenez struck out Iribarren swinging then induced a game-ending flyout from Callix Crabbe to preserve the win and notch his first save of the year.

Former Sound John Wasdin (4-4) picked up the victory after working two scoreless innings of relief for Memphis.

Ramirez (1-1) took the loss after surrendering the game-deciding run during his two frames of action.

Neither starter factored in the decision. Gardner matched his season high with six innings of work, allowing four runs on nine hits, while Boggs gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits in his five frames of action.

The teams continue the series with a 6:05 p.m. contest on Saturday. Left-hander Sam Narron (1-0, 3.00), who defeated Memphis in his Nashville debut on Monday, will man the bump for the Sounds to face Redbirds southpaw Jaime Garcia (1-1, 3.00).

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 23, 2008


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