PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Sounds Drop Series Opener In Oklahoma, 6-1

Published on April 7, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


OKLAHOMA CITY - The Nashville Sounds came up on the short end of a 6-1 loss against the Oklahoma RedHawks on Monday evening at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in the opener of a four-game series.

Former Brewer Kevin Mench and left fielder Brandon Boggs each had two extra-base hits and scored two runs apiece to pace the Oklahoma offense, while rehabbing hurler Luis Mendoza held the Sounds to one run over his 7 1/3 innings of work.

The Sounds took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Hernan Iribarren opened the contest with an infield single, stole second, and later scored on a Vinny Rottino groundout. With his hit, Iribarren extended his hitting streak to four games, matching the longest by a Nashville player in the young season.

Nashville starter Lindsay Gulin deftly worked out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the frame created by a single sandwiched by a pair of Sounds fielding errors. The left-hander induced a foul popout from Jarrod Saltamacchia then escaped the jam unscathed following a soft lineout off the bat of Mench (2-for-4). Prior to the two fielding gaffs in the bottom of the first, the Nashville defense had not committed an error in their previous 27 innings.

Oklahoma tied the contest at 1-1 in the bottom of the second with a pair of extra-base hits off Gulin. Boggs (2-for-3) led off with a double and came around to score two batters later on a Casey Benjamin triple to right-center.

The RedHawks took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third with a pair of unearned runs stemming from a two-out throwing error by Nashville shortstop Ozzie Chavez. Former Sound Nelson Cruz plated one of the Oklahoma runs with a two-out RBI single that greeted reliever Jason Shiell.

Oklahoma broke the game open in the seventh with a three-run outburst against Sounds reliever Ben Howard. After Saltamacchia drew a one-out walk, Mench and Boggs delivered a run-scoring double and triple, respectively, to increase the lead to 5-1 and chase the right-hander. Ryan Roberts greeted Mitch Stetter with an RBI single that upped the advantage to its final 6-1.

RedHawks hurlers were on cruise control in the middle innings, retiring 10 straight batters from the fifth through the eighth before Laynce Nix opened the Sounds' ninth with a double against Frank Francisco, his first extra-base knock of the year. The Oklahoma right-hander recovered to retire the next three batters in order to end the contest.

Mendoza (1-0) picked up the win after allowing one run on seven hits over 7 1/3 frames of work. He struck out two batters during his 81-pitch effort.

Gulin (0-1) absorbed the loss after he allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits over 3 2/3 innings in his first start of the year.

The teams continue the series with a 7:05 p.m. matchup on Tuesday evening. Sounds left-hander Zach Jackson (0-1, 6.00) will man the bump to face Oklahoma right-hander Eric Hurley (0-0, 5.40).

Check out the Nashville Sounds Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Pacific Coast League Stories from April 7, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central