PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Sounds drop slugfest

Published on June 24, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A strong offensive output was not enough for the Nashville Sounds to take down the Memphis Redbirds as they lost 8-6 on Tuesday night at Greer Stadium.

The Sounds recorded five doubles but surrendered three two-run home runs to drop their third straight game to the Redbirds. Richie Gardner gave up five earned runs off seven hits in 3 1/3 innings of relief work for the Sounds after coming into the game posting six wins in his last 10 trips to the hill.

Eric Gagne made a rehab start for the Sounds and pitched a perfect first inning, throwing nine out of 14 pitches for strikes and retiring the only three batters he faced on two flyouts and a strikeout. Gagne is scheduled to make one more rehab start for the Sounds on Thursday against Round Rock before rejoining the Brewers.

The Redbirds plated the first run of the game in the top of the second inning when Rico Washington singled then scored on a double from D'Angelo Jimenez to center field. The run came against Gardner, who came in to relieve Gagne to start the second inning.

Nashville responded in the bottom half when Vinny Rottino scored on a groundout from Ozzie Chavez off Memphis starter Brad Thompson. Rottino previously singled then moved to third on a double from Adam Heether.

Jimenez struck again in the top of the fourth inning when he crushed a two-run homer to right field on a 1-1 pitch from Gardner. The longball was his fourth on the year and scored David Freese after he singled to start the inning.

Nashville evened things at 3-3 when it plated two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Heether led off with another double and then moved to third on a single from Callix Crabbe. Chavez then notched another RBI groundout in the next at bat to score Heether from third, and Crabbe later scored on a throwing error from Redbirds shortstop Brian Barden.

The scoring continued in the fifth inning when Mather knocked a two-run homer off Gardner over the right field wall. The homer was his 14th of the year, and his fifth against the Sounds in 12 games this season.

Brad Nelson responded with a solo shot to start the bottom half of the inning. It was his 11th on the year, which ties him with Brendan Katin for the active team lead. Chavez then recorded a season-high third RBI when he doubled to center field off Memphis reliever Hugo Castellanos to score Rottino, who also doubled to center. Pinch hitter Mel Stocker added the third double of the inning to score Chavez from second and give the Sounds the lead.

The balls kept flying out of the park when Washington belted a two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning for Memphis off Sounds reliever Erasmo Ramirez. The home run, which gave the visitors a 7-6 lead, was Washington's fourth of the year and scored Mather, who singled in the previous at bat.

Mather added a third RBI to his 4-for-5 night to extend the lead to two for the Redbirds in the top of the eighth inning. He singled in former Sounds catcher Mark Johnson, who singled off Sounds reliever Tim Dillard to start the inning.

The teams combined to use 12 pitchers in the game. Ramirez (1-3) took the loss for the Sounds after surrendering two runs in two innings. Matt Clement (1-0) earned the win for the Redbirds after pitching a scoreless sixth inning in a rehab outing for Memphis.

The Sounds will enjoy a league-wide day off tomorrow before heading to Round Rock, Texas for a four-game series against the Express on Thursday. Righty Eric Gagne (0-0, 0.00) will make another rehab start for the Sounds against right-hander Ron Chiavacci (1-1, 6.88) for the Express.

Baseball will return to Greer Stadium on Friday, July 4, when the Sounds return home for a three-game Independence Day weekend homestand against Round Rock.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 24, 2008


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