Sounds Offense Stalls in 4-2 Loss
Published on July 28, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A two-run blast from Brad Nelson was not enough as the Nashville Sounds came up short in a 4-2 loss to the Portland Beavers on Monday night at Greer Stadium.
The Sounds offense struggled for a second consecutive night with only two runs on six hits after only managing one run in 11 innings last night against the Beavers. Nashville's average with runners in scoring position dropped to .176 (12-for-66) in the last 10 games since returning from the All-Star break.
Portland's starting pitcher Wade LeBlanc (9-7) threw five innings of scoreless ball while striking out six batters and only giving up two hits to earn the win. Sounds starter Lindsay Gulin (5-5) was not as sharp as LeBlanc, pitching five innings and giving up three runs off seven hits and five walks as the losing pitcher for Nashville.
The Beavers took an early lead thanks to a solo home run from Max Venable to right-center field. The longball was Venable's 11th on the year and gave him back-to-back games with home runs after hitting a two-run bomb in the 11th inning last night.
Portland scored its second run in a more methodical fashion in the top of the fourth inning. After two singles from Justin Huber and Brett Dowdy, Gulin gave up back-to-back walks to Shawn Wooten and Tom King to walk in a run. The Beavers scored again in the top of the fifth inning in a similar fashion when Dowdy walked with the bases loaded to score Peter Ciofrone from third base. Ciofrone reached base earlier in the inning with a single to extend his hit streak to a PCL season-best 25 games.
The Sounds cut the lead to one in the bottom of the sixth inning with the help of an opposite field, two-run shot by Nelson off Portland reliever Dirk Hayhurst. The home run was Nelson's 14th of the year and scored Tony Gwynn, who reached on a bunt single in the previous at-bat.
Paul McAnulty added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning when he hit a solo shot to right field off Sounds reliever Mitch Stetter. The home run was his third of the year and only the second off Stetter in 19 appearances for the Sounds.
Hayhurst pitched two innings of relief and gave up two earned runs on three hits for the Beavers, and Joe Thatcher, Kevin Cameron and Edwin Moreno combined to shut the Sounds out in the final two frames, with Moreno picking up his 14th save of the year for Portland.
Sounds reliever Joe Bateman pitched two scoreless innings, and Mitch Stetter gave up one run in his two innings of work to keep the Sounds in the game, but the offense was unable to mount a comeback.
The teams will wrap up their four-game series with a 12:00 p.m. matinee tomorrow at Greer Stadium. Right-hander Richie Gardner (6-4, 4.91) will start for the Sounds against righty Justin Germano (2-6, 4.77) for the Beavers. After tomorrow's game, Nashville will travel to the West Coast for an eight-game road trip with series against Sacramento and Fresno.
Pacific Coast League Stories from July 28, 2008
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