Sounds Open Homestand With 4-1 Loss; Thompson Retires After Game
May 18, 2006 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds opened their homestand with the club's fourth consecutive loss on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium, falling 4-1 to the Tacoma Rainiers in the opener of a four-game series.
Sounds starter Justin Thompson (2-3) took a loss in his third straight start after giving up four runs during his complete-game, nine-inning outing, then announced his retirement after the game.
Thompson, who pitched in 16 professional seasons and enjoyed big-league stints with Detroit and Texas, struck out a season-best nine batters, matching the best single-game effort by a Sounds hurler this season (Ben Sheets also fanned nine in a rehab start on April 11).
With his effort, Thompson became the first Nashville hurler to toss a nine-inning complete game since Nelson Figueroa on July 28, 2004 against Salt Lake.
Thompson finishes the season with a 2-3 record and 6.11 ERA (24er/35.1ip) in eight starts for the Sounds.
The four-game losing skid is the longest of the season for Nashville (22-18).
Tacoma took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on first baseman Greg Dobbs' sixth home run of the year, a leadoff solo shot to right-center off Thompson.
The Rainiers doubled the lead to 2-0 in the fifth on Michael Garciaparra one-out RBI double to left that brought in Asdrubal Cabrera.
Both offenses remained silent until the ninth when Cabrera belted a two-out, two-run homer off Thompson to double the visitors' advantage to 4-0. The blast, which came on a 3-2 pitch and scored Mike Morse, was the infielder's second of the year.
Nashville broke up Tacoma's shutout bid by pushing a run across in the bottom of the ninth. The Sounds loaded the bases with one out against Rainiers reliever Renee Cortez on three consecutive singles by Jermaine Clark, Chris Barnwell, and Mark Johnson. Tony Gwynn followed with a sacrifice fly to left that scored Clark to make it a 4-1 game.
Cortez recovered to retire Dave Krynzel on a game-ending groundout to avoid further damage and secure his first save of the year.
Tacoma starter Clint Nageotte (5-2) picked up his second straight win by holding the Sounds to only one hit over five scoreless innings of work. He did not allow a knock until Vinny Rottino's double that led off the bottom of the fifth.
The teams continue the series on Friday evening with a 7 p.m. meeting. Nashville left-hander Zach Jackson (1-2, 2.70) mans the bump to face Tacoma right-hander Francisco Cruceta (1-3, 4.94).
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