PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Sounds Plate Run in 9th, Beat Z's in Opener

Published on September 3, 2010 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


METAIRIE, La. - The Nashville Sounds plated a run in the top of the ninth inning to edge New Orleans, 4-3, on Friday evening at Zephyr Field in the opener of a four-game series.

Nashville (76-65), which extended its winning streak to four games, recorded its 20th last at-bat win of the year and won its seventh consecutive game in New Orleans, dating back to last season.

The Sounds took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning on second baseman Eric Farris' two-out, two-run double to left off Z's starter Nic Ungs. Norris Hopper and Martin Maldonado, who opened the frame with consecutive singles, scored on the two-bagger.

Nashville upped its lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Joe Koshansky (2-for-4) walloped his team-leading 26th home run of the season, a one-out solo shot to center off Ungs. The big fly extend Koshansky's hitting streak to 15 games, the longest by a Sounds batter all season.

Sounds starter Sam Narron was nearly flawless over his first six innings of action, allowing four hits while keeping New Orleans off the board, before the home team rallied to tie the contest with a three-run seventh.

Brian Barden and Danny Richar started the rally with singles to put runners on the corners before Chris Aguila put the Z's on the board by lifting a sacrifice fly to left. PCL uber-veteran Mark Saccomanno stepped in and crushed the first pitch he saw from Narron for a game-tying, two-run homer to right-center. The infielder's sixth roundtripper of the season made it a 3-3 contest.

The contest remained tied until the ninth, when Nashville pulled back in front.

With one out in the top of the ninth, Brendan Katin drew a walk from Z's reliever James Houser and moved to third on a Koshansky double. After Ray Olmedo was intentionally walked to load the bases with one down, left-hander Dan Meyer took over on the hill and was greeted by an RBI groundout off the bat of Norris Hopper, which plated Katin to give the Sounds a 4-3 lead. Richar, the second baseman, made a great diving play to keep the ball from getting to right field and allowing an additional run to score.

Brandon Kintzler took the hill for the Sounds in the bottom of the ninth and retired the Zephyrs in order to secure the win and nail down his sixth save of the year.

Sounds reliever Mitch Stetter (3-2) was the beneficiary of the last at-bat Sounds rally and picked up the victory after working a scoreless eighth inning.

House (0-2) took the loss for New Orleans after surrendering the game-winning run in his 1 1/3 innings of work.

Both starting pitchers in the contest took no-decisions despite a pair of quality-start efforts. Narron took a no-decision for Nashville despite tossing his team-leading 10th quality start of the year. The veteran southpaw allowed three runs on seven hits over his seven frames of action. Ungs matched Narron's effort, allowing three runs over seven innings.

Katin finished 0-for-3 in the contest to snap his longest hit streak of the year at seven games.

The teams continue the series with a 6:00 p.m. meeting on Saturday night. Right-hander Josh Butler (5-1, 4.99) will toe the rubber for the Sounds to face New Orleans right-hander Tom Mastny (4-5, 4.48).

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Pacific Coast League Stories from September 3, 2010


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