PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Sounds Rally Late Against Royals, Improve To 5-0

Published on April 12, 2010 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


OMAHA, Neb. - The Nashville Sounds plated three runs in the top of the ninth inning to register a thrilling, come-from-behind 5-3 victory over the Omaha Royals on Monday evening at Rosenblatt Stadium in the opener of a four-game series.

Trailing 3-2 entering the ninth with their perfect start to the year on the line, Nashville (5-0) sent eight batters to the plate against the Omaha bullpen to register its second last at-bat win of the young season. The Sounds remain the Pacific Coast League's lone unbeaten team.

In the top of the ninth, Trent Oeltjen drew a leadoff walk from Anthony Lerew, who also walked Sounds cleanup hitter Brendan Katin, who had fanned in his first three trips to the plate, to push the potential tying run to scoring position with no outs. First baseman Joe Koshansky followed with a single to shallow right that narrowly eluded the outstretched glove of Royals second baseman Marc Maddox and loaded the bases.

Carlos Rosa was summoned from the bullpen to face Sounds designate hitter Erick Almonte and struck out the veteran swinging on a ball outside the zone for the first out. Third baseman Adam Heether followed by drawing a game-tying walk after fouling off a pair of two-strike offerings to force home Oeltjen to make it a 3-3 game.

The scoring continued as Nashville catcher Ben Johnson lifted a sacrifice fly to left to bring home Katin from third with the go-ahead run, and shortstop Luis Cruz provided some breathing room by ripping a two-out RBI single to center off Rosa to extend the visitors' advantage to 5-3.

Mike McClendon (1-0), who followed Wright with two scoreless innings of relief, was the beneficiary of the late Nashville rally and recorded his first career Triple-A victory.

Omaha attempted to rally in the bottom of the ninth against John Axford. Designated hitter Scott Thorman drew a one-out walk before a Coats single to left to put a pair of ducks on the pond for pinch-hitter Irving Falu, who grounded the first offering he saw from Axford into a game-ending double play. Axford notched his second save of the year with the scoreless frame.

The Sounds grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Omaha starter Bryan Bullington. Norris Hopper (2-for-5) led off with a single to right to extend Nashville's longest hit streak of the season to five games. After moving to second on a passed ball and advancing to third on Eric Farris' bunt single, Hopper came plateward in unearned fashion on an Oeltjen sacrifice fly to left.

Omaha knotted the score at 1-1 in the third when Buck Coats led off with a double then later scored on a Chase Wright wild pitch.

The Royals jumped ahead, 3-1, in the fifth on a pair of solo homers off Wright. Catcher Cody Clark belted a one-out solo shot to left before veteran third baseman Wilson Betemit slugged a two-out shot to right-center. The roundtrippers were each player's first of the young season.

Nashville pulled back within a run in the top of the sixth when Hopper singled and later scored on Oeltjen's one-out RBI knock to right off Bullington.

Lerew (0-1), who was charged with the loss, took over for Bullington in the eighth and retired the Sounds in order in his first frame of action before running into trouble in the ninth as Nashville did not go down without a fight.

The late Nashville rally deprived Bullington of a victory following an outstanding effort. The first overall selection by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2002 draft allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits while striking out seven Sounds batters over seven innings of work but received only a no-decision on the night. The right-hander retired 16 Sounds in a row at one point, including five consecutive strikeouts.

Omaha went just 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position in the losing effort.

Wright, who turned in a quality start in his first outing of the year for the Sounds, departed in line for the loss but was taken off the hook by the late Sounds rally. The southpaw allowed three runs on five hits, including a pair of homers, over six innings of work.

The teams continue their series with another 6:35 p.m. matchup on Tuesday. Right-hander Kameron Loe (1-0, 1.50) will take the hill for the Sounds to face Omaha right-hander Gaby Hernandez (0-0, 5.40).

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 12, 2010


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