Sounds Snap Skid With 6-1 Win Over Cubs
Published on April 13, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds got their second win of the season on Sunday afternoon, beating the Iowa Cubs, 6-1, after dropping the first two games in the series at Greer Stadium.
Zach Jackson (1-2) got the win for the Sounds after pitching seven innings and giving up only one run on six hits with four strikeouts. He retired the first 10 batters he faced en route to recording Nashville's first quality start of the season and the longest outing by any starter this year.
The Sounds scored first after Jackson recorded the first hit of the game with a double to left field in the bottom of the third inning off Cubs starter J.R. Mathes. Jackson scored on the next at-bat when Abraham Nunez hit an infield single that got by Cubs shortstop Andres Blanco, allowing Jackson to score from second.
Nashville added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when Laynce Nix and Russell Branyan hit back-to-back singles and both scored on Adam Heether's two-out single to right field. Branyan managed to hustle his way all the way from first to score on the play.
Branyan went 3-for-4 in the contest and raised his average to .406 on the young season. He has hit safely in nine of his 11 games.
Iowa notched their lone run of the game in the top of the seventh when Koyie Hill doubled off Jackson and came in to score on pinch-hitter Tony Richie's infield single to shortstop Ozzie Chavez. Chavez made a tremendous diving grab to keep the ball in the infield but could not complete the throw to first base.
The Sounds padded their lead in the bottom half of the seventh inning with three more runs off Iowa reliever Juan Mateo. Branyan led off the inning with a double followed by a Steve Sollmann walk. Brendan Katin then came in to pinch-hit for Jackson and knocked a two-run single to left field. Chavez completed the scoring with a single of his own, scoring Katin from second.
The Sounds were 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position, a welcome change of pace from their .175 average to start the season. Saturday's six-run effort was a season high for a club that had scored a PCL-low 24 runs over its first 10 games.
Sounds relievers Jason Shiell and Luis Pena both pitched scoreless innings behind Jackson, with Pena finishing the game for Nashville with two strikeouts.
Nashville first baseman Brad Nelson had his team-best eight-game hitting streak snapped with an 0-for-4 afternoon.
Mathes took the loss for Iowa and dropped his record to 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA after giving up two earned runs on five hits in six innings pitched.
The teams will play the final game of the four-game series on Monday night at 6 p.m. at Greer Stadium. Right-hander Yovani Gallardo (0-1, 4.82) will make his third rehab start with Nashville while recovering from pre-season knee surgery and will face off against right-hander Mark Holliman (0-0, 6.00) for the Cubs.
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 13, 2008
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- Schierholtz's First Homer, Four RBI, Lead Fresno Over Tucson On Sunday Afternoon - Fresno Grizzlies
- 'Topes sea-saw way to third straight defeat to Hawks - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Beavers foiled by Sandova, seven-run third inning - Portland Beavers
- Z's win extra innings - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Sounds Snap Skid With 6-1 Win Over Cubs - Nashville Sounds
- Redbirds rally late, top Royals - Memphis Redbirds
- Royals Game Notes - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Oklahoma RedHawks Game Notes - Oklahoma City Comets
- Scherzer's Outing Wasted; Losing Streak Reaches Nine - Tucson Sidewinders
- Isotopes Fall On Another Chilly Night - Albuquerque Isotopes
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