PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Sounds Split Twinbill With Beavers

Published on May 16, 2004 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


NASHVILLE -- The PCL Eastern Division-leading Nashville Sounds played 17 innings of baseball on Sunday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader with the visiting Portland Beavers in front of a large crowd that included 6,733 fans and nearly 150 dogs on "Bark In The Park" promotional day at Greer Stadium.

Nashville (19-17) enters play on Monday with a half-game lead over the Oklahoma RedHawks.

In the first game of the twinbill, the Sounds knocked off the Beavers, 7-6, in 10 innings of a scheduled seven-inning game. Rich Thompson scored the winning run in the bottom of the tenth when Chris Truby delivered a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to right field and Portland rightfielder Ben Petrick's throw was not in time.

Luke Allen hit a solo home run that just cleared the right field wall in the bottom of the first to open up scoring and give the Sounds an early 1-0 lead. The home run was Allen's eighth of the season; the Sounds are now 7-0 in games in which he homers. Shortly thereafter in the inning, J.R. House – who finished the contest with four RBIs – gave the Sounds a 3-0 lead when he hit a two-run double to score Randall Simon and Ruben Mateo.

In the bottom of the third, the Sounds padded their lead at 6-1 when House creamed Portland starter Brian Sweeney's pitch over the out-of-town scoreboard in left field for his seventh longball of the year.

The lead did not last as Portland came storming back beginning in the fifth when J.J. Furmaniak clobbered Nashville starter Dave Williams pitch over the fence in left-center to make the game 6-3. With the bases loaded in the sixth inning, Nashville closer Mark Corey walked in a run and gave up two others when Beaver pinch-hitter Alex Fernandez singled to score two and tie the game at 6-6. Sounds reliever Willis Roberts, who had left the bases loaded, was hit with all the runs in the frame. The blown save was Corey's third of the year.

The fifth pitcher of the game, Sounds reliever Justin Reid (2-0), picked up his second win of the year after tossing a scoreless inning, while Portland reliever Matt Hampton (0-1) dropped his first of the season. The win also improved the Sounds to 3-2 in extra innings this season.

In the second game, Portland pulled away in the seventh inning with three runs to garner an 8-4 victory. The runs were obtained when the Beavers' Jon Knott hit a bases-loaded, bases-clearing three-run triple.

The Sounds took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second of the nightcap when catcher Keith McDonald belted a double to right center to score two runs.

The Beavers tied the game in the top of the fourth when Xavier Nady hit a double to knock in a pair of runs. Alex Fernandez then doubled to score one more and give the Beavers their first lead of the game at 3-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, Tony Alvarez hammered Portland starter Justin Germano's pitch over the right field fence to tie the game at 3-3. The home run was Alvarez's fourth of the year and third in his last three starts.

The Sounds, down 5-3 in the sixth, did try to foster a comeback, but fell short as they were only able to muster one run with the bases loaded when Andy Abad – who led Nashville with three hits in the nightcap – scored when Germano walked Alvarez to make the score 5-4.

After being tagged with the loss in the second game, Nashville starter Sean Burnett fell to 1-1 on the season. Germano improved to 1-1 for Portland, while closer Bart Miadich netted his ninth save of the season to overtake Nashville closer Corey for the PCL lead.

The teams continue the series with a 7 p.m. meeting on Monday evening at Greer Stadium. Nashville sends right-hander John VanBenschoten (0-5, 6.81) to the hill looking for his first career Triple-A victory. He'll be opposed by former Sounds hurler Matt Bruback (0-5, 7.27). The right-hander made four starts for Nashville last season.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 16, 2004


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