PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Sounds Suffer 8th Consecutive Loss, Fall 6-3 at Omaha

Published on April 23, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


PAPILLION, Neb. - The Nashville Sounds were unable to snap their skid on Monday evening at Werner Park, falling 6-3 to the division-leading Omaha Storm Chasers to suffer their eighth consecutive defeat.

Nashville (4-15) has matched the worst start in club history, equaling the 4-15 mark achieved by the 2008 Sounds team. The Sounds went just 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position on the night, leaving 10 runners on base including five in scoring position.

Second baseman Brooks Conrad continued his hot hitting for Nashville in the contest, going 3-for-4 and driving in two of the three Sounds runs on the night. The veteran is batting .393 (11-for-28) with three doubles, two home runs, six RBIs, and five runs scored in nine games since being activated from the disabled list.

Omaha (14-5) grabbed the lead in the bottom of the second inning with three runs off Sounds starter Mark Rogers. Irving Falu put the home team on the board with a one-out, two-run single then Jarrod Dyson (3-for-5) later added an RBI single to make it a 3-0 contest.

The Storm Chasers doubled their advantage in the fifth, batting around against Nashville reliever Brian Baker to plate three more runs to extend the lead to 6-0. Johnny Giovatella delivered the big blow of the frame, crushing a two-run homer to left with two outs for the infielder's third big fly of the year.

Following the homer, Omaha's offense kept it going, loading the bases against Baker on a pair of singles and a walk to set the table for David Lough, who plated the inning's final tally with an RBI infield single. Right-hander Jim Henderson inherited a bases-loaded jam from Baker during the frame but struck out Kevin Kouzmanoff looking to leave all three runners stranded to minimize any further damage.

The Sounds, who were held to a single hit through the first four innings by Storm Chasers left-hander Ryan Verdugo, finally broke through and got onto the scoreboard in the fifth when Edwin Maysonet drew a leadoff walk and later scored on the first of Conrad's two run-scoring hits of the night, an RBI single to left.

Nashville got another run off the bat of Conrad in the seventh to pull within 6-2. Eric Farris led off with a single off Omaha reliever Ethan Hollingsworth then stole second before coming plateward on the veteran infielder's two-out double to left.

The Sounds threatened again in the seventh, loading the bases with one out against Hollingsworth, but were only able to scratch out one run in the frame.

With the bags full of Sounds following singles by Erick Almonte and Taylor Green then Martin Maldonado being hit by a pitch, Eric Farris delivered a line-drive RBI single to center to make it a 6-3 game.

Hollingsworth recovered to induce a foul popout off the bat of Maysonet for the second out before left-hander Brandon Sisk was summoned from the Omaha bullpen to face Logan Schafer. After the Sounds center fielder lined a double just a matter of inches foul down in the right field corner, Sisk caught Schafer looking at a called third strike to escape the inning with no further damage.

Sisk retired the Sounds in order in the ninth to lock down the victory for Omaha and claim his xth save of the year.

Verdugo (2-0) picked up the victory for Omaha by holding the Sounds to one run on three hits over five innings. Nashville was unable to capitalize on five walks drawn from the southpaw.

Rogers (0-2) drew a loss for his second consecutive start for Nashville after allowing three runs on five hits over three innings of work, throwing 76 pitches.

Henderson (2.1 scoreless IP) and Johnnie Lowe (2.0 scoreless IP) offered solid relief effort over the final innings for Nashville to keep the team within striking distance.

The Sounds will look to avoid being swept for the second straight series when the teams wrap up the four-game set with an 11:05 a.m. finale on Tuesday morning. Right-hander Josh Butler (0-3, 4.40) will aim for his first victory of the year when he toes the rubber for the Sounds to face Omaha southpaw Mike Montgomery (0-1, 4.91).

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 23, 2012


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