Sounds Take Road Opener, 5-3 In 10 Innings
April 16, 2005 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release
METAIRIE, La. - The Nashville Sounds continued to demonstrate their resolve on Friday evening, overcoming a pair of deficits to defeat New Orleans, 5-3 in 10 innings, and ruin the Zephyrs' home opener.
With the victory, the Sounds (6-3) extended their lead in the American Conference Northern division to 1 ½ games over Memphis.
With the Sounds facing extra innings for the first time this season, Rickie Weeks opened the tenth by drawing a walk on a 3-2 pitch from Roy Corcoran. Prince Fielder followed with a double into the right field corner to snap a personal 0-for-9 skid. Pinch-hitter Matt Erickson followed with an opposite-field, pinch-hit RBI single through the left side to plate Weeks and give Nashville a 4-3 lead. Corey Hart, who finished 3-for-5 in the contest after opening the year 2-for-27, followed with an RBI single to right and a 5-3 lead.
The Sounds wasted no time getting the offense going, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. With one out, Weeks was hit by a pitch by rehabbing Zephyrs starter Tony Armas, Jr., then stole second. Two batters later, Brad Nelson drove him in with an opposite-field RBI single to left.
New Orleans took a 2-1 lead with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning. Armas recorded the first hit of the game for New Orleans with a leadoff triple down the right field line that eluded Hart, the Sounds' rightfielder. Z's leadoff hitter Tyrell Godwin followed with a routine comebacker to the mound but Sounds starter Rick Helling misfired into the New Orleans bullpen, allowing Armas to score and tie the game at 1-1 on Nashville's second straight two-base error. After Godwin stole third, Rick Short delivered a sacrifice fly to left to put the home team ahead by a run.
Nashville quickly tied things up at 2-2 in the top of the fourth. Nelson drew a one-out walk and moved to third one batter later on a single to left by Kevin Orie (2-for-4). Catcher Pat Borders knotted the contest with an RBI chopper to third.
The Zephyrs jumped back ahead with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Brendan Harris led off the frame with a single to left then moved to third on a single to right by Larry Broadway. Jason Bowers followed with an RBI dribbler to second, plating Harris to give New Orleans a 3-2 advantage.
The Sounds tied the contest again in the top of the eighth with back-to-back two out hits from Hart (double) and Orie (RBI single) against Zephyrs reliever Gary Majewski.
One down note for Nashville in the contest was an 0-for-4 effort from leadoff hitter Dave Krynzel, snapping the outfielder's season-opening hitting streak at eight games.
Sounds reliever Justin Lehr (1-1) picked up the victory after tossing two scoreless innings, while Corcoran (1-1) was tagged with the loss after giving up the game-deciding runs in the tenth. Jeff Bennett earned his second save of the season with a scoreless bottom of the tenth and kept his season ERA at 0.00 through five appearances (5.1 IP).
The teams continue their series with a 6:05 p.m. matchup on Saturday evening at Zephyr Field. Left-hander Andy Pratt (0-0, 11.25) makes his second start for Nashville. He'll face rehabbing New Orleans right-hander Claudio Vargas, who will make his first appearance of the 2005 campaign.
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 16, 2005
- Cubs Take Game Two, 7-3 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Round Rock outslugs Royals 14-9 - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Zs win 7-2 - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Sounds Fall To Zephyrs, 7-2; 'Scar' Homers Again - Nashville Sounds
- Cubs fall in home opener - Iowa Cubs
- Beavers mark home opener with 7-2 win over rival River Cats - Portland Beavers
- Music Legends Coming to AutoZone Park - Memphis Redbirds
- Express Spoil Omaha Home Opener - Round Rock Express
- Sidewinders fall 6-4 in front of record crowd - Tucson Sidewinders
- Sounds Take Road Opener, 5-3 In 10 Innings - Nashville Sounds
- Express delivers payback to Royals in home opener - Omaha Storm Chasers
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