IL Nashville Sounds

Sounds Win Thriller on Rowdy Tellez's Walk-Off Blast

August 16, 2023 - International League (IL)
Nashville Sounds News Release


NASHVILLE - Entering the bottom of the ninth down a run, Rowdy Tellez smashed a walk-off homer to put the Nashville Sounds (61-52, 21-19) past the Charlotte Knights (42-74, 7-34) 7-5 on Wednesday night at First Horizon Park.

Despite leading through the first six innings, Nashville found themselves down to their last out down in the bottom of the ninth. Jahmai Jones and Tyler Black drew back-to-back walks to keep the game alive. Tellez battled down two strikes until he turned around Edgar Navarro's (2-2) hanging slider and crushed it over the right field fence for the game-ending homer.

The Sounds brought all the power in the win, with four homers on the night. Black got the party started with his first Triple-A homer, a two-run shot to The Band Box that put the Sounds ahead in the first. Keston Hiura hit a couple of solo home runs, with a fourth inning blast that made it 3-0, then an eighth inning opposite field tank that brought the Sounds within a run late.

Evan McKendry dominated on the mound early, holding the Knights scoreless through five innings. He ran into trouble allowing a two-run homer to Yolbert Sanchez in the sixth, then yielded three straight singles that gave Charlotte their first lead of the night. Overall, the right-hander gave up four runs (all earned) on nine hits with three strikeouts in his third start as a Sound.

Clayton Andrews allowed an unearned run in the eighth but held Charlotte to one. Ethan Small (2-4) picked up the win with his scoreless ninth in, working around a couple hits but getting the job done.

The top of the Sounds lineup did most of the damage, with all seven of Nashville's runs coming from the first four batters. Jones walked four times in a 0-for-1 night, while Hiura added his first multi-homer game of the season. Black finished with two runs scored on a home run and walk.

Colin Rea (0-0, 0.00) will get his first start in Triple-A since early April for the Sounds tomorrow night. He'll face Charlotte's Jose Ureña (1-4, 6.46). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CDT from First Horizon Park.

Post-Game Notes

Milwaukee first baseman Rowdy Tellez crushed his first home run on rehab assignment in thrilling fashion. He finished 1-for-5 with the blast. Tellez has been on Milwaukee's 10-day injured list since July 5 with right forearm inflammation and a left ring finger injury.

Keston Hiura had his first multi-homer game of the season and the 10th of his professional career with a couple of solo blasts tonight. The homers put him at 19 on the season and he is tied with Patrick Dorrian for the team lead. The homers also extended his on-base streak to 14 games. During the span, Hiura's hitting .333 (18-for-54) with three doubles, four homers, 17 RBI and a 1.004 OPS.

Jahmai Jones' four-walk game is his second four walk game of the season (last with Oklahoma City vs. Las Vegas on June 25). It is the fifth time a Sounds hitter has drawn four free passes this season and first since Josh VanMeter did it on July 25 at Norfolk.

The Sounds have won nine games via walk-off in 2023 and five on game ending home runs. It is their first walk-off since July 5 vs. Columbus (15-14) and first walk-off homer since Eddy Alvarez's three-run shot vs. Gwinnett on June 18.

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International League Stories from August 16, 2023


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