PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Tatis, Z's Take Down Sounds, 7-5

Published on April 4, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


METAIRIE, La. - The Nashville Sounds dropped their second straight game to the New Orleans Zephyrs to open the 2008 season, falling 7-5 on Friday evening at Zephyr Field.

New Orleans third baseman Fernando Tatis belted a pair of home runs to lead the home club to victory despite being out-hit by Nashville in the contest, 13-12. The veteran infielder has slugged three longballs against Sounds pitching in the first two games of the year.

Five Sounds batters posted multiple-hit efforts in the contest, led by Laynce Nix's 3-for-5 evening that included a pair of RBIs.

Rehabbing right-hander Yovani Gallardo took a no-decision for the Sounds after he worked four innings in his outing, throwing 75 pitches (50 for strikes). He allowed three runs on six hits while walking one batter and striking out five.

New Orleans took a 2-0 lead against Gallardo in the bottom of the second inning. Tatis got things started by homering for the second consecutive evening against Nashville, drilling a leadoff solo shot to left. The Z's added a second run when Gustavo Molina (3-for-4) singled and later scored when Jesus Feliciano (4-for-4) knocked an RBI single to right later in the frame.

The Sounds got a run back in the top of the third when Gallardo, Hernan Iribarren, and Nix put together consecutive one-out singles against New Orleans starter Tony Armas, Jr., the last of which plating the Nashville pitcher to cut the lead to 2-1. The Sounds were unable to bring home the tying run from 90 feet away with only one out, however, leaving Iribarren stranded at third when Vinny Rottino flew out to short right and Brad Nelson popped out.

The Zephyrs answered the Sounds' run by manufacturing one of their own in the bottom of the frame. Argenis Reyes drew an inning-opening walk, moved to second on a flyout, stole third, and made it a 3-1 game when he scored on a Caleb Stewart groundout.

Nashville rallied to tie the game with single runs against Armas in the next two innings. The Sounds added a run in the fourth when Russell Branyan led off with a double to left, moved to third on a wild pitch, and came plateward on a Brendan Katin groundout, bringing the visitors back within a run at 3-2.

Nix did his part to aid the Nashville cause over the next two half-innings. The Sounds' centerfielder combined with shortstop Ozzie Chavez to throw out Chris Aguila at the plate while he tried to score from first on a Feliciano double in the bottom of the fourth. Then, Nix knotted the contest at 3-3 in the fifth when his one-out RBI single plated Iribarren, who preceded him with a double to right.

New Orleans retook a 6-3 lead in the sixth by scoring three runs against Nashville reliever Jason Shiell, highlighted by a two-run Aguila homer to left-center.

Once again, the Sounds rallied and pulled within a run with a two-run eighth against Z's reliever Nate Field. Katin drove in Brad Nelson with a run-scoring double then came home later in the frame on an Abraham Nunez groundout to make it a 6-5 game.

For the third time on the evening, New Orleans immediately responded to a Sounds rally by increasing its cushion in the bottom of the frame on Tatis' second roundtripper of the evening, a solo shot to left that greeted Nashville reliever Steve Bray.

Z's reliever Jose Santiago (1-0) picked up the win following a scoreless frame of work. Carlos Muniz worked around a leadoff walk to work a scoreless ninth and earn his second save in as many games.

Shiell (0-1) absorbed the loss for the Sounds after giving up three runs in his 1 1/3 innings of action.

The teams continue the series with a 6 p.m. meeting on Saturday evening. Left-hander Chris Narveson will make his Sounds debut when he takes the hill to face New Orleans right-hander Ruddy Lugo.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 4, 2008


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