PCL1 Nashville Sounds

Winning Streak Halted With 8-4 Loss To Royals

Published on April 26, 2007 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Nashville Sounds News Release


OMAHA - The Nashville Sounds had their seven-game winning streak come to a close with an 8-4 loss to the division-rival Omaha Royals on Thursday evening at Rosenblatt Stadium in the opener of a four-game series.

The eight runs allowed were Nashville's most surrendered since the club's last loss, a 5-4 defeat on April 17 at Oklahoma. Omaha halted a four-game skid with the victory. The Sounds (13-7) remain in first place in the PCL American Conference Northern Division.

Brad Nelson continued his hot hitting to lead Nashville on the evening, finishing 2-for-3 and homering in his fourth consecutive start. The first baseman has recorded a hit in nine of his last 10 games, with the only miss coming in a pinch-hit appearance on Tuesday.

The Sounds took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning with a two-out rally against Omaha right-hander Scott Elarton, who was making a rehabilitation start. JD Closser opened the frame by drawing a walk before the next two batters were retired on fly outs. With two down, Nelson singled to right to move Closser to third and Callix Crabbe followed by playing the catcher with the game's first run on an RBI single to right.

Omaha bounced back in the bottom of the frame and grabbed a 4-1 lead with a two-out rally of its own against Zach Jackson. Richard Lewis drew a two-out walk, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a Justin Huber single to left. Paul Phillips singled to move Huber to third before Joey Gathright and Angel Berroa followed with consecutive RBI singles to break the tie and spot the Royals a two-run advantage. The fourth run of the inning scored unearned a batter later when Sounds shortstop Chris Barnwell was unable to handle a Shane Costa grounder, allowing Gathright to reach home.

Nashville pulled back within a run in the top of the third. Drew Anderson opened the inning with a single and Vinny Rottino doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs. Ryan Braun plated Anderson with a sacrifice fly to center and Closser singled home Rottino to reduce the Omaha lead to 4-3. The hit snapped an 0-for-14 funk for the Sounds backstop.

The Royals again had an answer for the Sounds, scoring a run in the bottom of the frame when Mike Aviles came plateward on a Lewis sacrifice fly to make it a 5-3 contest.

Nelson continued his recent longball spree in the sixth for the Sounds, homering for the fourth straight start to bring Nashville within one run at 5-4. The two-out solo blast to right off Elarton was the first baseman's fourth of the season.

Omaha wrapped up the evening's scoring in the seventh with three runs against Sounds reliever Lindsay Gulin, who made his first appearance of the season.

Elarton (1-1) picked up his first Triple-A victory of the season after allowing four runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings of work. Jackson (3-2) had his three-start winning streak snapped for the Sounds as he took the loss. The left-hander gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits in his five frames.

The teams continue the series with a 7:05 p.m. meeting on Friday at Rosenblatt. Nashville native R.A. Dickey (1-2, 7.00), who earned his first Sounds victory in his last outing, will take the hill and face Royals right-hander Zach Day (0-0, 3.38).

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 26, 2007


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