Des Moines, IA – The Nashville Sounds dropped the division-rival Iowa Cubs, 4-3, on Tuesday evening at Principal Park in the second game of a four-game set.
Nashville (45-52) has taken the first two games from the Cubs and has played in a PCL-high 43 one-run games this season, going 19-24 in those contests.
Outfielder Jordan Brown added two hits to extend his hitting streak to eight games, while second baseman Taylor Green drove in three of the four runs with his two hits.
In his last 11 starts between Double-A Huntsville and Nashville, Fiers is 6-2 with a 2.01 ERA (14er/62.2ip), holding opponents to a .180 average over that stretch (40-for-222).
Nashville starting pitchers are posting a combined 2.83 ERA in the club’s last nine games (15er/47.2ip). Sounds starters have struck out 39 batters while allowing only 35 hits in 47 2/3 innings over that stretch.
The Sounds jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on Iowa starter Nicholas Struck, as the Cubs pitcher tossed 34 pitches in the opening frame. The Sounds worked three walks in the inning, which came back to haunt Struck when Green hit a two-out, bases loaded, two-run single to center field. Green improved his average .833 (5-for-6) with 15 RBIs with the bases juiced this season.
Iowa scored their first run in the bottom of the fourth as Nashville starter Fiers experienced control issues. Fiers hit two batters and allowed a Brad Snyder single to load the bases, followed by a two-out walk to Marwin Gonzalez that scored DJ LeMahieu.
Each club scored a run in the sixth inning. Green recorded his 54th RBI with a base hit to center field that scored Erick Almonte. Iowa catcher Welington Castillo then retaliated with a solo home run to left field, his 13th of the season.
The Sounds extended their lead to 4-2 in the next inning, as Caleb Gindl led off the frame with a double to center. Gindl moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Fiers, and scored when Brown lined a base hit to left field.
The Cubs came within one run in the eighth inning as reliever Zack Segovia offered up a solo home run to leadoff hitter Brian LaHair that made it 4-3. LaHair’s homer was his PCL-leading 28th of the season.
Segovia allowed one run in one inning pitched. Mike McClendon converted his second save of the season while fanning two in a scoreless ninth.
Struck (0-3) took the tough luck loss to remain winless, allowing three runs in six innings in a quality start.
The Sounds and Cubs continue their four-game series at 7:05pm CT on Wednesday night at Principal Park. Right-hander Josh Butler (5-5, 4.80) mans the bump for Nashville against Iowa righty Jay Jackson (5-8, 5.89).
Box Score
Nashville Sounds (45-52) 4, Iowa Cubs (44-53) 3
July 19th, 2011
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 1 | |
| Iowa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | |
| Nashville | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farris, SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .262 |
| Brown, J, LF | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .271 |
| Carroll, CF | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .278 |
| Almonte, 1B | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | .289 |
| Gamel, 3B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .327 |
| Green, T, 2B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .314 |
| Nieves, C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .205 |
| Gindl, RF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .285 |
| Fiers, P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 |
| Segovia, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| a-Gonzalez, A, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .158 |
| McClendon, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Totals | 32 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 17 | .267 |
| a-Flied out for Segovia in the 9th. | ||||||||
| BATTING2B: Brown, J (13, Struck), Gindl (12, Parker).
TB: Farris; Brown, J 3; Gamel; Green, T 2; Gindl 2. RBI: Green, T 3 (54), Brown, J (25). 2-out RBI: Green, T 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Nieves; Almonte 2; Gindl; Carroll. SAC: Fiers. GIDP: Nieves. Team RISP: 3-for-12. Team LOB: 8.BASERUNNING SB: Brown, J (1, 2nd base off Parker/Castillo), Farris 2 (13, 2nd base off Maine/Castillo, 3rd base off Parker/Castillo). PO: Farris (1st base by Struck). FIELDING E: Segovia (1, pickoff). DP: 2 (Farris-Almonte, Fiers-Farris-Almonte). |
||||||||
| Iowa | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, B, CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .217 |
| Montanez, LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .335 |
| LeMahieu, 2B | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .329 |
| LaHair, 1B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .348 |
| Castillo, C | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .306 |
| Snyder, RF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .314 |
| Flaherty, 3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | .261 |
| Gonzalez, M, SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .333 |
| Parker, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| Maine, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| a-Colvin, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .264 |
| Struck, P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 |
| Mota, SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .315 |
| b-Moore, S, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .277 |
| Totals | 29 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 19 | .287 |
| a-Grounded out for Maine in the 9th. b-Struck out for Mota in the 9th. | ||||||||
| BATTINGHR: Castillo (13, 6th inning off Fiers, 0 on, 1 out), LaHair (28, 8th inning off Segovia, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Montanez; LaHair 4; Castillo 5; Snyder. RBI: Gonzalez, M (6), Castillo (32), LaHair (78). 2-out RBI: Gonzalez, M. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Gonzalez, M; Struck 2; Flaherty. GIDP: Montanez; LeMahieu. Team RISP: 1-for-7. Team LOB: 7.BASERUNNING CS: Jackson, B (1, 2nd base by Fiers/Nieves). FIELDING E: LaHair (4, throw). PB: Castillo (7). DP: (Flaherty-LeMahieu-LaHair). Pickoffs: Struck (Farris at 1st base). |
||||||||
| Nashville | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiers (W, 3-0) | 7.0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2.25 |
| Segovia (H, 1) | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4.15 |
| McClendon (S, 2) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2.38 |
| Totals | 9.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 4.46 |
| Iowa | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Struck (L, 0-3) | 6.0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5.63 |
| Parker | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3.86 |
| Maine | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3.86 |
| Totals | 9.0 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 6.01 |
HBP: LeMahieu (by Fiers), Castillo (by Fiers).
Pitches-strikes: Fiers 96-57, Segovia 22-13, McClendon 12-9, Struck 90-48, Parker 25-14, Maine 29-16.
Groundouts-flyouts: Fiers 7-4, Segovia 1-1, McClendon 1-0, Struck 6-5, Parker 2-0, Maine 3-1.
Batters faced: Fiers 29, Segovia 5, McClendon 3, Struck 25, Parker 6, Maine 8.
Umpires: HP: Eric Loveless. 1B: Jordan Baker. 2B: . 3B: Matt Schaufert.
Weather: 97 degrees, clear.
Wind: 14 mph, Out to CF.
T: 2:51.
Att: 5,997.
Compiled by MLB Advanced Media
