Nashville Sounds start 2014 with 4-2 win over Omaha Storm Chasers

Nashville Sounds Baseball

Gomez Goes Deep in Triple-A Debut; Velez 2-For-3 with Two Runs

Papillion, NE – The Nashville Sounds secured a season-opening win Friday night at Werner Park, highlighted by a three-run home run from shortstop Hector Gomez, to defeat the Omaha Storm Chasers by a score of 4-2.

Gomez entered the game as the only Sounds player without Triple-A experience, but did not waste any time to contribute: adding to the Sounds 1-0 lead in the fourth inning with a deep drive over the left-field wall to claim Nashville’s first home run of the season. The shot scored Caleb Gindl, who singled with two outs, and Eugenio Velez to give Nashville the 4-0 advantage.

Right-handed pitcher Johnny Hellweg (1-0) led the Sounds defensively, turning in 5 1/3 innings of work from the hill to pick up the win. The reigning Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year allowed two earned runs on six hits in the contest, fanned four Chasers and walked two.

Reliever Donovan Hand entered in the sixth for Hellweg with one out and Omaha’s Jimmy Paredes on third. Hand induced his first batter, Brian Fletcher, into a grounder that third baseman Irving Falu fielded and threw to catcher Robinzon Diaz to eliminate the scoring threat.

Hand completed the sixth and remained in the game for a scoreless seventh inning to finish with two strikeouts and one hit over 1 2/3 innings pitched. Michael Blazek made his Sounds debut in the home half of the eighth inning and limited Omaha to just one hit before closer Rob Wooten worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning to notch the save.

On top of the solid pitching, the Sounds defense turned three double-plays in the game.

Dwyer (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing Nashville four runs on four hits, two walks, one error, and a pair of wild pitches.

The Sounds had the bases loaded with one out in the third inning, but the Storm Chasers kept Nashville to one run in the frame as Diaz grounded into a 5-2-3 double-play.

Velez’s single in the third extends his Sounds hit streak to 23 games, which began last season on August 12, and his on-base streak to 37 games. He finished the night with two of the team’s six hits.

The Sounds play games two and three of the series as part of a doubleheader beginning at 2:05pm.

Throwing for the Sounds will be Milwaukee Brewers top prospect RHP Jimmy Nelson opposite Omaha’s RHP Aaron Brooks, while lefty Brad Mills gets the nod for Nashville in the nightcap against LHP John Lamb. Both games will be seven-inning contests and will be broadcast on 102.5-FM The GAME.

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