Taijuan Walker Throws 6 1/3 Scoreless Innings for Tacoma
Nashville, TN – The Nashville Sounds scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth but the rally came up short in a 6-4 loss to the Tacoma Rainiers Thursday night in front of 8,182 fans at First Tennessee Park.
Trailing 6-0 going into the ninth, the Sounds rallied and eventually put the winning run on base. Joey Wendle started the outburst with a one-out single. Matt McBride followed with a single of his own before Colin Walsh scored both with a double down the left field line to trim the deficit to 6-2.
Matt Olson drew a walk to load the bases but Andrew Kittredge struck out Matt Chapman with the bases loaded to slam the door.
The offense was stuck in neutral all night as Taijuan Walker threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up his first Triple-A win of the season. He held the Sounds to just three hits and two walks.
The Rainiers jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Mike Freeman’s sacrifice fly in the third. They added three in the fifth against Daniel Mengden on the strength of five singles in the frame.
Mengden allowed four runs on eight hits, both season highs with Nashville. The loss dropped his record to 6-2 on the season.
It looked like the Sounds were going to go quietly as Paul Fry and Tony Zych helped Walker by finishing the seventh and getting through the eighth unscathed.
David Rollins started the ninth for Tacoma but allowed four runs in 2/3 of an inning before leaving in favor of Kittredge who wobbled early but retired Chapman to end it.
The loss dropped the Sounds to a division-best 72-54 with 18 games remaining.
The series finale is scheduled for Friday night at First Tennessee Park. Right-hander Raul Alcantara (3-0, 0.59) starts for the Sounds against right-hander Zach Lee (7-11, 5.57) for the Rainiers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm.
Tickets for the 2016 Pacific Coast League playoff dates at First Tennessee Park are now available for purchase at the Nashville Sounds box office and online at www.nashvillesounds.com
The 2016 season is the Sounds’ 19th year in the Pacific Coast League and their second as the Oakland Athletics’ top affiliate.
