Almonte Homers For Lone Nashville Runs In Contest
Des Moines, IA – The Nashville Sounds suffered their second consecutive loss to the division-leading Iowa Cubs on Sunday afternoon, falling 3-2 at Principal Park.
With the defeat, the Sounds (66-62) dropped a season-high eight games behind the I-Cubs with only 16 games remaining on their schedule.
Nashville out-hit Iowa in the game, 8-6, but finished just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base on the afternoon.
After the Sounds left runners in scoring position in each of the first two frames, Iowa took a 1-0 lead in the second on Bryan LaHair’s RBI single off Nashville starter Marty McLeary (6-8), who drew the loss despite a quality start effort (6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R).
Nashville pulled in front, 2-1, in the fifth when Adam Stern (3-for-4) led off with a double then scored on Erick Almonte’s second home run of the season, a two-run shot to left-center off Iowa starter Jay Jackson.
The I-Cubs responded immediately, however, getting both runs back in the home half of the frame against McLeary. LaHair led off with a double and tied the contest at 2-2 when he scored two batters later on a Matt Camp double. The Cubs pulled back ahead later in the frame when catcher Chris Robinson scored on a bases-loaded, double-play groundout.
The Sounds’ best chance to tie the contest again came in the eighth, when they put runners on first and second with one out against Cubs reliever Jeff Gray. However, Norris Hopper bounced into a fielder’s choice before the right-hander induced an inning-ending lineout from Ben Johnson to escape the jam unscathed.
Right-hander Jeff Stevens worked around a one-out Stern single in the ninth to work a scoreless frame and notch his fifth save of the year.
Jackson (10-8) picked up the win for Iowa after holding the Sounds to two runs on five hits while striking out six over his five innings of work.
The division rivals continue the series with a 7:05pm meeting on Monday. Left-hander Sam Narron (7-7, 4.32) is scheduled to start for the Sounds. Iowa will counter with right-hander Austin Bibens-Dirkx (5-1, 2.61).
Iowa Cubs (74-54) 3, Nashville Sounds (66-62) 2
August 22nd, 2010
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| Iowa | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | x | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| Nashville | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stern, LF | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .319 |
| Farris, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .288 |
| Villanueva, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Smith, C, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| b-Olmedo, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .284 |
| Almonte, 3B | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .332 |
| Koshansky, 1B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .247 |
| Cruz, L, SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .282 |
| Katin, RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .269 |
| Hopper, CF | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .301 |
| Johnson, B, C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .190 |
| McLeary, P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .214 |
| a-Raburn, PH-2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .254 |
| Totals | 35 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 23 | .275 |
| a-Struck out for McLeary in the 7th. b-Lined out for Smith, C in the 9th. | ||||||||
| BATTING
2B: Stern (14, Jackson, J). HR: Almonte (2, 5th inning off Jackson, J, 1 on, 1 out). TB: Stern 4; Almonte 4; Koshansky; Katin; Hopper 2. RBI: Almonte 2 (33). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Koshansky; McLeary; Cruz, L; Johnson, B. Team RISP: 1-for-8. Team LOB: 10.BASERUNNING SB: Stern (6, 2nd base off Jackson, J/Robinson, C). FIELDING DP: 3 (Farris-Cruz, L-Koshansky 2, McLeary-Johnson, B-Koshansky). |
||||||||
| Iowa | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wright, T, RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .238 |
| Adduci, CF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .255 |
| Smith, M, 3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .326 |
| Hoffpauir, M, 1B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .282 |
| Scales, 2B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .258 |
| LaHair, LF | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .305 |
| Robinson, C, C | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .231 |
| Camp, SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .291 |
| Jackson, J, P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .296 |
| a-Dubois, PH | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .247 |
| Chen, H, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| b-Snyder, Br, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .301 |
| Gray, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Stevens, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Totals | 27 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 10 | .278 |
| a-Walked for Jackson, J in the 5th. b-Popped out for Chen, H in the 7th. | ||||||||
| BATTING
2B: LaHair (29, McLeary), Camp (15, McLeary). TB: Adduci; Hoffpauir, M; Scales; LaHair 3; Camp 2. RBI: LaHair (69), Camp (34). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Camp; Adduci. S: Robinson, C. GIDP: Smith, M; Wright, T; Robinson, C. Team RISP: 2-for-8. Team LOB: 4. |
||||||||
| Nashville | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLeary (L, 6-8) | 6.0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6.82 |
| Villanueva | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.97 |
| Smith, C | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3.77 |
| Totals | 8.0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4.31 |
| Iowa | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, J (W, 10-8) | 5.0 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 4.27 |
| Chen, H (H, 3) | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5.15 |
| Gray (H, 4) | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.26 |
| Stevens (S, 5) | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.38 |
| Totals | 9.0 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 4.17 |
WP: McLeary.
HBP: Cruz, L (by Jackson, J), Farris (by Chen, H), Koshansky (by Gray).
Pitches-strikes: McLeary 81-52, Villanueva 8-6, Smith, C 18-11, Jackson, J 82-53, Chen, H 29-18, Gray 11-9, Stevens 18-13.
Groundouts-flyouts: McLeary 12-3, Villanueva 0-3, Smith, C 0-1, Jackson, J 3-6, Chen, H 2-1, Gray 1-1, Stevens 0-1.
Batters faced: McLeary 25, Villanueva 3, Smith, C 3, Jackson, J 23, Chen, H 7, Gray 5, Stevens 4.
Umpires: HP: Cory Blaser. 1B: John Tumpane. 2B: . 3B: Mark Buchanan.
Weather: 87 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 5 mph, Varies.
T: 2:37.
Att: 6,769.
Compiled by MLB Advanced Media
