Amaury Rivas Throws Quality Start In Triple-A Debut
Nashville, TN – The Nashville Sounds opened the 2011 season with a 5-1 win over the visiting New Orleans Zephyrs on Thursday evening at Greer Stadium in front of 7,144 people on Opening Night.
Newcomers Brandon Boggs and Edwin Maysonet each homered in their Sounds debuts, while starter Amaury Rivas (1-0) picked up the win while tossing a quality start in his first Triple-A outing, a speedy 77-pitch effort.
After allowing a leadoff double to Zephyrs prospect Ozzie Martinez, Rivas settled down to retire the next 14 consecutive batters, surrendering just three total hits over his seven innings pitched.
The Sounds banged out a total of 13 hits on the night, with five players each producing multiple- hit efforts. Eris Farris went 3-for-5 with a double and run scored, while Mat Gamel and Zelous Wheeler each recorded two hits.
After the Zephyrs scored in the top of the first, the Sounds squared up the contest at 1-1 in the bottom of the third inning. Farris singled up the middle to centerfield, stole second base, and was brought home after Gamel laced a two-out RBI-single to right field.
Nashville would score the final four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull ahead 5-1. After Brett Carroll singled, Zelous Wheeler bunted up the third base line to reach base. Boggs then tattooed his first homer of the season over the right field wall after bunting foul twice earlier in the at-bat. Maysonet followed with solo shot to left later in the inning.
Reliever Mike McClendon fanned two while tossing two scoreless frames to end the contest for Nashville.
Elih Villanueva (0-1) took the loss after giving up four runs on 10 hits over five innings for the Zephyrs.
The Sounds and Zephyrs continue with the second-game of a four-game series at 7:05pm on Friday evening at Greer Stadium. Brewers top prospect and right-handed starter Mark Rogers will make his season-debut for the Sounds against New Orleans left-hander Sean West.
