Gamel’s Walkoff Blast Caps Four-Run Ninth In Sounds’ 4-3 Win

June 25, 2011 |

Nashville, TN – The Nashville Sounds plated four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, capped by Mat Gamel’s walkoff two-run homer, to record an exciting 4-3 victory over the visiting New Orleans Zephyrs in front of 8,211 fans on Saturday evening at Greer Stadium in the opener of a four-game series.

Trailing 3-0 entering the game’s final half-inning, all four Sounds batters who came to the plate in the ninth against New Orleans reliever Frank Mata scored as Nashville (34-42) picked up its seventh last at-bat win of the year and its fourth victory in a game it trailed in the eighth inning or later.

Nashville Sounds Baseball

The red-hot Gamel followed by hammering an 0-1 Mata fastball over the home run deck in right-center field for the game-winner, his team-leading 17th home run of the season.

With a 2-for-4 evening, Gamel extended his hitting streak to seven games. He is hitting .423 (11-for-26) over that stretch, the longest active streak by any Sounds player.

The late Sounds heroics wiped out a tremendous start by New Orleans right-hander Elih Villanueva, who turned in his best outing of the season but was left with a no-decision for his efforts. He held the Sounds to four hits, didn’t walk a batter, and struck out eight in eight scoreless innings of work.

Mata (1-5) failed to retire a batter and took the loss after suffering his third blown save of the year for New Orleans.

Sounds reliever Zack Segovia (3-3) was the beneficiary of the late rally, earning the win after tossing a scoreless inning.

Villanueva opened the scoring and helped his own cause by drilling a one-out solo homer to left off Sounds starter Sam Narron in the top of the third inning.

The roundtripper – the first of Villanueva’s pro career – was the first by an opposing pitcher against Nashville since Chris Narveson, then with Memphis, took Justin Lehr deep on July 4, 2006.

The visitors extended their lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Z’s center fielder Josh Kroeger smashed a hanging Narron curveball deep beyond the wall in right for a two-run homer. The blast, his 11th of the year, also plated Matt Dominguez, who preceded Kroeger with a single.

Narron, who departed on the short end of a 3-0 deficit but ultimately took a no-decision, worked his fifth quality start of the year for the Sounds, allowing three runs on five hits over seven innings.

The teams continue the series with another 6:35pm meeting on Sunday. Right-hander Amaury Rivas (5-7, 4.27) will make the start for the Sounds to face New Orleans right-hander Tom Koehler (5-5, 5.47).

Box Score

Nashville Sounds (34-42) 4, New Orleans Zephyrs (38-39) 3

June 25th, 2011

None out when winning run scored.

Mata pitched to 4 batters in the 9th.

Pitches-strikes: Villanueva 103-67, Mata 10-10, Narron 93-64, James 11-7, Segovia 6-5.

Groundouts-flyouts: Villanueva 4-4, Mata 0-0, Narron 8-5, James 2-0, Segovia 1-0.

Batters faced: Villanueva 28, Mata 4, Narron 25, James 3, Segovia 3.

Umpires: HP: Darren Budahn. 1B: Chris Segal. 2B: . 3B: Mark Buchanan.

Weather: 88 degrees, partly cloudy.

Wind: 1 mph, In from CF.

T: 2:13.

Att: 8,211.

Compiled by MLB Advanced Media

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