Nashville, TN – A Greer Stadium crowd of 9,944 fans watched the Nashville Sounds top the division-rival Memphis Redbirds in an exciting 5-4 victory on Independence Day in the opener of a four-game series.
In the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases loaded, outfielder Brett Carroll was hit by a Chuckie Fick inside fastball to force the game-winning run to score from third base. Nashville loaded the bases earlier in the inning on a walk, base hit and Memphis fielding error.
A combined four homers were hit in the contest by both clubs. Brandon Boggs and Erick Almonte each went yard for the Sounds. Eric Farris went 2-for-5 from the leadoff spot to extend his hitting streak to a season-best 10 games, the longest active streak on the club.
In a no-decision, Sounds starter Josh Butler surrendered three runs on seven hits while fanning nine over seven innings, both a season-high. His nine strikeouts on the evening matched a season-best set by Frankie De La Cruz on April 20th at New Orleans. The quality start was Butler’s second in a row and fourth of the season.
The Sounds jumped on the board to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Boggs worked a four-pitch walk, stole second base, and came home to score as Jordan Brown doubled down the right field line.
Memphis took a 2-1 lead in the in the next frame. Adron Chambers hit an infield single and was followed by a two-run homer over the wall in right field by shortstop Tyler Greene, his first of the season.
Boggs knotted the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth with his seventh homer of the season over the right field picnic area.
Redbirds catcher Bryan Anderson untied the game in the top of the seventh with his fourth homer of the season.
Nashville plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take their first lead at 3-2. After Edwin Maysonet looped a lazy single over the shortstop’s head, the pinch-hitter extraordinaire Almonte belted a two-run shot off Memphis’ Corey Rauschenberger that just missed the guitar-shaped scoreboard in left center. The homer was Almonte’s third of the season and second in a pinch-hitting role.
The Almonte homer moved the Sounds to a perfect 5-for-5 with six RBIs in their last six pinch-hit opportunities.
The Redbirds tied the contest at 4-4 in the next frame. Tim Dillard came into the contest to relieve Butler and allowed consecutive singles to Greene and Nick Stavinoha. Donovan Solano then singled to center field to score Greene for the tying run.
Dillard (4-1) gave up one run while scattering five hits in two innings pitched for the win. Dillard is now one win away from tying Keith Brown’s (1988-92) franchise-leading 35 wins in Nashville Sounds history.
Memphis starter Adam Ottavino pitched a quality start for the Redbirds, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks with three strikeouts in six innings. Rich Rundles (1-3) was charged with the loss.
The Sounds and division-rival Memphis Redbirds continue their brief three-game series at 7:05pm CT on Tuesday night at Greer Stadium. Nashville left-hander Chase Wright (5-5, 5.43) toes the rubber against Memphis southpaw Nick Additon (2-4, 3.38).
Box Score
Nashville Sounds (38-46) 5, Memphis Redbirds (45-39) 4
July 4th, 2011
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 1 | |
| Nashville | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 0 | |
Two out when winning run scored.
| Memphis | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chambers, CF | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .273 |
| Greene, SS | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .298 |
| Stavinoha, 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .258 |
| Brown, A, RF-LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .320 |
| Carpenter, M, 3B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .281 |
| Solano, 3B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .260 |
| Luna, LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .289 |
| Rundles, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Fick, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Kozma, 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .211 |
| Anderson, C | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .251 |
| Ottavino, P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .125 |
| a-Jones, D, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .252 |
| Rauschenberger, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| Rapoport, RF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .254 |
| Totals | 37 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 11 | .263 |
| a-Struck out for Ottavino in the 7th. | ||||||||
| BATTING
HR: Greene (1, 3rd inning off Butler, Js, 1 on, 2 out), Anderson (4, 7th inning off Butler, Js, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Chambers 2; Greene 7; Stavinoha; Carpenter, M; Solano; Luna; Anderson 4; Rapoport. RBI: Greene 2 (5), Anderson (18), Solano (23). 2-out RBI: Greene 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Brown, A; Stavinoha; Luna; Greene. Team RISP: 1-for-6. Team LOB: 7.FIELDING E: Stavinoha (5, missed catch). DP: (Kozma-Greene-Stavinoha). |
||||||||
| Nashville | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farris, 2B | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .269 |
| Gindl, RF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .270 |
| Carroll, CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .292 |
| Green, T, 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .305 |
| Rivera, Mi, C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .250 |
| Boggs, LF | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .245 |
| Brown, J, 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .252 |
| Maysonet, SS | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .260 |
| Butler, Js, P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .111 |
| a-Almonte, PH | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .291 |
| Dillard, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .200 |
| b-Nieves, PH | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .268 |
| Totals | 33 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 16 | .269 |
| a-Homered for Butler, Js in the 7th. b-Singled for Dillard in the 9th. | ||||||||
| BATTING
2B: Brown, J (10, Ottavino). HR: Boggs (7, 4th inning off Ottavino, 0 on, 2 out), Almonte (3, 7th inning off Rauschenberger, 1 on, 1 out). TB: Farris 2; Boggs 4; Brown, J 2; Maysonet; Almonte 4; Nieves. RBI: Brown, J (19), Boggs (23), Almonte 2 (18), Carroll (46). 2-out RBI: Boggs; Carroll. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Green, T; Butler, Js; Gindl. GIDP: Gindl. Team RISP: 1-for-9. Team LOB: 8.BASERUNNING SB: Boggs (3, 2nd base off Ottavino/Anderson), Farris (10, 2nd base off Ottavino/Anderson). FIELDING Outfield assists: Carroll 2 (Carpenter, M at 2nd base, Solano at 2nd base). |
||||||||
| Memphis | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottavino | 6.0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3.91 |
| Rauschenberger (BS, 1) | 1.1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2.63 |
| Rundles (L, 1-3) | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.50 |
| Fick | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.63 |
| Totals | 8.2 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3.75 |
| Nashville | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler, Js | 7.0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 5.31 |
| Dillard (BS, 1)(W, 4-1) | 2.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.58 |
| Totals | 9.0 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 4.49 |
WP: Butler, Js.
HBP: Green, T (by Rundles), Carroll (by Fick).
Pitches-strikes: Ottavino 90-52, Rauschenberger 18-12, Rundles 21-9, Fick 4-3, Butler, Js 98-66, Dillard 33-22.
Groundouts-flyouts: Ottavino 7-3, Rauschenberger 3-0, Rundles 0-1, Fick 1-1, Butler, Js 7-2, Dillard 2-1.
Batters faced: Ottavino 24, Rauschenberger 6, Rundles 6, Fick 3, Butler, Js 28, Dillard 10.
Inherited runners-scored: Fick 2-1.
Umpires: HP: Mike Jarboe. 1B: Tyler Funneman. 2B: . 3B: Tripp Gibson.
Weather: 85 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 2 mph, L to R.
T: 2:51.
Att: 9,944.
Compiled by MLB Advanced Media
