Nashville, TN – The Nashville Sounds lost a 3-2 pitching duel to the Albuquerque Isotopes, as two Pacific Coast League All-Star starting pitchers tossed fine pitching performances in front of more than 8,000 fans at Greer Stadium on Saturday night.
Albuquerque All-Star and former Sound Dana Eveland (9-5) picked up a victory after surrendering just one run on three hits in seven innings of work.
Nashville All-Star Sam Narron (4-4) matched with a quality start of his own but came away with a tough loss. The left-hander gave up two runs on seven hits in six innings of work, tossing a season-high 119 pitches.
Nashville (43-50) has played in a PCL-high 42 one-run games this season, going 18-24 in those contests. The Sounds’ 24 one-run losses are most in the PCL and account for nearly half of the club’s total defeats.
The Isotopes jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Ivan De Jesus Jr. led off the contest with a double off the right field wall and later scored as third baseman Russell Mitchell singled to left.
The Sounds lineup was hitless through the first three innings before outfielder Caleb Gindl looped a single between the second baseman and right fielder. First baseman Erick Almonte followed by lining a base hit to center field.
Albuquerque left fielder Trayvon Robinson untied the game in the top of the sixth inning with his 22nd home run of the season, a solo shot off the guitar-shaped scoreboard. The home run moved Robinson into a tie for third place in the PCL.
The Isotopes tacked on their final run in the next inning for a 3-1 advantage. Reliever Donovan Hand came into the contest and gave up a solo homer on the first pitch to Corey Smith off the out-of-town scoreboard in left field. The home run was Smith’s seventh of the season.
The Sounds rallied in the bottom of the ninth to come within one run at 3-2, but failed to come away with a victory. Catcher Mike Rivera and outfielder Brandon Boggs each worked a two-out walks off Albuquerque reliever Merkin Valdez, followed by an RBI single by Jordan Brown that chased the reliever from the game. Closer Justin Miller then came into the contest and struck out pinch-hitter Taylor Green looking on a back door slider to end the contest and pick up his third save of the season.
Hand fanned three while giving up the one home run in two innings. Daniel Herrera finished the game for Nashville with a scoreless ninth inning.
In his first game at third base for the Sounds, Mat Gamel went 0-for-2 to snap his season-best 11-game hitting streak, the longest active streak on the club.
The Sounds and Isotopes wrap up their season series at 6:35pm CT on Sunday evening at Greer Stadium. Right-hander Amaury Rivas (6-8, 4.41) takes the mound for Nashville against right-hander John Ely (5-4, 5.18).
Box Score
Albuquerque Isotopes (49-45) 3, Nashville Sounds (43-51) 2
July 16th, 2011
| Â | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque      | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 | |
| Nashville      | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | |
| Â | |||||||||||||
| Albuquerque | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Jesus, 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .305 |
| Ellis, A, C | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .308 |
| Sands, RF-1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .294 |
| Mitchell, 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .244 |
| Robinson, T, LF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .300 |
| Hoffmann, CF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .283 |
| Smith, C, 1B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .252 |
| Â Â Miller, Ju, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Sellers, SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .280 |
| Eveland, P | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .080 |
| Â Â Corcoran, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Â Â Valdez, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Â Â Gibbons, RF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .299 |
| Totals | 33 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 10 | .289 |
| Â | ||||||||
| Â | ||||||||
| Â | ||||||||
| BATTING
2B: De Jesus (12, Narron). HR: Robinson, T (22, 6th inning off Narron, 0 on, 2 out), Smith, C (7, 7th inning off Hand, 0 on, 0 out). TB: De Jesus 2; Ellis, A; Mitchell; Robinson, T 5; Smith, C 4; Sellers; Eveland. RBI: Mitchell (31), Robinson, T (57), Smith, C (21). 2-out RBI: Mitchell; Robinson, T. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Mitchell 2. GIDP: Sands; De Jesus. Team RISP: 1-for-3. Team LOB: 4.BASERUNNING CS: Robinson, T (5, 2nd base by Narron/Rivera, Mi). PO: Robinson, T (1st base by Narron). FIELDING PB: Ellis, A (6). DP: 2 (Mitchell-Smith, C, Sellers-De Jesus-Smith, C). |
||||||||
| Nashville | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farris, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .263 |
| Gindl, CF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .286 |
| Gonzalez, A, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .167 |
| Almonte, 1B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .287 |
| Gamel, 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | .327 |
| Rivera, Mi, C | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .244 |
| Boggs, RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .230 |
| Brown, J, LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .264 |
| Narron, P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .182 |
| Â Â Hand, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| Â Â a-Carroll, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .288 |
| Â Â Herrera, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Â Â b-Green, T, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .310 |
| Totals | 29 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 13 | .269 |
| Â | ||||||||
| a-Struck out for Hand in the 8th. b-Struck out for Herrera in the 9th. | ||||||||
| Â | ||||||||
| BATTING
2B: Gindl (11, Eveland). TB: Farris; Gindl 2; Almonte; Rivera, Mi; Brown, J. RBI: Almonte (20), Brown, J (23). 2-out RBI: Brown, J. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Boggs; Brown, J; Gonzalez, A; Green, T. SAC: Gonzalez, A. GIDP: Rivera, Mi; Boggs. Team RISP: 2-for-9. Team LOB: 7.FIELDING E: Gamel (9, throw). DP: 2 (Gamel-Gonzalez, A-Almonte, Farris-Gonzalez, A-Almonte). Pickoffs: Narron (Robinson, T at 1st base). |
||||||||
| Albuquerque | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eveland (W, 9-5) | 7.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3.62 |
| Corcoran (H, 1) | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Valdez (H, 9) | 0.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3.58 |
| Miller, Ju (S, 3) | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.23 |
| Totals | 9.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 5.28 |
| Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
| Nashville | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Narron (L, 4-4) | 6.0 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3.79 |
| Hand | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3.38 |
| Herrera | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.33 |
| Totals | 9.0 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 4.46 |
| Â |
HBP: Gamel (by Eveland).
Pitches-strikes: Eveland 107-61, Corcoran 16-11, Valdez 23-9, Miller, Ju 6-4, Narron 119-75, Hand 28-17, Herrera 13-6.
Groundouts-flyouts: Eveland 13-1, Corcoran 1-1, Valdez 0-1, Miller, Ju 0-0, Narron 7-3, Hand 2-1, Herrera 2-1.
Batters faced: Eveland 26, Corcoran 4, Valdez 5, Miller, Ju 1, Narron 24, Hand 7, Herrera 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Miller, Ju 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Tyler Funneman. 1B: Mike Jarboe. 2B: . 3B: Tripp Gibson.
Weather: 83 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 3 mph, In from CF.
T: 3:00.
Att: 8,044.
Compiled by MLB Advanced Media
