Metairie, LA – The Nashville Sounds lost 2-1 to the New Orleans Zephyrs in a wild extra-inning affair on Friday night at Zephyr Field. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the twelfth inning, New Orleans first baseman Ben Lasater scored the controversial game-winning run on a throwing error by Sounds catcher Martin Maldonado.
The Zephyrs previously loaded the bases with one out on reliever Jim Henderson. Third baseman Matt Dominguez would then hit a grounder to second baseman Eric Farris, who threw home to get the force and begin the double play. After Maldonado stepped on the plate, the backstop airmailed a throw past first baseman Sean Halton down the right field line to end the game.
The Sounds were held to six hits in the contest, with three coming from outfielder Caleb Gindl, including a double for the second straight night.
Sounds pitcher Mike Fiers allowed one run on three hits while striking out seven in six innings of work for a quality start and no-decision.
Fiers, who did not allow an earned run during the first three innings in any of his 10 PCL starts (30.0 IP) last season, gave up his only run in the first frame as the the Zephyrs quickly took a 1-0 advantage. Leadoff hitter Kevin Mattison singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, and then came home on two consecutive infield groundouts.
The 26-year-old settled down to retire 13 of the next 14 batters, including a stretch of 11 straight Zephyrs sat down.
Nashville’s only run came in the top of the fifth inning thanks to two consecutive throwing errors by the Zephyrs. With two outs in the inning, center fielder Logan Schafer reached base and moved to scoring position after second baseman Gil Velazquez committed the first throwing error of the frame. Farris then hit an infield dribbler, but shortstop Donovan Solano made another throwing error that allowed Schafer to score.
In a new relief role, Amaury Rivas struck out one over one scoreless inning. Dan Meadows stranded his only inherited runner in a shutout frame. Mike McClendon followed with two hitless innings.
Zephyrs starter Brad Hand also took a no-decision, allowing one unearned run on five hits and seven strikeouts in five innings of work. Elih Villanueva (1-0) picked up the win with a scoreless inning.
The Sounds and Zephyrs continue their series with the third game of a four-game set at 6:00pm CT on Saturday night at Zephyr Field. Right-hander Josh Butler will make his season debut on the mound and face New Orleans southpaw Wade LeBlanc.
Box Score
New Orleans Zephyrs (2-0) 2, Nashville Sounds (0-2) 1
April 6th, 2012
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville Sounds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| New Orleans Zephyrs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
Two out when winning run scored.
| Nashville | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schafer, CF | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .111 |
| Farris, 2B | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .200 |
| Gindl, LF-RF | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .556 |
| Green, T, 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .143 |
| Halton, 1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .571 |
| Statia, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .250 |
| Maldonado, C | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .222 |
| Patterson, C, RF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .000 |
| Henderson, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Fiers, P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 |
| a-Buller, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Rivas, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Meadows, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| b-Almonte, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| McClendon, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Maysonet, LF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .200 |
| Totals | 41 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 14 | .224 |
| a-Struck out for Fiers in the 7th. b-Grounded out for Meadows in the 9th. | ||||||||
| BATTING 2B: Gindl (2, Delaney). TB: Farris; Maldonado; Statia; Gindl 4. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Patterson, C; Maldonado; Green, T; Statia; Halton. GIDP: Farris. Team RISP: 1-for-6. Team LOB: 10.FIELDING E: Halton (1, throw), Maldonado (1, throw). PB: Maldonado (1). DP: (Green, T-Farris-Halton). |
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| New Orleans | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mattison, CF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | .125 |
| Solano, SS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .125 |
| Cousins, RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .375 |
| Petersen, LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .125 |
| Lasater, 1B | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .333 |
| Velazquez, 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Dominguez, 3B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .125 |
| Sammons, C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | .143 |
| Hand, P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| a-Aguila, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 |
| Hatcher, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Jennings, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| b-Lambin, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Delaney, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Rosario, S, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| c-Armstrong, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
| Villanueva, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Totals | 40 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 12 | .183 |
| a-Struck out for Hand in the 5th. b-Grounded into a fielder’s choice for Jennings in the 8th. c-Struck out for Rosario, S in the 11th. | ||||||||
| BATTING 2B: Cousins (1, Fiers). TB: Cousins 2; Dominguez; Lasater; Sammons; Mattison. RBI: Cousins (2). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Petersen; Solano. GIDP: Lasater. Team RISP: 0-for-6. Team LOB: 6.BASERUNNING SB: Mattison (1, 2nd base off Meadows/Maldonado), Lasater (1, 2nd base off Henderson/Maldonado). FIELDING |
||||||||
| Nashville | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiers | 6.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1.50 |
| Rivas | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Meadows | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| McClendon | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Henderson (L, 0-1) | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Totals | 11.2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 3.20 |
| New Orleans | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand | 5.0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Hatcher | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Jennings | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Delaney | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Rosario, S | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Villanueva (W, 1-0) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Totals | 12.0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 0.86 |
Rivas pitched to 1 batter in the 8th.
WP: Fiers.
IBB: Green, T (by Delaney), Velazquez (by Henderson).
Pitches-strikes: Fiers 84-56, Rivas 15-9, Meadows 9-6, McClendon 24-13, Henderson 35-20, Hand 72-48, Hatcher 35-22, Jennings 19-13, Delaney 28-15, Rosario, S 10-8, Villanueva 15-8.
Groundouts-flyouts: Fiers 8-1, Rivas 1-1, Meadows 2-0, McClendon 4-0, Henderson 2-0, Hand 3-3, Hatcher 1-2, Jennings 1-0, Delaney 4-1, Rosario, S 1-1, Villanueva 1-0.
Batters faced: Fiers 22, Rivas 4, Meadows 3, McClendon 6, Henderson 8, Hand 22, Hatcher 7, Jennings 4, Delaney 8, Rosario, S 3, Villanueva 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Meadows 1-0.
Umpires: HP: D.J. Reyburn. 1B: Brett Robson. 2B: Chris Segal. 3B: Tyler Funneman.
Weather: 83 degrees, clear.
Wind: 6 mph, L to R.
T: 3:31.
Att: 7,912.
