Nashville Sounds score in the Ninth to beat Sacramento River Cats 5-4

Nashville Sounds Baseball

West Sacremento, CA – Outfielder Logan Schafer scored on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth inning to give the Nashville Sounds a 5-4 victory over the Sacramento River Cats on Tuesday night at Raley Field.

Schafer, who collected two hits in his first game since being activated from the disabled list, previously reached on a triple to center field in the ninth and scored with two outs on Merkin Valdez’s wild pitch during the Edwin Maysonet at-bat.

Eighteen of Nashville’s 53 victories this season have come when the Sounds score the winning run in their final turn at the plate, which has been the case in four of the club’s last six wins.

Designated hitter Jordan Brown had two hits for his team-leading 27th multiple-hit effort. Shortstop Jeff Bianchi homered for the second consecutive night.

Sounds starting pitcher Tyler Thornburg was charged with two early runs over a 33-pitch first inning, as Sacramento jumped out to a 2-0 advantage. Leadoff hitter Jermaine Mitchell worked a five-pitch walk and proceeded to score on the following play as Grant Green crushed a double to center. Josh Donaldson followed with an RBI single to left.

Sacramento starter Tyson Ross was cruising until the Sounds were able to plate three runs in the sixth and take a 3-2 lead. Third baseman Edwin Maysonet began the rally with a high-bouncing double down the third base line and later scored on an infield single from second baseman Eric Farris.

After Jordan Brown’s second hit of the game moved to Farris to scoring position and a groundout from first baseman Tay Green, outfielder Khris Davis smashed a two-run single up the middle to give Nashville a 3-2 advantage.

Bianchi went deep for the second consecutive game to extend the Sounds’ lead to 4-2 in the next inning off Arnold Leon. Bianchi’s third home run of the season also extended his hitting streak to a season-best seven games.

The River Cats got both runs back over the next two innings to tie the game at 4-4. Shane Peterson singled off reliever Mitch Stetter and scored two batters later on a RBI triple from Mitchell in the seventh.

Designated hitter Kila Ka’aihue opened the eighth with a double and was pinch run for by Wes Timmons, who moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a RBI single Daric Barton.

Thornburg settled in after a rough first inning to keep the River Cats scoreless over the next four frames in a no-decision. The 23-year-old also fanned six while walking five in five innings of work.

Tim Dillard pitched a scoreless inning. Stetter was charged with a run in 1/3 of an inning. Jesus Sanchez (3-0) gave up one run on two hits in 1 2/3 innings for the victory.

Ross fanned seven over six innings while allowing three runs in a quality start no-decision. Valdez (0-1) took the loss.

The Sounds and River Cats wrap up their four-game season series with a 2:05pm CT afternoon finale on Wednesday at Raley Field. Nashville righty Hiram Burgos (0-1, 7.84) will toe the rubber in the finale against Sacramento right-hander Bruce Billings (7-4, 3.67).

Box Score

Nashville Sounds (54-64) 5, Sacramento River Cats (71-47) 4
August 7th, 2012

WP: Sanchez, Je, Ross, T, Valdez, M.
IBB: Bianchi (by Valdez, M).
Pitches-strikes: Thornburg 81-47, Dillard 13-9, Stetter 5-5, Sanchez, Je 25-14, Wooten 10-9, Ross, T 90-63, Leon, Ar 20-11, Valdez, M 17-9.
Groundouts-flyouts: Thornburg 4-2, Dillard 1-0, Stetter 1-0, Sanchez, Je 3-0, Wooten 1-1, Ross, T 10-0, Leon, Ar 3-1, Valdez, M 2-0.
Batters faced: Thornburg 21, Dillard 4, Stetter 3, Sanchez, Je 6, Wooten 4, Ross, T 24, Leon, Ar 7, Valdez, M 5.
Inherited runners-scored: Sanchez, Je 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Quinn Wolcott. 1B: John Tumpane. 3B: Brian Sinclair.
Weather: 91 degrees, clear.
Wind: 13 mph, Varies.
T: 2:47.
Att: 9,887.