Nashville Sounds comeback late to beat Round Rock Express, 6-5

Trevor Bayless Earns First Triple-A Win

Nashville, TN – Trailing 5-1 at stretch time, the Nashville Sounds rallied to defeat the Round Rock Express, 6-5 at First Tennessee Park on Wednesday night.

After Sounds starter Nate Long pitched himself out of jams in the first two frames, the Express finally broke through in the third. Drew Robinson reached on a fielder’s choice and then stole second base. He then scored off an opposite field single by top prospect Nomar Mazara. Ryan Rua hit a solo homer an inning later to make it 2-0.

The Express kept it rolling an inning later, putting two more runs up on Long and then loading the bases with one out in the sixth. The right-hander then got Robinson to groundout to Max Muncy who threw home for the force. Next Long got Mazara to flyout to left, leaving the bases loaded.

The Sounds offense could not get anything going against Express starter Nick Martinez as he held the Sounds to just three hits over five innings. However things quickly changed when the Express went to the bullpen. Recently named All-PCL second baseman Joey Wendle hit a solo shot into the right field Band Box on the third pitch Robert Coello threw in the sixth and the Sounds were off and running.

After Jared Hoying homered, chasing Long from the game with two outs in the seventh, Trevor Bayless came into the game to get the final out of the frame and the Sounds immediately jumped on Coello in the latter half of the inning.

Nate Freiman walked and went to third on a Bryan Anderson double. He then scored on a sacrifice fly by newcomer James Harris. Following a Craig Gentry groundout, Wendle walked and then went to second on a wild pitch. With those runners in scoring position and two down, Brent Morel came through, singling in both runners to make it 5-4. The infielder then scored on a towering double by Muncy that one-hopped the wall in center field.

Bayless found himself in a spot of trouble in the eighth after Round Rock hit back-to-back bunt singles. Robinson then sacrifice bunted the runners over and Mazara was intentionally walked to get to Express clean-up hitter Brett Nicholas. The left-handed swinger hit an opposite-field grounder that trailed away from shortstop Andy Parrino.

The infielder fielded the ball and threw on the run to Wendle at second, who then made a quick turn, avoiding the sliding Mazara and throwing a one-hopper to Muncy, who did a great job of picking the ball at first to leave them loaded again.

With the crowd still buzzing from the play in the field, Freiman came up to bat in the bottom half of the inning.  The designated hitter took ball one, then turned on the second pitch from Coello and deposited it over the wall in left field. The blast was his second homer in as many nights.

Angel Castro came in to close it out for Nashville. The hard-throwing right-hander sent Ryan Rua down swinging before giving up a single to Hoying. The Express center fielder then tried to steal second with Alex Burg batting, but Anderson gunned him out. The play would cost the visitors, as Burg would double. Beamer Weems then flew out to end the game. Bayless earned the win, his first at the Triple-A level.

These two teams will conclude their series tomorrow night in what will be the Sounds’ final home game of the season.  In addition to it being a Throwback Thursday night, it will be Fan Appreciation Night at First Tennessee Park as fans will be treated to special giveaways every inning, post game fireworks, a throwback jersey auction and more all presented by First Tennessee Bank.

Brad Mills (5-11, 4.32) will start the contest and will be opposed by Texas Rangers prospect Chi Chi Gonzalez (7-7, 3.67). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm.

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