Sounds Starter Daniel Mengden Tosses Seven Shutout Innings
Nashville, TN – Sounds left fielder Andrew Lambo hit a two-out single to right field to score Jake Smolinski with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Sounds a 3-2 walk-off win before 6,031 fans Sunday afternoon at First Tennessee Park.
Smolinski sparked the two-out rally when Miguel Socolovich hit him with a pitch. With Lambo batting, he swiped second base for his third stolen base of the game. Lambo swatted a 3-2 offering from Socolovich into shallow right field and Smolinski scored just in front of the throw to the plate.
The blast cost starter Daniel Mengden his second win in as many outings after a brilliant performance.
Mengden matched a career-high seven innings and kept Memphis off the scoreboard while limiting them to just four hits. He didn’t walk a batter and racked up eight strikeouts in the process. The eight punchouts fell just one shy of tying his career-high. Over his first two Triple-A starts, Mengden has combined to throw 13 shutout innings.
The scoring began with a Jake Smolinski two-out RBI single to right that scored Tyler Ladendorf to give Nashville an early 1-0 lead.
The Sounds doubled their lead in the bottom of the fourth when Joey Wendle sent a sacrifice fly to left field to score Renato Nunez to give Nashville a 2-0 lead.
Mengden was terrific after he allowed a leadoff triple to Charlie Tilson. He buckled in and got the next three hitters while keeping Tilson at third.
One game after Zach Neal retired the final 16 batters he faced, Mengden retired the final 11 he saw.
He gave way to the bullpen as Angel Castro kept the 2-0 lead with a 1-2-3 eighth inning.
The Sounds turned to Healy in the ninth who allowed the game-tying homer to Washington on a 1-1 pitch before the heroics in the home half of the ninth.
The series will conclude Monday night at First Tennessee Park. The Sounds send right-hander Chris Smith (1-4, 5.51) to the mound and the Redbirds will counter with right-hander Arturo Reyes (1-2, 5.73). First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm.
The 2016 season is the Sounds’ 19th year in the Pacific Coast League and their second as the Oakland Athletics’ top affiliate. Tickets are available now by calling 615.690.4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com
