Nashville, TN – The Nashville Sounds’ comeback attempt came to a halt when Toledo’s three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning proved to be the difference in a 9-6 loss Wednesday night at Fifth Third Field.
Nashville trailed 6-3 after four innings only to come back and tie the game in the eighth. The comeback went for naught when Toledo’s Zack Short drilled a tie-breaking three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning. The long ball came just moments after Nashville right-hander Luke Barker issued a pair of two-out walks.
The Sounds went quietly in the ninth and have dropped their first two games of the season for the first time since they started 0-3 in 2012.
Nashville jumped out to an early lead much like they did Opening Night. Derek Fisher started it in the top of the first with an opposite-field double, Jace Peterson walked and Zach Green scored both with a double to the gap in right-center to give the Sounds a 2-0 lead.
But the lead didn’t last long as Toledo center fielder Derek Hill launched a three-run homer off Thomas Jankins in the bottom of the second to give the Mud Hens a 3-2 lead.
Green’s second run-scoring hit of the game made it a 3-3 game in the third, but Toledo’s offense kept coming. They scored a single tally in the third and a pair of runs in the fourth to grab a 6-3 lead. Jankins allowed six runs in 4.0 innings but didn’t factor into the decision.
Miguel Sanchez’s dynamic relief effort kept the Sounds in the game. The right-hander worked three scoreless innings and struck out three in the process.
The comeback attempt fired up when Chad Spanberger drilled a two-run homer in the seventh inning to pull the Sounds within a run. They tied it in the eighth when Corey Ray tripled, and Jamie Westbrook followed with an RBI single to left field to make it 6-6.
Game three of the six-game series is scheduled for Thursday night in Toledo. Left-hander Blaine Hardy starts for the Sounds against right-hander Logan Shore for the Mud Hens.
Post-Game Notes
- Nashville has lost their first two games of the season for the first time since 2012 when they started 0-3.
- Derek Fisher has hit safely in each of his first two games on MLB rehab assignment. He’s hitting .400 (2-for-5) with 3 runs, 1 double, 1 home run, 1 RBI and 1 walk.
- Zach Green had a 2-hit, 3-RBI night for Nashville, his first game with at least 2 hits and 3 RBI since July 7th, 2019 when he had 3 hits and 5 RBI with Triple-A Sacramento at Reno.
- Corey Ray had his first triple of the season in the 8th inning, the 14th in his professional career.
Box Score
Nashville Sounds 6, Toledo Mud Hens 9
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| Nashville | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 1 |
| Toledo | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | x | 9 | 8 | 1 |
The Nashville Sounds are the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers and play at First Horizon Park. Opening Day is scheduled for Tuesday, May 11th when the Sounds host the Memphis Redbirds at 6:35 p.m. For more ticket information, call 615.690.4487, or e-mail tickets@nashvillesounds.com.
