Nashville, TN – Scoreless through three innings, the Nashville Sounds and Charlotte Knights traded runs over the final six frames with Nashville securing a 10-7 comeback win in the series opener on Tuesday night at First Horizon Park. Nashville plated eight runs over the final three trips to the plate to erase a three-run deficit entering the bottom of the seventh.
Nashville starter Bruce Zimmermann allowed just a single over his first four innings while Charlotte’s Owen White retired his first 11 to start the night until Daz Cameron sparked a Nashville rally with a two-out single in the bottom of the fourth. Cameron would later steal second before coming around to score on a Bobby Dalbec infield single and an errant throw.
Jared Oliva extended the rally with the third consecutive Nashville hit off White in the inning and a RBI to make it 2-0. Zimmermann stranded his second baserunner of the night in the top of the fifth after allowing his second single.
Four Charlotte hits and a sac fly off Zimmermann in the top of the sixth put the Sounds into a one-run deficit as Justin Anderson headed to the mound to take over for White and the Knights. Drew Avans drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth before stealing two bases in the inning.
Jeferson Quero also drew a free pass and stole second in a double steal with Avans. Bobby Dalbec brought in the tying run with a sacrifice fly, and Oliva made it a multi-RBI game with his second single of the night to put Nashville back in front 4-3.
Rob Zastryzny came in relief of Zimmermann to start the top of the seventh for his first appearance of his Major League rehab assignment. After retiring Jacob Amaya, two singles, a hit batter, wild pitch, and a two-run home run off the bat of Korey Lee made it a 7-4 Charlotte lead. Freddy Zamora doubled home Ernesto Martinez Jr. in the home half of the seventh to bring Nashville within two before Will Childers took over pitching duties in the top of the eighth. The right-hander worked a 1-2-3 frame to send the offense right back to work.
Cameron and Dalbec launched back-to-back home runs to bring the score back to even at 7-7 four pitches into the bottom of the eighth. Oliva and Jorge Alfaro followed with singles to push Oliva to third and prompt another Charlotte pitching change. Martinez Jr. split the right-center field gap for a two-RBI double to score Oliva and Alfaro all the way from first. Avans extended the lead to 10-7 with a RBI single, scoring Martinez Jr.
Elvis Peguero came on for the top of the ninth and earned his fourth save of the season. After hitting the first batter he faced, Peguero helped to retire each of the next three Knights batters to secure the victory.
The series continues on Wednesday night from First Horizon Park as the Sounds look to make it a four-game winning streak over the Knights this season. Nashville took five-of-six when the two teams played in Charlotte April 15th-20th. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm.
