Louisville, KY – The Nashville Sounds late rally in the top of the ninth inning fell short with the Louisville Bats taking the first game of the series with a 6-4 final at Louisville Slugger Field. Jeferson Quero and Luis Lara both hit homers, while Brock Wilken extended his on-base streak yet again to 23 consecutive games.
After Tuesday’s matchup was postponed, the Sounds jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning of Wednesday’s game. Jett Williams got on base with a one-out single to right field, then Quero ripped a two-run homer, 107.7 MPH off the bat, to left field on the first pitch he saw from Brandon Leibrandt. That home run marked Quero’s fourth homer of the season.
Nashville’s lead quickly evaporated as the Bats answered right back in the bottom half of the frame with two singles, and a triple from Michael Toglia plating two runs off of left-hander Robert Gasser tying the game 2-2.
Gasser allowed two runs on four hits and struck out three Bats to finish his day with Easton McGee relieving him in the bottom of the fifth inning. McGee allowed a two-out RBI-single and gave the Bats their first lead 3-2. The Sounds answered right back in the top of the sixth inning as Lara clubbed a team-leading seventh homer of the season, with a solo shot to left field for a 3-3 tie game.
McGee allowed a run on three hits in two innings of work before Reiss Knehr entered the game for an inning of work. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Knehr allowed a one-out single to get on base, but that’s all the Bats could muster in a scoreless inning. Junior Fernández relieved Knehr in the bottom of the eighth inning and struck out two batters but issued two walks which had runners at the corners. Fernández issued the third walk of the frame, loading the bases, which led to two Bats adding back-to-back singles and scoring three straight runs.
The Sounds had one last chance in the top of the ninth inning as Freddy Zamora, who pinch-hit for an injured Wilken earlier in the game, led off the inning with his fourth double of the season. After Quero got on base with a one-out single and advanced Zamora to third, Ethan Murray drew the first walk of the frame which loaded the bases.
Jordyn Adams extended his season-high on-base streak to four games drawing the second straight walk and scoring Zamora for the two-run deficit. Cooper Pratt ripped a grounder to the third basemen, but he got the force out at third with the Bats holding on for a 6-4 final.
The Sounds continue this week’s series with a doubleheader against the Bats on Thursday, May 7th with first pitch beginning at 3:35pm. Right-hander Coleman Crow will get the start for game one and left-hander Thomas Pannone will start in game two.
