Nashville, TN – The Nashville Sounds walked off the Louisville Bats in a thrilling 3-2 victory Tuesday night at First Horizon Park. Tyler Black’s two-run walk-off double was the sixth walk-off win for the Sounds this season, while Jared Koenig earned his third win of the year.
The Sounds and the Bats remained scoreless through five innings, with all six hits coming from the Louisville side. Thomas Pannone allowed 5-of-the-6 hits and struck out five hitters through four scoreless innings of work. Lyon Richardson entered the game in the top of the fifth and worked around a one-out base hit to keep the game tied at zero. Louisville’s Chase Solesky worked four perfect innings with a strikeout
Kevin Abel came into the bottom of the fifth and shut down the Sounds in his first inning of work. He came out for the bottom of the sixth and issued a two-out walk to Eduardo Garcia, ending the Bats’ perfect game bid. After Garcia stole second, Brandon Lockridge ripped the team’s first hit of the game down the right field line and scored Garcia for the 1-0 Sounds lead.
Richardson ended his night tossing two scoreless innings, allowing a hit and striking out two hitters as Brett Wichrowski took the reins in the top of the seventh. Wichrowski faced just three batters and allowed a leadoff single and hit a batter before the turning the ball over to Gerson Garabito after recording one out during his appearance. Garabito retired the final two hitters on a fly out and strikeout to end the frame, stranding two.
After Nashville was shut down in 1-2-3 fashion for the sixth time, Louisville took its first lead of the game in the top of the eighth as a leadoff single by Noelvi Marte got the inning started. Two at-bats later, Leo Balcazar crushed a two-run homer to left field and gave the Bats a one-run lead. Garabito ended his night allowing two runs on two hits with a strikeout. Koenig tossed a scoreless ninth and gave the Sounds one last opportunity in the bottom half of the frame.
In the bottom of the ninth, Brock Wilken ripped a leadoff base hit to right center field to get a rally started. Blake Burke drew a walk to serve as the potential winning run and was pinch ran for as Jacob Hurtubise took over on first base. Jeferson Quero grounded out and advanced Wilken and Hurtubise into scoring position. Black became the hero in the series opener as he crushed a two-run walk-off double into right center field and gave the Sounds the 3-2 win.
The Nashville Sounds continue this week’s series against the Louisville Bats (Triple-A, Cincinnati Reds) on Wednesday, September 2 as RHP Coleman Crow (8-1, 3.48 ERA) will take the mound for Nashville. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm.
