Nashville, TN – The Nashville Sounds dropped their third straight to begin the series against Charlotte with a 6-4 loss on Thursday night at First Horizon Park. Colton Gordon did not earn a decision after tossing five strong on the mound while the Sounds tied their season-high with four doubles off Knights pitching, including a multi-double night for Brewers no. 30-rated prospect Brock Wilken.
The left-hander Gordon made his second start at First Horizon Park, and third overall with Nashville. Charlotte jumped out to an early lead with former Sound Eric Haase hitting a bases-clearing 3-RBI double in the top of the first after Gordon issued a pair of singles and a walk to the first four batters he faced.
After surrendering the early runs, Gordon settled into a groove, retiring 13 of the next 15 Charlotte batters he faced. He worked 1-2-3 innings in the second and fourth innings and returned to the mound for the top of the fifth. A bunt single by Rikuu Nishida was the fourth and final hit Gordon allowed over his five strong innings and saw the only other baserunner reach after the first via an error in the top of the third.
The Sounds responded to the three-run deficit by answering with two runs in their first at-bats. Doubles by Wilken and Darrien Miller paired with a walk for Tyler Black and a single for Jeferson Quero saw the Sounds cut it to one. Wilken then tied the game with his second double in as many trips to the plate scoring Jacob Hurtubise, who began the bottom of the second with a single before swiping second to put himself into scoring position.
The Sounds took their first lead of the night in the bottom of the fourth. Eduardo Garcia started the inning with a walk and also stole second before moving to third on a groundout. Wilken added his second RBI of the night and reached on a fielder’s choice to erase the deficit and put Nashville ahead 4-3.
Gordon put himself in position to earn the win before turning the ball over to Lyon Richardson to start the top of the sixth on the mound for Nashville. After allowing a one-out single, Haase added his fifth RBI of the night and seventh in his first two games for Charlotte to put the Knights right back in front with a two-run homer.
The game remained 5-4 until the top of the ninth after the two clubs traded scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth. Richardson finished his night allowing the two runs on three hits over 3.0 IP. For the second straight night, the Sounds turned to position player Ethan Murray on the mound, this time in a one-run game. Riley Unroe pushed the Knights lead back to two runs with a two-out solo homer.
Back-to-back two out walks drawn by Freddy Zamora and Miller sent Murray to the plate in the bottom of the ninth. Zach Franklin induced a groundout to end the comeback bid, as Nashville left the potential tying runs aboard and 12 total for the game.
The series continues on Friday night with RHP Coleman Crow (5-1, 4.22 ERA) taking the mound for Nashville against RHP David Sandlin (1-0, 2.37 ERA) and the Knights. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm.
