Nashville Sounds lose 4-3 to Round Rock Express

Nashville Sounds Baseball

Matt Pagnozzi Belts Three-Run Homer To Provide Nashville Offense In Loss

Round Rock, TX – The Round Rock Express scored four unanswered runs to hang a 4-3 loss on the Nashville Sounds on Saturday evening at The Dell Diamond.

With the defeat, Nashville’s lead in the PCL American Conference Southern Division was reduced to a half-game over the Express.

Mike Fiers (6-4) took the loss despite turning in a quality start for the Sounds, allowing two earned runs (four total runs) on four hits while striking out eight and not walking a batter in his seven frames of work.

Catcher Matt Pagnozzi gave the Sounds a 3-0 lead in the third inning when he belted a three-run homer to left off Express starter Luke Jackson. Caleb Gindl (walk) and Hector Gomez (single) scored on the blast, the backstop’s ninth round tripper of the year.

Pagnozzi’s longball extended Nashville’s season-best home run streak to eight straight games.

Nashville missed a chance to do further damage in the frame after loading the bases with one out following the Pagnozzi homer. However, Jackson escaped the jam by fanning Matt Clark and retiring Pete Orr on an inning-ending groundout.

Clark made his Nashville Sounds and Milwaukee Brewers organization debut in the contest, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

Round Rock pulled back within a run at 3-2 in the bottom of the third with a pair of unearned runs resulting from a throwing error by Orr at third base. Following the gaff, Luis Sardinas and Jared Hoying contributed run-scoring doubles against Fiers.

The Express pulled in front in the fifth against Fiers. After the right-hander hit Josh Wilson with a pitch, Ryan Strausborger ripped a game-tying triple into the right field corner. Sardinas followed with a go-ahead RBI groundout to put the home team in front, 4-3.

Michael Kirkman (2-4) picked up the victory after working a pair of perfect relief innings behind Jackson for the Express.

After squandering the bases-loaded opportunity in the third, Nashville placed only one runner into scoring position in the final six frames against Round Rock pitchers. Kevin Mattison was stranded at second when Jeremy Hermida struck out to end the seventh.

Sidewinding closer Ben Rowen retired the Sounds in order in the top of the ninth to notch his third save of the year.

The teams wrap up the three-game series with a 7:05pm rubber match finale on Sunday evening. Right-hander Ariel Pena (4-6, 4.73) will make the start for the Sounds and face Round Rock right-hander Phil Irwin (4-1, 4.21).

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