Memphis, TN – The hottest team in all of Triple-A kept rolling on Saturday night, as the Nashville Sounds used four two-out run-scoring hits to edge the Memphis Redbirds, 7-5, at AutoZone Park.
The Sounds have won each of the first four games of the series and 13 of their last 16 games overall, while Memphis has dropped eight of its previous nine.
The Sounds trailed 1-0 in the fourth when their bats got going against Memphis starter Michael McGreevy. Tyrone Taylor led off with an opposite-field homer, and Abraham Toro poked a two-out single to score Skye Bolt.
Toro broke another tie score with a two-out hit in the sixth, belting a triple to right-center to plate Josh VanMeter to give the Sounds a 3-2 lead. Then Brian Navarreto hit a two-run homer in the seventh to make it 5-2.
After the Redbirds scored three unearned runs in the seventh against J.C. Mejia (2-1) to tie the game, 5-5, the Sounds again came through with more two-out run production. Patrick Dorrian plated VanMeter in the eighth against Ryan Loutos (2-1), and VanMeter singled home Taylor in the ninth for a 7-5 lead. Alex Claudio notched a two-inning save, inducing a game-ending double play from Masyn Winn to stop a threat in the bottom of the ninth.
Starter Robert Gasser had left in line for a win and got a no-decision. He gave up two runs – both solo homers to Luken Baker – on four hits, walked one, and struck out eight over 5 2/3 innings.
The six-game series continues Sunday night at 6:35pm CT. Pedro Fernandez (2-3, 3.73) is expected to be reinstated from the injured list to make the start for the Nashville Sounds (3-0, 44-34). The Memphis Redbirds (0-4, 39-40) starter is yet to be announced after their initially scheduled starter, Dakota Hudson, was recalled by St. Louis on Saturday.
Post-Game Notes
- Following another successful outing on Saturday, Robert Gasser is 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA (10er/38ip), five walks, and 44 strikeouts over his last six starts.
- Payton Henry returned to the lineup Saturday and went 1-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to nine games (13-for-34, .382).
- The Sounds are 13-3 in their last 16 games, and their starting pitchers own a 2.29 ERA (23er/90.1ip) in that span.
- Brian Navarreto’s two-run homer was his second of the year and first since a grand slam on April 12th vs. Norfolk.
- Tyrone Taylor went 1-for-5 with a homer and is 1-for-10 through two games of his current Brewers major league rehab assignment.
- Abraham Toro drove in two runs Saturday night, giving him nine RBIs over four games of the series.
The Nashville Sounds are the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers and play at First Horizon Park.
For more information call 615.690.4487 or e-mail tickets@nashvillesounds.com
