Jacksonville, FL – After taking another shutout loss yesterday, the Nashville Sounds (40-39, 2-2) battled back and evened the series on Friday night, taking a 6-2 win over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (37-42, 2-2) at 121 Financial Ballpark.
The Sounds offense was ready to attack out of the gates and opened the scoring in the second inning. Brewer Hicklen led off the second frame with a solo homer to right field. Hicklen added the second RBI on the night in the third, with his fielder’s choice bringing home Isaac Collins to make it 2-0 in the third.
The Jumbo Shrimp answered by scoring two in the bottom of the third, Wes Clarke came through with the first of two huge two-out hits. His first one in the fourth inning brought home Vinny Capra and gave Nashville a lead they would not relinquish.
In the fifth, Chris Roller and Capra teamed up for a pair of two-out RBI knocks to push the Sounds lead to 5-2. Capra later added his fourth hit of the contest with a leadoff single in the eighth. Clarke brought him home with a two-out double, expanding Nashville’s advantage to 6-2 late. It would be plenty enough for the visitors.
Aaron Ashby got the start and worked through some tough spots but managed to hold Jacksonville to a pair of runs (1 ER). He walked five and allowed four hits, including a triple. Totaling 81 pitches and 45 strikes through four innings, he did not return in the bottom of the fifth. Instead, Harold Chirino (2-3) got the win with a 1-2-3 fifth inning. Janson Junk, James Meeker and Ryan Middendorf kept Jacksonville from really threatening the rest of the way, combining to give up just three hits and one walk over the final four innings.
Capra tied a season-high with four hits, finishing 4-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI, a walk, and two runs scored. Both of his four-hit performances have come against the Jumbo Shrimp. Clarke went 3-for-5 with two two-out RBI, and Hicklen totaled seven bases with a triple and homer.
As a team, Nashville tied a season-high with five doubles (3rd time this season, first since June 6 vs. Louisville) and seven extra-base hits (3rd time this season, first since June 9 vs. Louisville).
DL Hall (0-0, 2.35) makes another rehab start for the Sounds tomorrow night. He’ll be opposed by right-hander Shaun Anderson (3-1, 2.51). The first pitch is set for 5:35pm central time at 121 Financial Ballpark.
Post-Game Notes
- Vinny Capra (4-for-4, 2 2B, RBI, BB, 2 R) has had four hits twice this season – tonight and on May 14 at Jacksonville (4-for-6, 2 R). He is batting .457 (22-for-35) with a .500 on-base percentage and 1.129 OPS against the Jumbo Shrimp this season.
- Eleven of Wes Clarke’s 25 RBI with Nashville have come with two outs, including the pair he had today.
- Janson Junk (2.0 IP, 3 H, 3 K) has not allowed a run in six appearances this month (8.0 IP, 7 H, 3 BB, 9 K, 1.25 WHIP). He is 2-1 with a 0.98 ERA (18.1 IP/2 ER) as a reliever with the Sounds this season.
The Nashville Sounds are the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers and play at First Horizon Park. Single-game tickets and season ticket memberships for the remainder of the 2024 season are on sale now.
For more information, call 615.690.4487 or e-mail tickets@nashvillesounds.com.