Sounds strike again in ninth-inning rally
The Nashville Sounds continued their late-inning heroics on Sunday night, scoring twice in the top of the ninth to rally past the New Orleans Baby Cakes, 4-3.With the 'Cakes leading by a run, Jaff Decker greeted reliever Severino Gonzalez with a home run to right field to draw Nashville even
The Nashville Sounds continued their late-inning heroics on Sunday night, scoring twice in the top of the ninth to rally past the New Orleans Baby Cakes, 4-3.
With the 'Cakes leading by a run, Jaff Decker greeted reliever Severino Gonzalez with a home run to right field to draw Nashville even at 3-3. Renato Nunez drew a one-out walk and scampered to third on a single by Joey Wendle, then raced home with the go-ahead run on Chris Carter's fly out to shallow left field.
Raul Alcantara made quick work of the Baby Cakes in the bottom of the ninth, needing eight pitches to pick up his fourth save.
It was the second straight game the Sounds erased a ninth-inning deficit, having scored four times in their final at-bat in Saturday's 8-6 win.
Nashville took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Joey Wendle singled with one out and advanced to third on a single by Carter, then raced home when left fielder Eury Perez bobbled the ball.
After a pair of defensive gems by the Baby Cakes helped Kickham escape third-inning trouble, the left-hander settled in to retire eight in a row and held the Sounds scoreless until Carter's two-out solo homer in the seventh. Kickham turned in the fifth quality start in his last six outings by scattering seven hits across a season-high seven innings and allowing one earned run.
Despite recording a hit in each of the first four innings, the 'Cakes were blanked by Daniel Mengden until a three-run fifth. Two walks and a single by Chad Hinshaw loaded the bases, and Mengden plunked Perez to force in the tying run. Moises Sierra then stroked a two-run single to right to vault New Orleans into the lead.
Sierra boosted his team-leading RBI total to 68, and added an outfield assist in the sixth when he threw out Melvin Mercedes attempting to go from first to third on a Jaff Decker single.
Gonzalez (0-3) suffered his first blown save in four opportunities since assuming the role of 'Cakes closer in August and took the loss.
Logan Bawcom (2-5) worked a hitless eighth inning and picked up the win in relief of Mengden, who gave up three runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings.
The Baby Cakes wrap up the 2017 campaign in a Labor Day matinee, with first pitch slated for 1 p.m.