'Birds drop pitching duel in extras

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Redbirds wasted an almost perfect night from the mound to fall to Nashville 1-0 in extra innings in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday night.

Reliever Jess Todd failed to build off what had been a stellar night on the mound from starter Blake Hawksworth and gave up a single to centerfielder Jason Bourgeois that drove in Hernan Iribarren in the eighth inning to give Nashville a 1-0 advantage.

The run proved to be the difference-maker in a night when the Memphis line-up could not ever get things going, giving the Sounds their second consecutive win over the Redbirds in the four-game series.

Up until that point pitching reigned supreme, with Hawksworth allowing just one Nashville hit through seven innings. The right-hander retired the first 18 Sounds batters he faced until giving up a single to Bourgeois to start the seventh and finished the outing with five punchouts and one walk.

Nashville starter Tim Dillard put on absolutely stifling performance on the hill as well. Dillard allowed just one hit, a single from third baseman Tyler Greene in the first, and struck out four in a complete-game win for the right-hander.

The Redbirds look to avoid dropping two games in one day as they take on the Sounds a second time to conclude tonight's doubleheader. Left-hander Evan MacLane goes to the mound for the Redbirds with fellow southpaw Chris Cody getting the nod for the Sounds.