Nashville Scores Three In Ninth To Stun Las Vegas, 6-4
After Johnny Raburn singled to lead off the ninth frame and scored on a Ray Olmedo game-tying single, PCL saves leader and 51s closer Jeremy Accardo intentionally walked Mat Gamel to pitch to Erick Almonte, who delivered the game-winning two-run single to right field.
The victory was Nashville's (62-56) 16th last-at win and ninth come-from-behind victory trailing in the seventh inning or later this season. The win also gave the Sounds a 3-5 record on the road trip and their first winning series against 51s in Las Vegas since joining the Pacific Coast League in 1998.
Nashville's 36 runs scored against Las Vegas over the last four games were the most scored in a four-game series since the Sounds plated 41 at Fresno from August 3-6, 2008.
Gamel had three hits for the third consecutive game. In the series with the 51s, Gamel hit .556 (10-for-18) with five doubles, three RBIs, and seven runs scored.
The Sounds scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning as Gamel doubled to reach base and came home on an Almonte RBI single. The 51s tied the contest at 1-1 in the next frame when Jarrett Hoffpauir walked, stole second, and scored on a Jason Lane RBI single.
Nashville regained the lead in the next inning by adding two runs off Las Vegas starter Robert Ray. Brendan Katin recorded a leadoff walk and moved to third on a Luis Cruz base hit. Raburn continued to stay hot since being activated last Friday, doubling home Katin for the first run of the inning. Catcher Martin Maldonado followed with an RBI infield groundout for the second run.
Las Vegas trimmed the lead to one at 3-2 in the bottom of the second as Brad Emaus hit a leadoff triple to center field and scored in the following at-bat as Danny Perales singled to left field. The 51s duplicated the first inning to knot the contest at 3-3 as Lane drove home Hoffpauir again for the game-tying score.
Mike McCoy gave Las Vegas the 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with a line drive solo home run over the left field wall. The long ball was McCoy's sixth home run of the season and second in consecutive nights.
Ray went five innings while allowing three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts. Allowing three runs in 1 1/3 inning, it was Accardo's (2-1) second blown save of the season in the loss.
In his first start facing his former squad, Sounds starter Marty McLeary surrendered four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in six innings pitched. Las Vegas native Brandon Kintzler threw a scoreless frame in relief. Chris Smith (4-3) earned the win, striking out four over two shutout innings.
After a league-wide off day tomorrow, Nashville will begin an eight-game homestand with the Salt Lake Bees (AAA-Angels) and Colorado Springs Sky Sox (AAA-Rockies), their lone meetings with the clubs this season. Left-hander Sam Narron (7-5, 3.93) will start Friday's 7:05 pm CT opener for the Sounds against Bees right-hander Matt Palmer (1-1, 1.00).