NASHVILLE - The Nashville Honky Tonks were stunned by the Round Rock Dance Halls 2-1 in 10 innings Saturday night in front of 11,038 fans in Music City. Round Rock's victory secured the Dance Halls the coveted Boot Trophy in the Battle for the Boot Series.The Honky Tonks pitching staff
NASHVILLE - The Nashville Honky Tonks were stunned by the Round Rock Dance Halls 2-1 in 10 innings Saturday night in front of 11,038 fans in Music City. Round Rock's victory secured the Dance Halls the coveted Boot Trophy in the Battle for the Boot Series.
The Honky Tonks pitching staff was cruising through 26 outs but Bobby Wahl yielded a solo home run to Round Rock's Drew Robinson, which knotted the game at one run apiece and sent the game to extra innings. Wahl blew his first save of the season as he allowed a game-tying two-out home run to Drew Robinson in the top of the ninth inning. The right-hander was a perfect seven for seven in save opportunities entering Saturday's game.
Round Rock plated the winning run in the top of the tenth off Jeremy Bleich thanks to an RBI-single from Hanser Alberto.
Brett Anderson started for the Honky Tonks in his first rehab start and tossed four shutout innings including pitching out of a bases loaded jam in the third. He walked a pair and struck out one while yielding four hits. The bullpen then entered the equation for the Honky Tonks and continued the strong performance until the ninth inning.
Dean Kiekhefer entered the game in the fifth inning and was effective for the Honky Tonks. The southpaw tossed a pair of shutout innings while fanning three. Carlos Ramirez continued the dominance on the mound with a pair of shutout innings of his own. The right-hander did not allow a hit in his outing.
Sheldon Neuse provided all the offense the Honky Tonks would muster on the night as he broke the scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the fourth inning. The third baseman yanked an RBI-double down the third base line and into the Honky Tonks bullpen to score Jake Smolinski from first base.
Nashville missed a golden opportunity to extend its lead in the eighth inning as the Honky Tonks loaded the bases. Melvin Mercedes was hit by a pitch while Brett Vertigan and Smolinski each drew walks but all three were left stranded, which proved costly for Nashville.
The Honky Tonks put runners on second and third with just one out in the bottom of the 10th inning but again were unable to capitalize. Steve Lombardozzi was caught in a pickle between third base and home for the first out of the inning and would be as close as Nashville would come to tying the game.
The final game of the four-game series is scheduled for Sunday night at First Tennessee Park. Right-hander Raúl Alcántara (3-1, 5.40) starts for Nashville against right-hander Richelson Peña (0-1, 10.80) for Round Rock. First pitch is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.
Post-Game Notes
-With tonight's 2-1 loss, Nashville dropped to 33-39 on the season.
-Nashville is now 5-3 in extra inning games this season.
-Nashville has now blown five saves in nine opportunities in the month of June.
-With an attendance of 11,038 First Tennessee Park saw its 10th sellout of the season and 65th all-time.
The 2018 season is the Sounds' 41st in franchise history and fourth as the Oakland Athletics' top affiliate. Single-game tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.
