Sounds Get Back in Win Column Wednesday Night

NASHVILLE – Nashville snapped a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over Memphis on Wednesday night. Nestor Cortes made the first rehab start of his current assignment and worked a scoreless outing. Andrew Vaughn delivered the game-winning RBI with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning and Raynel Delgado led the way with his third three-hit game of the season for Nashville.

Cortes retired each of the first eight batters he faced in his first game action since April 3. The left-hander made just two starts with the Brewers before landing on the injured list with a left elbow flexor strain that eventually put him on the 60-day IL. He struck out four batters over his three scoreless frames and only allowed a two-out bunt single in his third and final inning of work on 37 pitches.

Delgado doubled in his first plate appearance of the night and was followed by a RBI single off the bat of fellow rehabber Blake Perkins for an early Sounds lead. The Redbirds answered with a leadoff double and later tied the game on a sac fly in the top of the fifth off Bruce Zimmermann. In relief of Cortes after originally slated for the start, Zimmermann worked four-plus innings where he allowed six hits but limited the damage to the lone run with four strikeouts and no walks.

Following four scoreless innings after taking the early lead, Drew Avans kept the bottom of the eighth alive for Nashville with a two-out double. Vaughn switched places with him on a one-hopper off the right-field wall to give the Sounds the go-ahead run. Elvis Peguero earned his second win of the year after retiring the only two batters he was tasked to face in the top of the eighth. Joel Payamps picked up his first save with the Sounds with a three-up, three-down top of the ninth.

The final game of the series at First Horizon Park takes place Thursday before wrapping up the final three games of the series in Memphis beginning on Friday. The Sounds Independence Day Celebration game with postgame fireworks on Thursday is slated for a 6:00pm first pitch.

POSTGAME NOTES:

NASHTY NESTOR: Making his first appearance since April 3, Nestor Cortes finished his first rehab appearance after 3.0 IP and 37 pitches. He retired his first eight including four strikeouts over his first two innings. The first and only hit allowed was a bunt single to the Redbirds nine-hole hitter before working another groundout. His last minor league appearance prior to Wednesday's outing came on July 28, 2023, with Double-A Somerset in the Yankees' organization when he worked four scoreless innings on two hits with five strikeouts and a walk. His four strikeouts on Wednesday leave him a strikeout shy from 1,100 for his professional career. Including his last start with the Brewers, Cortes has worked nine consecutive scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts and two walks on two hits. That follows a MLB career-high eight earned, five walks, and five home runs allowed in his Brewers debut against the Yankees.

3.0 IP
Retired his first 8⃣ in a row.
🔢 Strikeouts.

𝙉𝘼𝙎𝙃𝙏𝙔
NESTOR pic.twitter.com/FMn4tlf4GX

— Nashville Sounds (@nashvillesounds) July 3, 2025

LEAD THREE RAY: Raynel Delgado ended the night 3-for-3 with a double and a run scored. It was his first multi-hit game since June 5 vs. Gwinnett. Despite going 14 games between multi-hit games, Delgado is tied with Jorge Alfaro for the most multi-hit games by a Nashville player this season with 14. It was his third three-hit game of the year to put himself in a tie with Jared Oliva for the second most on the club behind Bobby Dalbec (6). His last three-hit day came in game one of a doubleheader on May 14 at Memphis.

DOUBLE DREWBLE: Drew Avans and Andrew Vaughn hit back-to-back two-out doubles in the bottom of the eighth to provide the game-winning run for Nashville. It was the third double of the year for both. Avans has 14 games played with Nashville and Vaughn has 12 games under his belt with the Sounds. It was the lone hit for both players on the night. Since arriving in Nashville, Vaughn has racked up seven extra-base hits of his 11 total hits and has 12 RBI in as many games.

Andrew. Vaughn. pic.twitter.com/cQN8GKNHv4

— Nashville Sounds (@nashvillesounds) July 3, 2025

AMERICAN PAYAMPS: Joel Payamps worked his eighth straight appearance without allowing an earned run on Wednesday en route to his first save since April 3 with Milwaukee. Over his last eight games, Payamps has worked 7.1 IP and allowed just three hits with 10 strikeouts and a pair of walks. He's got the fourth-longest streak without an earned run by a Nashville pitcher this season.