Branyan goes yard three times

Russell Branyan wasn't expecting to homer for the third time in the game when he came to the plate with two outs in the eighth inning Friday night, but it would be difficult to blame him if he had.

Branyan proceeded to smack his Nashville Sounds club record-tying third homer of the game to break an 8-8 tie and rally the Nashville Sounds to a 10-8 victory over the New Orleans Zephyrs at Greer Stadium.

"It was hard not to think about it," Branyan said. "You don't go up there swinging for the fences, but I got a good pitch and hit it out."

The Major League veteran, who has 11 home runs this season, went 4-for-5 with six RBIs to become the sixth Sounds player to go deep three times in a single game. The most recent effort came from current Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun in April 2007.

Branyan became a regular for the Cleveland Indians in 2000. He also has played for the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals before returning to the Brewers organization and being assigned to Triple-A Nashville.

The Sounds built a 7-2 lead by the fifth inning, in large part due to Branyan's two-run homers in the second and third innings, but the Zephyrs fought back with six unanswered runs to go ahead in the eighth, 8-7. After Steve Sollman scored the tying run on a wild pitch, Branyan delivered an opposite field two-run shot to left field off New Orleans reliever Nate Field (1-2) to put Nashville back on top.

"We're playing good ball right now," Branyan said. "The team is starting to shape up, I'm just glad I was able to get a big hit to give us the win."

It was the first victory of the year for Derrick Turnbow (1-0), who had allowed the Zephyrs to take the lead on a wild pitch in the eighth. Luis Pena struck out two in a perfect ninth to earn his fifth save.

Another former Major Leaguer, Nashville starter Jeff Weaver, gave up seven runs -- six earned -- on 12 hits in six innings of work.

Brad Nelson went 3-for-5 with two RBIs for the Sounds.

Zephyrs' starter Adam Bostick lasted just 3 1/3 innings, surrendering seven runs on eight hits, including Branyan's first two home runs.

Valentino Pascucci hit his sixth homer for New Orleans, a solo shot off Weaver in the sixth.