Five-Run Eighth Inning Sinks Sounds In New Orleans, 7-4
With the Sounds leading 4-2 in the eighth with two outs, the Zephyrs batted around against three Sounds pitchers, highlighted by a Nick Green two-run single and Kevin Mattison two-run double against pitcher Tim Dillard (0-1).
With the loss, Nashville (45-57) split the series with New Orleans and lost the season series between the clubs by a 9-7 margin.
First baseman Sean Halton homered twice while driving in three runs in a losing effort. His two-homer performance was the second multiple-homer effort of the season and fifth by a Sound this season. Five of Halton's 11 homers this season have come against New Orleans.
Left fielder Jordan Brown also had two hits while Eric Farris recorded a late infield single to extend his hitting streak to six games.
New Orleans jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage as leadoff hitter Mattison jacked his 10th homer of the season.
Halton returned the favor in the net frame, going yard on the third pitch from Omar Poveda to knot the contest at 1-1.
The Zephyrs went back ahead in the home half of the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. Mike Cervenak belted Brian Baker's first pitch of the frame over the left field wall, his 10th of the season.
After Farris worked an inning-opening walk, Nashville took their only lead at 3-2 with Halton's second blast of the contest, which was initially ruled a double, but changed to a homer by the third base umpire.
The Sounds added their last run in the next inning for a 4-2 lead, thanks to doubles from Brown and center fielder Logan Schafer.
Both starters earned no-decisions. Baker gave up to runs on two solo homers while striking out four in five innings. Poveda gave up two homers for three runs in five innings of work.
Mike McClendon tossed two scoreless innings. Juan Perez was charged with one run. Dillard took the loss with four runs allowed in 1/3 of an inning. Robert Wooten collected the final out of the eighth inning.
Ryan Webb (1-0) pitched two scoreless frames for the win before Chris Hatcher notched his seventh save of the year.
The Sounds return to Music City tomorrow to begin an eight-day, nine-game homestand with the first of four games against the cross-state rival Memphis Redbirds (AAA-Cardinals). Right-hander Seth McClung (2-12, 5.97) will make the start in the series opener against Memphis southpaw Tyler Lyons (1-5, 5.09).