Hicklen's Eighth Inning Homer Lifts Sounds Over Omaha
NASHVILLE – In a game that was close throughout, Brewer Hicklen became the hero as his eighth inning solo homer was the difference in the Nashville Sounds’ (10-9) 3-2 win over the Omaha Storm Chasers (11-8) on Friday night at First Horizon Park. Trailing by a run at the seventh
NASHVILLE – In a game that was close throughout, Brewer Hicklen became the hero as his eighth inning solo homer was the difference in the Nashville Sounds’ (10-9) 3-2 win over the Omaha Storm Chasers (11-8) on Friday night at First Horizon Park.
Trailing by a run at the seventh inning stretch, a pair of solo shots tied and gave Nashville the lead late. Vinny Capra slugged a ball that just cleared the wall in left to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. Then, to lead off the bottom of the eighth, Hicklen greeted Storm Chasers reliever Steven Cruz by barreling a 1-1 slider and sending it to the berm to put Nashville ahead 3-2.
The game began as a pitcher’s duel between Nashville starter Chad Patrick and Omaha hurler William Fleming. Patrick retired each of the first 10 batters faced before giving up a solo blast hit by Drew Waters in the fourth inning. Patrick would rebound to work 6.0 one-run innings, allowing just two hits with four strikeouts in his first quality start of the season.
The Sounds had chances throughout but failed to cash in until the power surge. Hicklen scored the game’s first run, hustling home on an infield chopper that was tapped into the grass by Yonny Hernández. He beat the throw from former Sound turned Storm Chaser Cam Devanney to put the Sounds ahead 1-0. However, Nashville had stranded seven baserunners through five innings and was 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position on the night.
The pitching staff held together late to put things away. After Corbin Martin gave up a run in his Sounds debut, Kevin Herget (1-0) worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning. Ryan Middendorf (S, 1) hit a batter and walked one but worked a couple of flyouts and a groundout to earn the save and give Nashville their third-straight win over Omaha.
Hicklen led the offense with three hits, two runs and the big homer in the eighth. Mejía also added a multi-hit effort with a double. Hicklen, Hernández and Chavez Young also stole a base each, respectively.
The Sounds can clinch their first series win with a victory in tomorrow or Sunday’s game. They’ll send right-hander Janson Junk (1-1, 5.11) to the bump in game five of the series tomorrow. He’ll face right-hander Jonathan Bowlan (2-1, 2.25) who gets the ball for the Storm Chasers. The penultimate game of the series is set for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch on Hit City Saturday.
Post-Game Notes
- Brewer Hicklen (3-for-4, 2 R, HR, RBI) has reached base safely in 16 of 18 games with the Sounds this season. The cleanup hitter is batting .313 (21-for-67) on the season with nine stolen bases and a .980 OPS.
- Vinny Capra’s seventh-inning solo homer was just his 23rd homer of his professional career and first since July 18, 2023 at Iowa while with Indianapolis.
- Sounds relievers move to 8-2 with a 1.27 ERA (77.2 IP/11 ER), 0.94 WHIP and .151 opponent batting average this season – all three of those stats are the best among bullpens at the Triple-A level.
The Nashville Sounds are the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers and play at First Horizon Park. Single-game tickets and season ticket memberships for the remainder of the 2024 season are on sale now. For more information call 615-690-4487 or e-mail [email protected].