Homer Happy Sounds Earn Series Win Over Knights

CHARLOTTE – The Sounds earned their second consecutive series win with a 10-4 victory over Charlotte on Saturday night. Bruce Zimmermann picked up his first win of the season after spinning 5.2 IP with three runs allowed. Daz Cameron sparked a five-run second inning with a grand slam, one of three extra base hits on the night out of Nashville's leadoff hitter.

The scoring began with a run in the top of the first inning. Cameron legged out a double to start the game and plated the first run as Jared Oliva collected the first of his three RBI for the game with a single. Zimmermann navigated a one-out bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the first inning without allowing a run to send the bats back to work. Nashville capitalized on their bases-loaded situation with Cameron hitting the first grand slam of the season for Nashville on a 0-1 pitch. Oliva capped the five-run inning with his third home run of the series. Three singles in the top of the third helped the Sounds regain their six-run cushion after a solo shot off Zimmermann in the second.

The Sounds scrapped together another pair of runs in the sixth. The first via a bases-loaded walk, and the second on an Ernesto Martinez Jr. sac fly. Zimmermann's night came to an end after 88 pitches and two outs in the bottom of the sixth. All three of the Knights runs earned off Zimmermann came via solo homers. Jesus Liranzo worked an inning-plus of scoreless ball on two hits. Evan McKendry worked the final two innings for the Sounds, also allowing two hits, but one earned run.

Jorge Alfaro's solo home run in the top of the ninth was the Sounds final run, giving them the 10-4 win as McKendry closed the ninth with two strikeouts.

The Sounds will go for their fifth win of the series on Sunday to bring an end to the six-game road trip. RHP Elvin Rodriguez will make his first appearance with Nashville as he gets the start against RHP Chirs Rodriguez (0-2, 4.85 ERA) and the Knights. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. CT.

POSTGAME NOTES:

AIN'T HE GRAND: Daz Cameron hit the first Nashville grand slam of 2025 and the fifth of his professional career. His last came on August 25, 2023, while playing with Triple-A Norfolk against the Durham Bulls. It was his second career grand slam at Truist Field, also hitting one on April 29, 2023, also in the second inning, against Andrew Perez and the Knights in a 20-1 win for the Tides. The Sounds last grand slam before Cameron's second inning blast was by Wes Clarke, who hit one on September 7, 2024, against the Gwinnett Stripers. Cameron finished the game 3-for-5 with two doubles to go along with his grand slam. Through his first six games with Nashville after coming over via trade from Baltimore on April 7th, Cameron is hitting .407 (11-for-27) with three home runs, four doubles, and 10 RBI.

YARD WORK: Jared Oliva put together a 2-for-4 night at the dish that included his third home run of the series and another 3 RBI. Through the first five games of the series, Oliva is hitting .333 (6-for-18) with three home runs, a double, a triple, seven RBI, six walks, five runs scored, and is 4-for-4 in steals with only three strikeouts. Oliva was held hitless in the first game of the series and bounced back to homer in consecutive games on Wednesday and Thursday. After being held hitless again on Friday night, he once again responded with a multi-hit performance and three RBI. His five HR on the season are tied for the third-most in the International League while his .591 SLG is the seventh highest in the league after Saturday's action.

MASHVILLE: Nashville's 15 home runs since the start of the Memphis series last week are tied for the fifth-most in Minor League baseball. The nine home runs the Sounds have hit in their five games played so far in Charlotte are tied for the third-most in the Minors this week behind fellow Triple-A foes in Iowa (12) and tied with Jacksonville and Syracuse.

BRUCIE'S TIME TO SHINE: LHP Bruce Zimmermann earned his first win since August 24, 2024, when he was with Triple-A Norfolk against Durham. His 5.2 IP matched the longest by a Nashville starter this year which was set by Carlos Rodriguez last Friday night against Memphis. After getting one strikeout against Charlotte in his start, the left-hander sits on 599 career minor league strikeouts.

GONE STREAKING: Ernesto Martinez Jr. saw his team-best eight-game hit streak come to an end after finishing the game 0-for-4 with a RBI and strikeout.

Raynel Delgado has the best active hitting streak going by a Nashville player with a hit in each of his last five games and ended Saturday night with his fourth multi-hit performance of the year, going 2-for-5 with a two runs scored.