ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Nashville Honky Tonks (27-25) hit four home runs en route to an 8-6 victory over the Round Rock Dance Halls (22-32) to level the 2018 Battle for the Boot Championship at a game apiece. Dance Halls RHP Connor Sadzeck (2-1, 5.12) suffered the loss after surrendering
ROUND ROCK, Texas - The Nashville Honky Tonks (27-25) hit four home runs en route to an 8-6 victory over the Round Rock Dance Halls (22-32) to level the 2018 Battle for the Boot Championship at a game apiece.
Dance Halls RHP Connor Sadzeck (2-1, 5.12) suffered the loss after surrendering a pair of solo home runs in 2.0 innings of relief. On the winning side, rehabbing Oakland Athletics RHP Liam Hendricks (1-0, 0.00) tossed a perfect sixth inning out of the Honky Tonks bullpen.
Nashville wasted little time jumping on the scoreboard as CF Jake Smolinski began his big night with a solo home run off Round Rock starter LHP David Hurlbut . The Dance Halls answered an inning later thanks to a solo Christian Lopes home run.
In the third, Honky Tonks 2B Steve Lombardozzi singled before SS Jorge Mateo followed up with an RBI double. After a Hurlbut balk, RF Ramón Laureano grounded out to pad the Nashville lead to 3-1. In the next inning, C Josh Phegley tripled before racing home on an ensuing Sheldon Neuse groundout. A Lombardozzi solo homer extended the gap to 5-1.
Round Rock again responded in the bottom of the fourth, dropping four runs to knot the game at 5-5. DH Tommy Joseph and C Juan Centeno started the rally with consecutive one-out walks. 3B Andy Ibáñez then stepped to the plate and launched a three-run homer. Following a fielding error by Laureano that allowed Lopes to reach second base, 1B Destin Hood tallied an RBI single that tied the game.
The two American Southern Division rivals traded runs in the fifth inning. Laureano walked before eventually scoring on a fielding error by Hood. In the home half of the inning, rehabbing Texas Rangers CF Carlos Tocci doubled and scored on a Scott Heineman single.
Nashville took the lead for good in the seventh inning as Smolinski and DH Anthony García hit back-to-back homers off Sadzeck to grab an 8-6 lead, a score that held to be the final. Round Rock and Nashville meet again on Friday night. Dance Halls LHP Yohander Méndez (0-5, 5.18) is scheduled to start against Honky Tonks RHP Ben Bracewell (0-0, 0.00). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
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