Sounds Slug Their Way to Saturday Night Win

NASHVILLE – Nashville got early and often offense as they cruised past the Gwinnett Stripers 10-2 on Saturday night. Nashville racked up a season-high 14 hits and three home runs to give them a chance split their first road trip of the season on Sunday afternoon in Lawrenceville.

Wes Clarke provided the early spark with his first home run of the season, jolting a three-run blast off the left field foul pole in the top of the first inning.

Carlos Rodriguez made his second start of the year on the mound for the Sounds and worked four innings of two run ball. The Brewers' no. 23-ranked prospect pitched around a pair of baserunners in the first to keep Gwinnett off the scoreboard but worked into some more trouble in the second. A two-out error allowed the first Gwinnett run to come across the plate. The Stripers loaded the bases in the third before Rodriguez could get an out. A strikeout and groundout helped limit the damage but the groundout inched the Stripers within one of the lead.

Another two baserunners in the bottom of the fourth threatened but Rodriguez responded by retiring each of the next three to get out of the inning with the Sounds lead still at 3-2. It was more of the same for the Nashville bullpen after Rodriguez exited the game. Nick Mears (1.0 IP), Jacob Misiorowski (3.2 IP 4 K, 4 BB) and Easton McGee (0.1 IP, K) did not allow a hit a hit over the final five innings.

The second of three Nashville home runs on the night came off the bat of Jared Oliva, his first of the season. Nashville pieced together three straight two-out singles in the top of the sixth to extend the lead to 7-2. Caleb Durbin launched his second home run of the season in the top of the seventh and Jorge Alfaro wrapped up a four-hit night with a RBI single to put an end to the night's scoring.

Nashville can earn a series split with a win in the finale against the Stripers on Sunday before returning to Nashville for the start of a six-game homestand against the Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A, St. Louis)

POSTGAME NOTES:

MASHVILLE: Nashville clobbered three home runs on Saturday night - their most in a game this season. The team entered the game with only two home runs through their first seven games. Caleb Durbin hit his second of the year with a solo shot in the seventh inning. Wes Clarke did damage for the first time this year after hitting 18 with Nashville a season ago and finishing the year second in the Brewers farm system with 21 home runs between Double-A Biloxi and the Sounds. Clarke had six home runs in 19 games played against the Stripers in 2024. Jared Oliva hit his first home run of the season and his first since August 29, 2024, when he was with Double-A Arkansas in the Mariners organization. The Sounds 14-hit outburst was four more than their previous high this year. The club entered the game with just 12 hits over their last three games of the series.

FOUR HAY: Jorge Alfaro pieced together a 4-for-5 night at the plate with a RBI, two runs, and a strikeout. It's tied for the second-most hits in a single game by a Nashville player since 2005. The last four hit game by a Nashville player came from Vinny Capra on September 4 vs. Gwinnett. Alfaro's last career four-hit game came on May 11, 2003, against Rochester when he was with Worcester. It was his eighth career four-hit game. He had a single-game career-best five-hit night on May 27, 2014, with Myrtle Beach.

HE WENT TO JARED: Jared Oliva was one of four players to finish with a multi-hit game for the Sounds. He finished 3-for-4 with a home run, double, three runs scored, and a RBI. It was his second multi-hit game of the season and first three-hit game since September 7 last year. He had six games with 3+ hits with Double-A Arkansas in 2024 including a season-high four-hit game on September 5th.

WRITTEN IN 'PEN: Five straight games and 28.0 IP without allowing an earned run for the Nashville bullpen. Nick Mears worked a hitless inning of relief for the Sounds Saturday night to make it three-straight appearances and 3.2 IP during his rehab assignment where he has allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out one. Jacob Misiorowski worked 3.2 IP in relief and made it 8.2 IP to begin his season without allowing a run of any kind. He added four strikeouts on Saturday but also issued four free passes to give him 11 strikeouts and seven walks to start the season. Easton McGee struck out the only batter he faced. Through the first eight games of the season, Nashville boats the best overall team ERA in Triple-A at 2.49 while the bullpen carries a 1.43 ERA. Next closest bullpen ERA in Triple-A belongs to Las Vegas (2.43).