NASHVILLE, Tennessee - The Nashville Sounds (66-55) tied their franchise record for consecutive wins after besting the Round Rock Express (53-68) by an 8-4 score on Tuesday night at First Tennessee Park, extending their current winning streak to 15 straight games.Express reliever LHP Brandon Mann (4-1, 2.70) was dealt the
NASHVILLE, Tennessee - The Nashville Sounds (66-55) tied their franchise record for consecutive wins after besting the Round Rock Express (53-68) by an 8-4 score on Tuesday night at First Tennessee Park, extending their current winning streak to 15 straight games.
Express reliever LHP Brandon Mann (4-1, 2.70) was dealt the loss after allowing one earned run in 3.1 innings. Mann, who entered in the first after starter RHP Chris Tillman left the game with an injury, struck out three and walked one while permitting four hits. For the Sounds, RHP Frankie Montas (4-5, 4.67) earned the win after tossing 5.1 frames in which he allowed four runs, all earned, on six hits.
Looking to bounce back from last night's walkoff loss, Round Rock's bats posted a three-run inning in the top of the first. DH Christian Lopes followed CF Drew Robinson 's leadoff walk with a two-run shot over the fence in left. Lopes has now driven in 50 or more runs in three of his seven professional seasons after recording his 49th and 50th RBI of 2018 on the blast. Before the end of the side, 3B Andy Ibáñez doubled to right-center, moved to third on a single by 1B Hanser Alberto , and came home with the third E-Train run of the side when C Tony Sanchez smacked a two-bagger off the wall in left.
In the bottom half of the frame, Nashville matched the Express scoring output to level the score at 3-3. After sitting down the first batter of the side on a groundout, Tillman hit Sounds 1B Steve Lombardozzi with a pitch. The next two batters, CF Dustin Fowler and DH Anthony García , collected back-to-back singles to bring Lombardozzi home before Tillman exited the game. Mann took over on the mound for Round Rock and proceeded to hit the first batter he faced before giving up a two-run single to Nashville 3B Sheldon Neuse .
The Sounds would go on to take a 4-3 lead in the second before widening the gap to 7-3 in the fifth. SS Jorge Mateo started the second with a triple and was immediately plated on a single from RF Boog Powell in the following at-bat.
In the fifth, Fowler reached base on a single off Round Rock reliever RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx and moved up to second on a wild pitch. Garcia then worked a walk to put runners on first and second, setting up a run-scoring single by 2B Franklin Barreto . Bibens-Dirkx sat down the next two Nashville hitters with consecutive strikeouts but Nashville LF B.J. Boyd doubled home two additional runs before the side ended.
Both teams would exchange punches in the sixth and seventh as the Sounds maintained their four-run lead. The E-Train cut Nashville's lead to 7-4 in the top of the sixth when LF Scott Heineman singled and scored on Ibanez's double to right-center. The Sounds answered in the next inning when Barreto connected on a solo homer to finalize the score at 8-4.
Round Rock needs a win in Wednesday night's game three matchup at First Tennessee Park to avoid losing the series. Express RHP Chris Rowley (5-9, 3.59) is scheduled to face Nashville RHP Chris Bassitt (5-4, 4.48) on the mound. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. CDT.
For more information on the Express, visit RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter!
