TACOMA, Washington - The Nashville Sounds salvaged a series split with the Tacoma Rainiers after Thursday night's 7-4 victory. The Sounds wrapped up their eight-game road trip with a 5-3 record.Ben Bracewell was solid on the mound for Nashville, spanning five innings while allowing just a pair of runs, one
TACOMA, Washington - The Nashville Sounds salvaged a series split with the Tacoma Rainiers after Thursday night's 7-4 victory. The Sounds wrapped up their eight-game road trip with a 5-3 record.
Ben Bracewell was solid on the mound for Nashville, spanning five innings while allowing just a pair of runs, one earned, on just two hits to pick up his second victory of the season. His lone blemish was a Dan Vogelbach solo shot in the second inning that put the Rainiers on the board. Both free passes issued by Bracewell came in his fifth and final inning of work as he came to the end of the line.
The Sounds started the scoring in the second inning when Ryan Lavarnway sparked a two-out rally. His base hit was the first of five consecutive hits for the Sounds, highlighted by Matt McBride's two-run blast that just stayed fair inside the left field foul pole. Jaff Decker picked up an RBI single in the inning to put the Sounds in front 3-0. Tacoma cut into the lead one batter into the bottom half of the inning as Vogelbach took Bracewell deep.
Nashville went back up by three runs in the third inning as Joey Wendle scored Franklin Barreto from first base on a three-bagger, his team-leading seventh triple of the season.
The Sounds manufactured a run in the sixth inning. Kenny Wilson was plunked by a Cody Martin pitch to lead off the inning. He advanced to third on a Decker single and came in to score on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 6-2. The Rainiers cut the Sounds' four-run lead in half with a pair of runs in the sixth inning. Shawn O'Malley and Taylor Motter crossed home plate on a two-run double from Gordon Beckham.
Melvin Mercedes collected his 13th RBI of the season in the seventh inning to cap off the scoring. Mercedes tallied a season-high three hits on the evening including a pair of infield singles. Decker collected a trio of hits for the fourth time this season.
Kyle Finnegan and Raúl Alcántara each tossed scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth respectively to shut the door on the Rainiers. For Alcantara it was his second save of the season for the Sounds and second of his career.
The Sounds return home for a four-game set against the Memphis Redbirds Friday night at First Tennessee Park. Right-hander Zach Neal (2-7, 5.37) starts for the Sounds against right-hander Jack Flaherty (4-1, 2.83) for the Redbirds. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CST.
The 2017 season is the Sounds' 40th in franchise history and their third as the Oakland Athletics' top affiliate. Single-game tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.
