Sounds Lose Third Straight Game, 3-2 To New Orleans

METAIRIE, La. - The Nashville Sounds dropped their third straight game on Saturday evening, falling 3-2 to New Orleans at Zephyr Field.

Eugenio Velez, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, and Sean Halton drove in the two Nashville runs.

The Sounds took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning against New Orleans starter Alex Sanabia.

Irving Falu led off with a bunt single and hustled home when Velez followed with an RBI double off the center field wall. Two batters later, Halton roped a run-scoring single to right to bring in Velez.

New Orleans halved the Nashville lead to 2-1 in the fifth. The Z's loaded the bases against Brad Mills without putting a ball in play, sandwiching a pair of walks around a hit batsmen, before Josh Rodriguez ripped an RBI single to left to put the home team on the board. The Sounds southpaw worked out of further damage in the frame by popping up Mark Canha then striking out Justin Bour to end the inning with the bags full of Zephyrs.

Mills -- who received a no-decision for his efforts -- allowed one run on four hits over five innings of work, walking three batters and striking out seven.

The Zephyrs took their first lead of the night at 3-2 in the sixth against Michael Blazek (0-3), who made a costly two-out throwing error on pinch-hitter Zack Cox's dribbler to allowed a pair of baserunners to score in unearned fashion.

Nashville (26-24), which has held a lead in 11 of its 15 road losses this season, had runners on base in each of the final five innings but were unable to add to their two-run scoring total. The Sounds finished just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position on the night.

Z's reliever Grant Dayton (2-0) was awarded the victory after working a scoreless inning. Arquimedes Caminero followed with a pair of scoreless frames before Chaz Roe took over in the ninth and worked around a leadoff single to secure his second save of the year.

Dustin Molleken turned in another solid relief outings for Nashville, striking out four batters while retiring all seven Zephyrs he faced. In his last five appearances, the Canadian has worked 9 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing only three hits and fanning 12.

The teams continue the series with a 1:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday afternoon. Rehabbing Brewers left-hander Tom Gorzelanny will make the start in his first rehab appearance for the Sounds and will be followed by regular starter Ariel Pena (2-4, 4,43). New Orleans will counter with left-hander Brian Flynn (4-3, 3.42).