Sounds Snap Losing Streak With 7-4 Win In Salt Lake

SALT LAKE CITY - Nashville hitters belted a pair of homers to back another solid start by top prospect Jimmy Nelson in the Sounds' 7-4 victory over the Salt Lake Bees at Smith's Ballpark on Saturday evening in the opener of a four-game series.

With the win, the Sounds (39-38) snapped their season-high eight-game losing streak.

Nelson (8-2) worked his 13th quality outing in 14 trips to the hill this season for Nashville, picking up the win after allowing three runs on five hits while fanning five batters in seven innings of work.

Nashville grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning against Salt Lake southpaw Justin Thomas when Hunter Morris (3-for-5) led off with a double into the right field corner and came around to score on Jeremy Hermida's one-out single.

Hermida (3-for-4) upped the visitors' advantage to 3-0 in the fourth when he slugged his seventh home run of the season, a two-run shot to right off Thomas. Morris, who preceded Hermida with a single, also scored on the blast.

Bees right fielder Brennan Boesch (3-for-4) put Salt Lake on the board in the bottom of the inning when he swatted his 12th roundtripper of the year, a two-out shot to right off Nelson. It was the outfielder's sixth homer in his past six games.

Pete Orr (2-for-5) led off the Sounds' fifth with a double and later scored on a Jeff Bianchi sacrifice fly to make it a 4-1 contest.

Catcher Matt Pagnozzi stretched the Nashville lead to 7-1 in the sixth when he smashed a three-run homer off Thomas, his fifth big fly of the year. Sean Halton and Hermida each singled earlier in the inning before scoring on the homer.

Thomas (4-7) was saddled with the loss after giving up seven runs on 10 hits and fanning eight batters over his six frames of work.

Salt Lake third sacker Luis Jimenez pulled the home team back within 7-3 in the bottom of the sixth when he cranked a line-drive two-run homer over the right field wall for his 11th home run of the season.

Alfredo Figaro worked the final two innings in relief of Nelson and allowed one run in the ninth inning.

The teams continue the series with a 2:05 p.m. CT matinee on Sunday afternoon. Right-hander Tyler Cravy (NR), who started the Southern League All-Star Game on Monday, will make his Triple-A debut for the Sounds. Salt Lake will counter with right-hander Caleb Clay (NR).