Weaver Wins Duel as Redbirds Even Series

NASHVILLE - The Memphis Redbirds evened the four-game series with a 6-1 win over the Nashville Sounds in front of a sellout crowd of 11,193 fans at First Tennessee Park Saturday night.
The night belonged to the men on the mound as starters Daniel Gossett and Luke Weaver dueled throughout their respective outings. Gossett was tagged with the unfortunate loss after allowing a pair of runs on six hits over six innings. The right-hander matched a career-high with 10 strikeouts.
Weaver was just as good and earned his 10^th win of the season. The right-hander limited the Sounds to one run on just three hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out five on the night.
The game was close throughout most of the night before Memphis plated three runs in the ninth to run away with the win.
Patrick Wisdom got the scoring started for the Redbirds when he launched a towering two-run homer off Gossett in the top of the second inning.
It stayed that way until the fifth when Nashville broke through against Weaver. Mark Canha drew a walk to start the frame, and moved to second on a base hit by Ryan Lavarnway. Canha scampered to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on a base hit to left-center by Franklin Barreto.
The 2-1 deficit is as close as the Sounds would get. Stephen Piscotty cracked a solo homer to left field off Sounds reliever Logan Bawcom in the eighth to extend the Redbirds lead to 3-1.
Raúl Alcántara pitched the ninth for Nashville and allowed three runs on four hits as Memphis built a 6-1 lead.
Nashville's offense went cold after Barreto's run-scoring knock in the fifth. Weaver retired the side in the sixth before turning it over to the bullpen. Mark Montgomery tossed two perfect innings before Ryan Sheriff worked a 1-2-3 ninth.
The Sounds managed only three hits in the game and went just 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position. The final 14 batters were retired in order by Memphis pitching.
Game three of the four-game series is scheduled for Sunday night at First Tennessee Park. Right-hander Chris Jensen (5-1, 4.91) starts for the Sounds against right-hander Matt Pearce (2-1, 4.32) for the Redbirds. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
The 2017 season is the Sounds' 40^th 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.