Headrick Leads the Way, Bullpen Follows In 3-0 Shutout of Sounds

NASHVILLE, TN (April 6, 2024) - Brent Headrick was in complete control on Saturday night at First Horizon Park. Coming off his first outing in which the last eight outs he recorded were by strikeout, he was even better against the Nashville Sounds. Headrick tossed 5.0 shutout innings and the bullpen didn’t give up a run over the final 4.0 innings as the Saints shutout the Sounds 3-0. The win improves the Saints to 5-2.

Headrick fanned the first two hitters he faced which meant the last 10 outs he recorded, going back to his first start on March 31, were all by way of the strikeout. After a walk to Eric Haase, he got Brewer Hicklen to hit into a fielder’s choice to end the streak.

For the first time this season the Saints clubbed back-to-back home runs to take the early lead. In the third Yoyner Fajardo, his second, and DaShawn Keirsey Jr., his first, hit back-to-back solo homers putting the Saints up 2-0.

Headrick allowed just one runner to reach third and that came in the fourth. With two outs and Chris Roller at first, Headrick attempted to pick him off, but his throw clipped off the top of Jose Miranda’s glove and went into foul territory allowing Roller to scamper to third. That didn’t faze Headrick who fanned Yonny Hernández to end the inning.

Headrick finished off his night with a perfect fifth. He went 5.0 shutout innings allowing two singles, walking three and striking out seven. He has allowed just two runs on seven hits in his first 8.2 innings while walking three and striking out 15.

The Saints added to the lead in the sixth. With one out back-to-back singles by Miranda and Patrick Winkel put runners at first and second. With two outs Diego A. Castillo reached on an infield single to second. Miranda hustled around third and the throw home was on the first base side as Miranda slid in safely giving the Saints a 3-0 lead.

Ronny Henriquez came on in the bottom of the sixth for the Saints. With two outs he gave up a double to Hicklen and an infield single to Owen Miller but ended the inning by striking out Francisco Mejia. Henriquez went 2.0 shutout innings allowing two hits and striking out three.

Diego Castillo worked a perfect eighth and struck out one.

In the ninth, Hobie Harris was called upon to close out the game for the second straight night. After a leadoff walk, he got Mejia to ground into a double play. The tying run would come to the plate, however, when Roller reached on a two base fielding error by third baseman Tanner Morris. After a walk to Hernández, Isaac Collins came to the plate representing the tying run. Harris struck him out looking to earn his second save in as many nights.

The shutout is the earliest in franchise history in just their seventh game surpassing last season’s shutout in the 15^th game.

The same two teams meet in the finale of the six-game series at First Horizon Park on Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. The Saints send RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (0-0, 0.00) to the mound and the Sounds send RHP Chad Patrick (NR) to the mound. The game can be heard on KFAN Plus, 96.7 FM.