Z's shut out by Nelson in loss at Nashville

Jimmy Nelson cooled a New Orleans Zephyrs offense that had scored 17 runs in its last 18 innings with seven shutout innings Friday for the Nashville Sounds to drop New Orleans 5-0 at Greer Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.

The Z's lead in the American South also fell to two games with a 8-7 win by the Round Rock Express over the Memphis Redbirds.

Rob Brantly singled off of Nelson in the fourth and seventh innings, but Josh Rodriguez was the only other Zephyrs batter to get a hit through Nelson's seven innings of work when he led off the third with a single.

Nelson (9-2) struck out nine hitters, and Mark Canha was the only New Orleans batter to reach second base against the Nashville starter when he drew a walk in the fourth.

Z's starter Bryan Evans (4-5) held Nashville hitless through the first four innings, but Jason Rogers led off the fifth with a triple and Jeremy Hermida singled him home in the next at-bat to give the Sounds a 1-0 lead. Those were the only two hits Evans allowed, along with a walk and three strikeouts.

Arquimedes Caminero entered the game for the Zephyrs in the sixth inning and gave up a one-out single to Jeff Bianchi followed by a double from Hunter Morris before Rogers drove in Bianchi with a sacrifice fly and Hermida capped the rally with a two-run home run that gave Nashville a 4-0 lead.

Dustin Molleken and Jeremy Jeffress each pitched scoreless innings in relief for the Sounds to finish the game, allowing nothing more than an eighth-inning, pinch-hit single by Jordany Valdespin. 

Nashville also added a run in the eighth when Grant Dayton walked Morris, and Rogers picked up his second run-scoring hit with a double to left field.

The Zephyrs and Sounds will play the third game of their four-game series at 6:35 p.m. Saturday at Greer Stadium. Adam Conley (2-2, 4.08 ERA) is scheduled to start for New Orleans against Taylor Jungmann (3-4, 6.17 ERA).