by Bill Craig / A’s Farm Nashville Correspondent
The Sounds kicked off an eight-game homestand on Friday by taking on the division-leading Memphis Redbirds at First Tennessee Park in Nashville.
Friday’s Game #1: Nashville 3 – Memphis 1
Friday night saw 25-year old RHP Frankie Montas (1-3, 4.91) toeing the rubber in search of his first win of the season. Memphis got on the board first on left fielder Adolis Garcia‘s solo homer to center field in the top of the second inning. First baseman Slade Heathcott tied the game on an RBI single that pushed left fielder Nick Martini across the plate in the bottom of the third. Right fielder Anthony Garcia slugged a solo homer in the sixth to give Nashville the lead and then followed that up with an RBI single in the seventh to provide the Sounds with an insurance run. Montas, who was backed by some outstanding defensive play, allowed just one run over six solid innings to earn his first win of the season. The bullpen combined to throw three scoreless innings, with RHP Raul Alcantara (2-0, 6.61) closing things out in the ninth to earn his second save for the Sounds.
Saturday’s Game #2: Nashville 4 – Memphis 2
With rain threatening on Saturday, RHP Daniel Gossett (2-0, 1.05) was pulled from his scheduled start and RHP Chris Bassitt (1-1, 4.76) was called on to make the spot start for the Sounds. The 29-year-old allowed one run on five hits in two innings of work. Then with the threat of rain dissipating, Gossett took over in the third inning and went the distance for the win. He fanned nine over seven innings of work, with a solo homer in the sixth inning accounting for the only run he surrendered. The top four spots in the Sounds lineup accounted for 7 strikeouts over 14 at-bats, but designated hitter Josh Phegley collected three hits and drove in a pair of runs to help provide the margin of victory for Nashville on Saturday.
Sunday’s Game #3: Nashville 8 – Memphis 2
The Sounds were blessed with perfect weather in Music City on Sunday afternoon, and 10,712 fans were in attendance to watch Nashville go for its third straight win over Memphis. Second baseman Franklin Barreto wielded the big bat, belting two home runs and driving in five runs for the Sounds. Catcher Josh Phegley continued to swing a hot bat, blasting a two-run round-tripper in the eighth. RHP Kendall Graveman (1-0, 6.00) was solid, allowing two runs over 6 1/3 innings to notch his first win for Nashville. RHP Emilio Pagan (0.0, 0.00) fanned three in 1 2/3 frames of relief, and RHP Josh Lucas (0-0, 2.35) pitched a perfect ninth in a non-save situation to close out the victory as the Sounds won their third straight.
Monday’s Game #4: Memphis 4 – Nashville 1
The four-game series concluded with a day game in Music City on Monday. It was a good crowd, with plenty of kids in the attendance on field trips. The Sounds were looking to get the sweep and gain four full games in the standings on the division leaders. It was another warm day in Music City, but the Sounds bats never got hot. Nashville notched its only run in the bottom of the third when designated hitter Josh Phegley and third baseman Steve Lombardozzi led off the inning by drawing consecutive walks. Shortstop Jorge Mateo laid down a sacrifice bunt to move them both up 90 feet. Left fielder BJ Boyd then knocked a hard grounder to Memphis first baseman Rangel Ravelo, who threw home, but Phegley beat the throw to score the Sounds’ only run of the afternoon. First baseman Nick Martini then drew a walk to load the bases with one out, but center fielder Dustin Fowler went down swinging and second baseman Franklin Barreto grounded out to first to bring an end to a potential big inning. LHP Eric Jokisch (0-5, 4.98) made the start on Monday, and all his pitches seemed to be working well until the fourth inning, when he surrendered a two-run homer, which was followed by a run-scoring sacrifice fly later in the same inning. He was charged with another run in the seventh and ended up allowing a total of four runs over 6 2/3 frames to suffer the loss. RHPs Emilio Pagan, Kyle Finnegan (0-1, 5.11) and Josh Lucas combined to throw 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief. The Redbirds pitching staff proved too much for the home team as Sounds batters struck out 15 times and Nashville went down to defeat in the final game of the series.
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