NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Toledo Mud Hens dropped game one of the series against the Nashville Sounds, 3-2, on Tuesday night at First Horizon Park.
After threatening but not scoring in the first inning, the Hens did not make the same mistake in the second. Jacob Robson started the inning with a single and then stole second. A fly ball to center field allowed him to tag and advance to third. On a full count, Juan Centeno ripped a line shot into right center for an RBI single to put the Hens up 1-0.
In the top of the third, the Sounds started to make some noise at the plate. A one-out single was followed by a two-run blast to right-center field off the bat of Corey Ray to put Nashville in front 2-1.
After three runs in the first three innings, the game turned into a pitchers’ duel between Ricardo Pinto and Josh Lindblom. Lindblom would exit after six innings, conceding just the sole run while racking up eight strikeouts. Pinto also exited after six innings, yielding just the two runs on five hits while punching out five.
In the seventh, Niko Goodrum and Kody Clemens walked to bring Aderlin Rodriguez to the dish with two on and two out. On an 0-2 pitch, Rodriguez bounced a ball up the middle that found its way into center field, scoring Goodrum to tie the game at two.
Right-hander Jason Foley entered to pitch the seventh for Toledo, looking to keep the game tied. He struck out the first two batters he faced and then induced an easy fly ball to center that Goodrum put away for the final out of the inning.
After Toledo went quietly in the eighth, Will Vest came on to handle the bottom half of the frame. Travis Shaw singled to left to start the inning. He then walked Dustin Peterson on five pitches, bringing up Daniel Vogelbach. On a 1-2 pitch, he chopped a ball to Clemens at second base, who started a 4-6-3 double play. It looked like Vest might get out of the inning unharmed, but Weston Wilson had other plans, as he singled to right field to score Shaw and give the Sounds a 3-2 lead.
Backs against the wall, Renato Nunez poked a one-out single to right-center in the ninth. On a pitch in the dirt, Nunez broke for second but was gunned down for the second out of the inning. Down to their last out, Clemens struck out to end the game and the Sounds held on to win, 3-2.
What’s Next:
The Toledo Mud Hens and Nashville Sounds play a doubleheader on Wednesday with the first pitch of the first game scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EST. The second game will begin about thirty minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Both games will be seven innings.
Hens Notes:
- C Juan Centeno recorded three hits, the third time he has done so this season.
- RHP Jason Foley threw a scoreless inning in relief.
- RHP Ricardo Pinto recorded his fourth quality start of the year for Toledo and second in a row.