Late Wild Pitch Lifts Sounds to Second Straight Win

NASHVILLE, TN - The Nashville Sounds found another way to win in the late innings Wednesday night, scoring on a wild pitch in the eighth inning to defeat the Louisville Bats 3-2 at First Horizon Park.

The victory marked Nashville’s second consecutive 3-2 win over Louisville after Tuesday night’s walk-off victory. The Sounds improved to 73-60 overall and 30-28 at home.

Coleman Crow delivered one of his strongest outings of the season, working a season-high seven innings while recording his 23rd career quality start. The right-hander allowed nine hits and two runs while striking out four and issuing no walks.

Nashville took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning. Akil Baddoo started the rally with a one-out single before Jonathan Ornelas and Tyler Black followed with consecutive hits. Black, who delivered Tuesday night’s walk-off winner, drove in another run Wednesday with a single. Ramon Rodriguez followed with an RBI single to score Ornelas.

The Sounds’ offense then went quiet. After Blake Burke singled in the third inning, Louisville pitchers retired 14 consecutive Nashville batters.

Louisville tied the game with runs in the fourth and fifth innings, but Crow continued to work out of trouble. He stranded six Louisville runners during his seven innings and left the game with the score tied.

The winning rally came in the eighth. Eduardo Garcia was hit by a pitch from Louisville reliever Connor Phillips, stole second and moved to third on a flyout by Brandon Lockridge.

With two outs, Phillips’ 1-2 pitch to Brock Wilken got past catcher P.J. Higgins and rolled to the backstop. Garcia raced home and scored standing up to give Nashville a 3-2 lead.

Garrett Stallings closed out the victory with two scoreless innings. He escaped a ninth-inning threat by striking out Dominic Pitelli before Wilken made a leaping grab at third base to rob Carlos Jorge of a potential hit and end the game.

Black finished 1-for-3 and extended his on-base streak to 14 games and his hitting streak to five.

The Sounds and Bats continue their series Thursday at 6:35 p.m. Nashville is scheduled to send right-hander Brandon Sproat to the mound against Louisville left-hander Kent Emanuel.