Leonard’s Two-Homer Effort Falls Short as Sounds Drop 11-9 to Charlotte

Nashville matched a season-high in runs but fell 11-9 Friday night at Truist Field, dropping a third straight game to the Charlotte Knights. The loss (12-12) snapped the Sounds back to .500 on the year as Charlotte combined for 20 runs on 17 hits in a back-and-forth contest. Eddys Leonard led the way offensively with two home runs, marking a key multi-HR effort in Nashville’s latest setback.

Charlotte struck first with Jarred Kelenic’s solo homer in the bottom of the first off Coleman Crow. Kelenic extended his series momentum with a third straight game featuring a home run, but Leonard answered with his first blast of the night off former Sounds pitcher Shane Smith to even the score. After Nashville fell behind again, the Sounds exploded in the top of the third, taking a 5-2 lead when Brock Wilken delivered a three-RBI triple that began with two walks and a hit-by-pitch.

The Knights responded to retake control with a four-run bottom of the fourth. Michael Turner and Jacob Gonzalez powered that surge, highlighted by Gonzalez’s first of two three-run homers. Gonzalez finished with a career-high seven RBI and posted his second multi-HR game of the season as Charlotte moved ahead 8-5.

Leonard made it close again with a second home run—his second of the game—on the first pitch of the sixth. But Nashville couldn’t get the momentum fully back, with three straight batters retired as the Sounds still trailed 8-6. Gonzalez later pushed Charlotte’s advantage to 11-6 with another homer, aided by a one-out throwing error that extended the inning and kept Gonzalez at the plate after strikeout trouble.

Nashville mounted a late rally, scoring three final runs, but left the tying chances stranded. Cooper Pratt ignited the seventh-inning push with a single, moved to third on Luis Lara’s double, and scored on Jeferson Quero’s RBI single. Williams added a second hit and RBI to bring the Sounds within 11-8, and Lara later singled home Freddy Zamora after a hit-by-pitch. Still, Nashville went 5-for-14 with runners in scoring position, leaving seven on base, and fell after a 1-2-3 top of the ninth ended the comeback hopes.

The series continues with a Saturday doubleheader in Charlotte. Nashville will need to sweep to keep the series within reach for Sunday’s finale, with first pitch at 3:05 PM CT.