Sounds Fall 8-7 in Walk-Off Loss to Open Road Trip in Norfolk

NORFOLK, Va. – The Nashville Sounds opened a 12-game road trip with an 8-7 walk-off defeat against the Norfolk Tides on Tuesday night at Harbor Park.

Nashville starter Colton Gordon surrendered a 4-0 lead after two innings before the Sounds recorded their first baserunner. A sacrifice fly in the first and a two-out bunt single plus Rece Hinds’ two-run homer in the second accounted for the early damage. Gordon finished with four innings, four runs on four hits, three strikeouts and two walks.

The Sounds answered in the third. Luis Matos singled, Ethan Murray walked and Freddy Zamora singled to load the bases. Tyler Black cleared them with his second grand slam of the season and third of his career, tying the game 4-4. Jeferson Quero’s two-out RBI double in the fifth and Brock Wilken’s solo homer (his 13th, tying the team lead) in the sixth pushed Nashville ahead 6-4.

Carlos Rodriguez worked two scoreless frames before Brett Wichrowski entered in the seventh. Consecutive hits and a late tag at the plate allowed Norfolk to score twice and take a 6-6 lead. In the ninth, Zamora walked, stole second and scored on Bo Naylor’s single to knot the score at 7-7. Naylor has driven in eight runs across his last four games.

Garrett Stallings could not close it out. Hinds and Heston Kjerstad singled, a wild pitch moved them up, and a walk loaded the bases. Jose Barrero’s sacrifice fly scored Hinds for the walk-off winner—Nashville’s eighth such loss this season.

Black’s slam helped Nashville set a new franchise mark with 11 grand slams this year, the most in Minor League Baseball. Wilken now shares the team home-run lead and tops the club with 65 RBI.

The Sounds (22-24 second half, 65-56 overall) continue the series Wednesday with LHP Thomas Pannone scheduled to start at 5:35 p.m.