Hicklen Launches 19th Homer, Sounds Head Into All-Star Break with Victory

NASHVILLE – The Nashville Sounds (49-44, 11-7) got back to their winning ways to cap off a series victory over the Iowa Cubs (41-52, 8-10), taking a 3-2 triumph on Sunday afternoon at First Horizon Park.

Trailing 1-0 after the top of the first, Nashville did not trail for long. Joey Wiemer beat out an infield single to put a runner on. With two outs, Brewer Hicklen delivered a key blow, crushing a 444-foot blast way over the left field fence. The two run shot, his 19^th homer of the season, made it a 2-1 game after one inning.

After grabbing the lead, Nashville’s defense and pitching staff kept Iowa off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Starter Garrett Stallings (1-1) worked 5.1 innings, scattering five hits with four strikeouts on 92 pitches to take his first win as a Sound. Stallings escaped a base-loaded moment in the fourth, getting a strikeout and popout to keep Nashville on top. After his exit, Janson Junk held the I-Cubs without a hit over his two innings on the bump.

Hicklen’s highlights today did not end with his home run. After reaching in the seventh inning on a fielder’s choice, the outfielder stole second base, took third on a missed catch error on the stolen base, then scampered home on a wild pitch to give Nashville a needed insurance run.

In the eighth and ninth, Iowa threatened to tie things up or take the lead, but two huge double plays allowed Nashville to escape. With the bases loaded in the eighth, Harold Chirino elicited a ground ball to Owen Miller which turned into a 4-6-3, inning ending twin killing. Then in the ninth, James Meeker (S, 1) finished off the I-Cubs with another 4-6-3 double play to grab the save and give the Sounds a 3-2 win.

The Sound picked up the win despite being outhit 7-3 in the contest. Hicklen’s two runs and two RBI accounted for almost all of the offense. Sounds pitching managed to strand eight I-Cubs on base, also getting the help of the infield with four double plays turned up the middle.

Nashville will have four days off before restarting play. They’ll begin a three-game series against the Norfolk Tides on Friday, July 19. The first pitch is set for 5:35 p.m. central time at Harbor Park in Virginia.

Post-Game Notes

• The Sounds enter the All-Star break with a winning record for the fourth straight season (every season since returning to their affiliation with the Milwaukee Brewers).
• Brewer Hicklen (1-for-3, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, SB) hit his 19^th home run and sixth in July in the first inning. The slugger boasts a .660 slugging percentage and a 1.012 OPS through 12 games this month. His 19 home runs ranks tied for third in the International League, while his 26 stolen bases slots him fifth in the same category.
• Garrett Stallings (5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K) picked up his first win of the season. His last win as a starter came on September 20, 2023 with Norfolk at Buffalo (5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K).
• Janson Junk (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K) has not allowed a run over his last nine appearances in Triple-A and has not allowed an earned run in his last 11. Since May 23, Junk has 18 strikeouts, a 1.13 WHIP and .193 opponent batting average over 16.0 innings pitched.

The Nashville Sounds are the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers and play at First Horizon Park. Single-game tickets for the remainder of the 2024 season are on sale now. For more information call 615-690-4487 or e-mail [email protected].