Bowden Francis Leads Sounds to 4th of July Win

Nashville Sounds right-hander Bowden Francis did a little bit of everything to help the club to a 9-3 win over the Louisville Bats in front of a sellout crowd of 11,686 at First Horizon Park on Sunday night. It was the sixth-largest crowd in First Horizon Park history.

Francis limited the Bats to one run on three hits over six innings. He walked a pair of batters and struck out four in his fourth win in a Sounds uniform. For good measure, Francis collected a pair of infield singles at the plate.

The only run Francis allowed was a lead-off home run to Louisville second baseman Max Schrock. Only one Louisville batter made it to second base against Francis the rest of the way.

Nashville plated three runs in the bottom of the second to take control of the game. With one out, Weston Wilson and Christian Kelley drew back-to-back walks off starter Hunter Greene. The free passes came back to hurt when Mitch Longo doubled into right field to give Nashville a 1-0 lead, and Yeison Coca singled to right to knock in a pair of runs to make it 3-0.

The middle of the Nashville order did the damage in the third inning against Greene. Cooper Hummel started the frame with a walk, and he moved to third on Jamie Westbrook’s double off the left-field wall. Both runners came in to score when Wilson bounced a base hit up the middle to give the Sounds a 5-0 lead.

Wilson was at it again in the bottom of the fifth when he lined a solo homer over the right field wall to make it a 6-0 game. Matt Lipka joined the home run club when he launched a two-run blast in the bottom of the eighth to make it 9-1.

Blaine Hardy and Eric Yardley both tossed scoreless innings in the win.

The Sounds enjoy an off day Monday before opening a six-game series in Gwinnett on Tuesday night. Left-hander Ethan Small (0-0, 2.08) will start for the Sounds. The Stripers have not named a starter. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. central time.

Post-Game Notes

• Tonight’s attendance of 11,686 was the sixth-largest crowd in First Horizon Park history and the eighth sellout of the season.
• Over the last nine games, Nashville starters are 2-0 with a 1.81 ERA (10 ER/49.2 IP).
• Weston Wilson went 2-for-3 with a walk and 3 RBI…the 3 RBI matched a season-high (also 5/28 at Columbus).
• Jamie Westbrook doubled in the third inning to extend his on-base streak to 19 games. During the streak he is hitting .387 (29-for-75) with 13 runs, 8 doubles, 3 home runs, 18 RBI and 5 walks.
• Cooper Hummel walked in the second inning and has reached base safely in 15 consecutive games…batting .340 (18-for-53) with 6 doubles, 3 home runs, 8 RBI and 10 walks.

The Nashville Sounds are the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers and play at First Horizon Park. Single-game tickets are on sale now for all remaining 2021 home games. For more information call 615-690-4487 or e-mail [email protected].