Clutch Hits in Eighth Inning Lifts Sounds Over I-Cubs

NASHVILLE – In a contest that was close throughout, the Nashville Sounds (25-23) jumped ahead late with a three-run eighth to defeat the Iowa Cubs (27-19) 7-4 in front of a sellout crowd of 10,312 fans on Friday night at First Horizon Park. The win knots the series at two games apiece.

Tied at 4-4 going into the eighth inning, Cam Devanney reached on a hit by pitch and Michael Reed singled to put two on with nobody out. That set the table for Blake Perkins, who knocked a go-ahead RBI ground-rule double over the right-center field fence. Luke Voit gave Nashville some insurance with a two-RBI ground-rule double later in the frame.

The Sounds jolted ahead early, getting three on Iowa’s starter in the third inning. Voit added an RBI double before Patrick Dorrian clubbed his seventh homer of the season, a two-run blast to right. Iowa would tie things in the fourth, but Jon Singleton gave Nashville a short-lived lead with an RBI double in the fourth. The I-Cubs answered to knot things up at 4-4 in the fifth.

Nashville relievers managed to quell Iowa’s offense after Thomas Pannone worked through five four-run innings. J.C. Mejía struck out three over a couple hitless frames. Darrell Thompson (1-1) picked up his first win at the Triple-A level after facing the minimum in the eighth. Thyago Vieira (S, 1) added the save with a pair of strikeouts in the ninth.

Everyone in the Nashville lineup recorded at least one hit in the game, with Payton Henry leading the barrage with a four-hit night. Singleton, Voit and Dorrian each had a multi-hit performance, respectively.

Caleb Boushley (2-1, 4.50) will get the start for the Sounds in game five of the series vs. Iowa tomorrow. He’ll go up against I-Cubs right-hander Ben Brown (1-2, 4.34). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at First Horizon Park.

Post-Game Notes

• Andruw Monasterio reached three times tonight, extending his on-base streak to 26 games. Over the span, he’s hitting .293 (27-for-92) with 23 runs, three doubles, four homers, 15 RBI and 24 walks.
• Luke Voit has hit safely in each of his last three games and has reached base in all six games on rehab. During this series, Voit is batting .333 (4-for-12) with two doubles, a homer and five RBI.
• Payton Henry tied a career-high in hits with his 4-for-5 performance. It is his fourth professional four-hit ball game, with the last coming on June 2, 2021, with Double-A Biloxi at Montgomery.
• After four scoreless innings tonight, Sounds relievers lower their bullpen ERA to 3.49 (229.2 IP/89 ER). It is the lowest ERA among relievers in the International League.

The Nashville Sounds are the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers and play at First Horizon Park. Season ticket memberships for the 2023 season are on sale now. For more information call 615-690-4487 or e-mail [email protected].