Honky Tonks Even Series With Comeback Win

The Nashville Honky Tonks scored four runs in the seventh inning on their way to a 7-4 win over the Round Rock Dance Halls in front of 9,477 fans at First Tennessee Park Thursday night. The win evened the nine-game Battle for the Boot series at three games apiece.
Trailing 4-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, Nashville got back-to-back home runs from Ramón Laureano and Sheldon Neuse to cut the deficit to one run. It was the third time Nashville teammates have gone back-to-back in 2018.
Reliever Tayler Scott came on to work for the Dance Halls in the seventh and issued three consecutive walks to start the inning. The third free pass was to Nick Martini to extend his on-base streak to 53 games with the walk.
Anthony García bounced into a 6-4 fielder's choice to even the game at 4-4 before Laureano delivered the go-ahead run with a sharp single to left field. The 5-4 lead grew to 7-4 moments later when Round Rock second baseman Christian Lopes mishandled a ground ball hit by Steve Lombardozzi. The fielding error scored Garcia and Laureano to give Nashville some breathing room.
The bullpen trio of Ryan Buchter, Jake Sanchez and Bobby Wahl did the heavy lifting the rest of the way. Following starter Eric Jokisch's six-inning effort, Buchter tossed a scoreless seventh in his third rehab appearance.
Jake Sanchez stranded the bases loaded in the eighth to keep it at 7-4 before handing it off to Bobby Wahl who struck out a pair of batters in a 1-2-3 ninth. Buchter earned the win, Sanchez picked up his fourth hold and Wahl notched his seventh save of the year.  
Game two of the four-game series is scheduled for Friday night at First Tennessee Park. Right-hander James Naile (5-6, 4.05) starts for Nashville against right-hander Adrian Sampson (3-3, 6.64) for Round Rock. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Post-Game Notes
- With tonight's 7-4 win, Nashville improved to 33-37 on the season.
- Nick Martini extended his consecutive on-base streak to 53 games when he walked in the seventh inning. Martini's streak is the longest by a Nashville player in the Pacific Coast League era and is the longest active streak in professional baseball. Since April 14, Martini has reached safely in every game he has played in. The 53-game on-base streak is the longest in the Pacific Coast League since at least 2009 when MLBAM began tracking the statistic. Martini's 21-game hitting streak came to an end after going 0-for-4.
- Ramon Laureano and Sheldon Neuse hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning. It's the third time Nashville has gone back-to-back in 2018.
- Neuse's solo home run was the first of the year for the third baseman. The home run snapped a 317-regular season at-bat homerless streak.
The 2018 season is the Sounds' 41st in franchise history and fourth as the Oakland Athletics' top affiliate. Single-game tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.