Late Offensive Outburst Powers Sounds Past Bulls

Held quiet through six, Nashville bats blast Durham’s bullpen to vanquish Bulls 8-4

May 18, 2023

Durham, N.C. – The Nashville Sounds (21-20) overcame a slow start at the plate with back-to-back big innings, taking an 8-4 victory over the Durham Bulls on Thursday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Three runs in the seventh, followed by five in the eighth, proved to be plenty enough

Durham, N.C. – The Nashville Sounds (21-20) overcame a slow start at the plate with back-to-back big innings, taking an 8-4 victory over the Durham Bulls on Thursday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Three runs in the seventh, followed by five in the eighth, proved to be plenty enough to get Nashville’s first victory of the series.

Trailing by a couple runs through six, the Sounds cashed in with clutch hits in the seventh. Brian Navarreto’s two-RBI double tied the game at 2-2 before Blake Perkins brought Navarreto home to lead 3-2 at the stretch.

The Bulls answered and tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, but Bennett Sousa (2-0) somehow kept Durham from taking the lead despite entering the inning with the bases loaded and nobody out.

Nashville strung together four consecutive hits to change a tied game into a comfortable lead in the eighth. A Jon Singleton walk and Abraham Toro single set the table for Skye Bolt and company. Bolt’s go-ahead single brough home the go-ahead run in Singleton. Patrick Dorrian and Navarreto followed with back-to-back RBI doubles. An error by Durham brought home another tally, making it 8-3.

Sousa would strike out the side in the eighth and J.C. Mejía held Durham to a single score in the ninth for an 8-4 final.

The win would go to Sousa, who struck out four and allowed just one hit over 2.0 innings in relief. Ethan Small pitched a season-high 3.1 innings, striking out four while walking three in another scoreless outing. Evan McKendry ended up with the no decision for Durham despite tossing 6.0 scoreless innings in the start.

Navarreto led the offensive attack with three hits, two doubles and four RBI. Dorrian also had multiple RBI doubles. Bolt had a single and double with an RBI. Overall, the Sounds outhit the Bulls 10-6.

Robert Gasser (1-0, 5.47) will start for the Sounds tomorrow night. Durham’s starter is to be determined. First pitch is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. CDT at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Post-Game Notes

Brian Navarreto extended his on-base streak to 12 games with a three hit, four RBI night. He’s batting .409 (18-for-44) with six doubles, a triple, nine RBI and nine runs during the streak. It was also his third four-RBI game of the season (last was on May 4 at St. Paul).
Nashville’s 5-6-7 hitters (Bolt, Dorrian and Navarreto) combined to go 7-for-10 with four doubles, six RBI and four runs.
Ethan Small worked another scoreless outing, his ninth of the season. He has held opponents to a .125 average (8-for-64) through 19.1 innings (12 games) this season.
Outfielder Monte Harrison was ejected by home plate umpire Matt Winter in the fifth inning. He is the first Sound to get tossed in 2023; the last was Patrick Dorrian on September 8, 2022 at Charlotte.

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].