Lead Slips Away, Sounds Lose to Omaha

A slim Nashville Sounds lead vanished in a hurry as the Omaha Storm Chasers plated four runs in the top of the seventh inning on their way to a 5-2 win in front 6,130 fans Thursday night at First Tennessee Park.
Nashville starter Seth Maness cruised through his first six innings of work. Just acquired by the Texas Rangers earlier in the day, Maness allowed only one hit and threw 68 pitches in his first six innings.
Armed with a 2-0 lead, Maness allowed a leadoff double to Erick Mejia to start the seventh. On the very next pitch, Omaha's Cheslor Cuthbert cut the deficit in half to 2-1 with a double down the left field line. Frank Schwindel followed with a single and Jorge Bonifacio clobbered a 1-0 pitch onto the berm in left-center for a three-run homer and 4-2 lead.
Maness was charged with a tough loss after he went 6+ innings and allowed four runs. He didn't issue any walks and struck out four.
Nashville built an early lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Zack Granite started with a walk and swiped second base. Willie Calhoun's groundout to second moved Granite to third, and moments later Eli White's base hit to right field gave the Sounds a 1-0 lead.
It stayed a 1-0 game as both starters settled in. As Maness cruised, Omaha's Heath Fillmyer was tough as well. After White's single in the first, Fillmyer didn't allow a hit until Calhoun started the bottom of the sixth with a solo blast into The Band Box to give the Sounds a 2-0 lead. It was Calhoun's sixth home run of the season.
The single by White in the first and home run by Calhoun in the sixth were Nashville's only two hits in the game.
The Sounds welcome the Memphis Redbirds to First Tennessee Park to begin a four-game series Friday. Left-hander Wes Benjamin (1-3, 7.65) starts for the Sounds against right-hander Jake Woodford (2-0, 1.20) for the Redbirds. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Post-Game Notes
- With tonight's 5-2 loss, the Sounds dropped to 8-19 on the season.    
- When Willie Calhoun homered in the sixth inning, it marked at least one home run for Nashville in nine consecutive games. Since April 24, they have homered in every game and have a total of 14 in that timeframe.
- Nashville matched a single-game high with three stolen bases. Zack Granite, Eli White and Patrick Wisdom all stole a base in the first inning.
The 2019 season is the 42nd in Nashville Sounds franchise history and first as the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Single-game tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.