Sounds Best I-Cubs, Extend Win Streak to Five

NASHVILLE – The Nashville Sounds (48-43, 10-6) continued their string of victories in the homestand, taking down the Iowa Cubs (40-51, 7-9), 5-2, in front of a sellout crowd of 10,237 at First Horizon Park on Friday night. It’s Nashville’s fourth win of the series and fifth in as many games.

Just like most of the series up to this point, the Sounds jumped ahead first. Tyler Black led off the first with a single, then swiped second base. Francisco Mejía provided the hit to score him, a single into left center field that gave Nashville a first inning lead.

The I-Cubs answered with a couple of long balls later. Cole Roederer and Bryce Windham smashed a pair of solo shots that put Iowa in front 2-1 in the second. Nashville answered a bit later, retaking the lead in the fifth inning. Isaac Collins clubbed a sacrifice fly to center that scored Brian Navarreto to tie it. Wes Clarke followed Collins and lined a double into the left center field gap, bringing Black home to make it 3-2.

Carlos Rodriguez did not let the rough second inning shake him. The two-time Brewers Minor League Pitcher of the Year buckled down after, seemingly getting better as the game wore on. He got out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning, then struck out three of his last four batters faced. He finished an out shy of a quality start, going 5.2 innings and holding the I-Cubs to four hits with seven strikeouts on the night.

Nashville’s bullpen proved up to the task, with three relievers combining to shut down Iowa after Rodriguez’s exit. Blake Holub retired a batter to finish the sixth, then got the first two outs of the seventh. Harold Chirino picked up his teammate by getting out of Holub’s jam in the seventh. Ryan Middendorf then took command the rest of the way, working two scoreless innings with three strikeouts to secure the save and another Sounds triumph.

The Sounds offense put up a couple insurance runs in their final two turns at bat. Owen Miller added an RBI with a bouncing ball up the middle that allowed Mejía to score. In the eighth, Collins beat the I-Cubs infield shift by going the other way to plate Navarreto for the Sounds’ fifth tally.

Black turned in a quality night out of the top of the lineup, having two singles, scoring twice and earning a walk. Mejía and Collins also turned in a multi-hit performance, respectively. Sounds pitchers reached a double-digit tally of strikeouts for the fourth-straight game.

Iowa and Nashville continue their series with game five tomorrow night at First Horizon Park. Right-hander Taylor Clarke (1-1, 5.30) gets the ball for the Sounds. He’ll be opposed by former Sound Thomas Pannone (4-8, 4.57). The first pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. in Hit City.

Post-Game Notes

• Carlos Rodriguez (5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K) snapped a streak of taking the loss in five-straight losses (including 3 with Milwaukee from June 11-22). It’s his first win at either level since May 17 at Jacksonville.
• Brewer Hicklen (15 games), Patrick Dorrian (14 games) and Isaac Collins (13 games) each extended their on-base streak in the win. Only one other team (Gwinnett) has three players with an active on-base streak of at least 13 games in the International League.
• Tonight’s sellout was the sixth in 2024. The Sounds currently rank third in average home attendance (7,331) and fourth in total home attendance (307,906) in the International League.

The Nashville Sounds are the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers and play at First Horizon Park. Single-game tickets for the remainder of the 2024 season are on sale now. For more information call 615-690-4487 or e-mail [email protected].