OKLAHOMA CITY - The Nashville Sounds (36-38) matched the Oklahoma City Dodgers with six hits Saturday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, but failed to convert chances as the home team took the victory, 4-1.Sounds centerfielder Jaff Decker, 2-for-4, provided the team's lone run in the game with a solo home
OKLAHOMA CITY - The Nashville Sounds (36-38) matched the Oklahoma City Dodgers with six hits Saturday night at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, but failed to convert chances as the home team took the victory, 4-1.
Sounds centerfielder Jaff Decker, 2-for-4, provided the team's lone run in the game with a solo home run in the fifth off Oklahoma City starter Wilmer Font (6-4).
Opposite Font was right-handed pitcher Ben Bracewell (0-1) manning the bump for Nashville in his Triple-A debut. The 26-year-old used 74 pitches to collect four strikeouts over four innings and walk three.
Bracewell's final inning, which began with a leadoff walk followed by a fielding error by Joey Wendle, saw three runs cross, though unearned. With runners on the corners, Bracewell struck out Trayce Thompson, but O'Koyea Dickson connected on an RBI double off the wall in right-center field to plate the game's first run. Baserunner Willie Calhoun tried to also score on the play but was gunned down by Mark Canha from right field.
With two outs in the fourth, the Dodgers added a pair of runs: one from Kyle Farmer's RBI-single, the other on a wild pitch from Bracewell with a runner on third.
The Dodgers picked up one final run in the eighth inning when Brett Eibner knocked a double to left-center field, scoring Dickson, who had reached base on balls.
Sounds reliever Simon Castro picked up two scoreless innings of relief, holding OKC to one hit while fanning four. Patrick Schuster picked things up in the seventh to pitch 1.1 inning scoreless, before Aaron Kurcz rounded out the night, allowing the Eibner RBI-double.
The final game of the four-game series is scheduled for Sunday evening in Oklahoma City. Right-hander Corey Walter (2-2, 3.15) will start for Nashville against right-hander Justin Masterson (5-4, 4.16) for Oklahoma City. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
The 2017 season is the Sounds' 40th in franchise history and their third as the Oakland Athletics' top affiliate. Single-game tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.
