Sounds Stay Hot, Rout I-Cubs

NASHVILLE – The Nashville Sounds (46-43, 8-6) extended their winning streak to three games, running away with an 11-2 win over the Iowa Cubs (40-49, 7-7) on Wednesday night at First Horizon Park.

The Sounds, who never had trouble at the plate, totaled 17 knocks in the victory. Patrick Dorrian opened the onslaught with a two-run single up the middle in the second. Nashville’s big inning came a little later in the fifth inning. With runners on second and third, Iowa decided to intentionally walk Brewer Hicklen to load the bases. Owen Miller made them regret that decision, lining a double down the left field line that cleared the bases and made it a 5-0 game. Miller later scored on a throwing error to make it a 6-0 contest through five.

Joe Ross made his first start on rehab assignment with Nashville and the 2019 World Series champion did not disappoint. The right-hander held Iowa to a pair of hits and one walk with three strikeouts in 3.2 scoreless innings. After Janson Junk got the final out in the fourth, Aaron Ashby (2-5) took over and struck out seven over his five innings in relief. The southpaw gave up a pair of runs but had plenty of run support to earn the win.

Hicklen and friends continued to rack up runs late. The outfielder blasted his second home run of the series, a 405-foot moonshot over the Coors Light Home Run Porch that brought home Isaac Collins and made it 8-1 in the seventh. Three more Nashville batters came around to score in the eighth, pushing their run tally to 11.

Miller led the charge with four hits, a double and three RBI. He finished a hit shy of tying the Nashville Sounds franchise record for hits in a game. Tyler Black and Joey Wiemer also had three hits out of the top of the lineup.

The Sounds and I-Cubs play game three of the series tomorrow night. Right-hander Chad Patrick (7-1, 2.80) faces right-hander Riley Thompson (4-2, 5.58) on Throwback Thursday presented by Budweiser. The first pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. at First Horizon Park.

Post-Game Notes

• Joe Ross (3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K) made his first rehab appearance with Nashville and second in total. Ross is on Milwaukee’s 60-day injured list with a lower back strain.
• Brewer Hicklen (1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, BB, K, 2 R) has homered in back-to-back games for the second time this season (also May 21 and May 23 [game 1] vs. Charlotte). He has also hit five in his last eight games. His 18 home runs leads the team.
• Owen Miller (4-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R) had four hits in a game for the first time since August 22, 2023 at Gwinnett. It is the fourth time this season a Sound has had four hits in a game and first since Vinny Capra on June 28 at Jacksonville. This was Miller’s first game action since being outrighted from Milwaukee.

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