Vihuelas Knock Off Knights, Even Series

NASHVILLE – The Vihuelas de Nashville (51-47, 13-10) made the most of some early walks and kept the Charlotte Knights (44-51, 10-11) at bay to earn a 5-3 win on Wednesday night at First Horizon Park.

The Knights scored first in the top of the first, but their lead was short-lived. Sean Burke (0-4) struggled to find the zone in the bottom of the first, walking four of Nashville’s first five hitters. Isaac Collins tied things at 1-1 scampering home on a wild pitch, then Tyler Black gave Nashville a 2-1 lead on Owen Miller’s RBI hit by pitch. A third run came across on Francisco Mejía’s walk with the bases loaded to make it 3-1. Burke would exit in the first inning, not allowing a hit but walking five, hitting one batter and striking out two.

Rehabbing Brewers starter Joe Ross had a bounce-back performance after allowing eight earned runs in his start last Friday at Norfolk. The right-hander was charged with three runs (all earned) on five hits with two walks in 4.1 innings – one of those runs came across after his exit in the fifth. He threw 80 pitches and 50 strikes in his third rehab outing with Nashville.

After Mitch White (2-3) escaped some trouble in the fifth and sixth, Devin Williams took over in his second rehab outing with Nashville. The two-time National League reliever of the year gave up a leadoff walk, then buckled down with a flyout, then eliciting back-to-back strikeouts with his changeup for a scoreless seventh inning. Carlos Rodriguez (S, 1) followed and kept Charlotte off the scoreboard in the eighth and ninth to earn his first save since the 2022 season.

Las Vihuelas added key insurance runs in the second and seventh innings. Brewer Hicklen smacked the las Vihuelas first hit in the second inning, bringing home Vinny Capra from second base to make it a 4-1 game. Later leading by just a run, back-to-back doubles by Capra and Black gave Nashville a little extra cushion heading into the ninth. Otherwise, it was a quiet night for the Vihuelas, being outhit 9-3 in the win.

All nine Nashville batters reached base and all nine worked a walk in the victory. Capra led the team with two runs scored. Collins, Capra, Hicklen and Miller also stole one base each, respectively.

Right-hander Chad Patrick (8-1, 2.92) will get the start for the Sounds tomorrow night. He’ll face right-hander Nick Nastrini (1-7, 5.33), who gets the ball for Charlotte. The first pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. on Throwback Thursday in Hit City.

Post-Game Notes

• Devin Williams (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K) struck out a pair of Knights in a scoreless seventh inning. It was his second scoreless inning on rehab with the Sounds. Including an appearance with High-A Milwaukee, he has struck out six over three innings this month on rehab assignment.
• Joe Ross (4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K) totaled 80 pitches (50 strikes) in his third start on rehab assignment from Milwaukee. He has a 1.83 WHIP and .356 opponent batting average in 12 innings with the Sounds.
• Carlos Rodriguez (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 0 K) picked up his first save since May 25, 2022 with Single-A Carolina vs. Kannapolis. That was a four inning save in the Carolina 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].