The Nashville Sounds’ offensive struggles continued in their 6-1series-opening loss to the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in front 11,097 fans, a second consecutive sellout crowd at First Tennessee Park.

The Nashville Sounds found themselves in a 2-0 hole before getting a chance to hit. Lewis Brinson doubled to left field to lead off the game, advanced on a ground out by Kyle Wren, then scored on a passed ball. Designated hitter Ryan Cordell then drilled a 1-2 pitch beyond the fence down the left field line to put the Sky Sox up 2-0.

Paul Blackburn (0-2, 2.25) settled down after the first inning to keep the Sky Sox off the board for the next five innings. The 23-year-old finished with a line of two runs, both earned on five hits while walking two and striking out eight batters.

With two outs in the top of the seventh inning Brinson ripped a line drive to right field that sent Chris Parmelee back to the warning track. Parmelee had the ball but could not maintain control and let the ball fall to the ground allowing Yadiel Rivera to score as Brinson raced to third base. Kyle Wren followed that up with a single in front of Parmelee to drive in the fourth run of the game for Colorado Springs.

The Sky Sox loaded the bases with just one out in the eight and cashed in with one run on a sacrifice fly from Rivera to make it 5-0.Tyler Heineman then hit a hot shot to second baseman Renato Nunez who let the ball get past him and allowed Brett Phillips to come home and make the score 6-0.

Nashville broke through in the eighth inning when Matt McBride hit a bloop single into shallow right field that scored Renato Nunez. The Sounds were able to load the bases but could not cash in and the score remained 6-1 Sky Sox.

The Sounds failed to score a run through seven innings for the fifth time in ten games this season.
Game two of the Sounds’ series against the Colorado Spring Sky Sox is Sunday afternoon at First Tennessee Park. Right-hander Chris Smith (0-1, 1.50) starts for Nashville against left-hander Josh Hader (1-1, 3.38) for Colorado Springs. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.

It didn’t take the Braves long to find comfort in their new home, as they constructed a two-run first inning and benefited from Ender Inciarte’s latest home run to open SunTrust Park with Friday night’s 5-2 win over the Padres.

Playing their first official game in front of the 41,149 fans who flocked to their new stadium, the Braves jumped out early and watched Julio Teheran will himself through a six-inning stint that was only blemished during a two-run second, which included three consecutive two-out singles, the first of which was recorded by Padres starter Jhoulys Chacin.

“I feel really happy with myself,” Teheran said. “Obviously, we wanted to win this game, the first game at this ballpark for the franchise. We obviously wanted to win. I didn’t have my best, and I knew it was going to be a tough night for me. But I’m glad I got this moment. It was a special moment for me and the team.”

Teheran’s fourth-inning RBI single proved to be the decisive blow against Chacin, who surrendered four runs and eight hits over five-plus innings. Inciarte provided the Braves some comfort with a two-run, sixth-inning home run off right-handed reliever Craig Stammen.

Chacin surrendered hits to three of the first four batters he faced and faced a 2-0 deficit before he recorded his second out. Inciarte notched the stadium’s first hit with a leadoff infield single in the first inning, and he scored when Nick Markakis followed a Freddie Freeman double with one of his own.

“I battled pretty much all game,” Chacin said. “My pitches weren’t that good today. I wasn’t throwing enough strikes early in the count.”
Inciarte provided the Braves’ bullpen some breathing room with his two-run homer, which per Statcast™ had a 99-mph exit velocity and 40-degree launch angle (matching the highest launch angle recorded for a Braves home run during the Statcast™ era). The Gold Glove Award-winning outfielder has three homers in his past seven at-bats, or the same amount he had in 522 at-bats last year.
“I knew it was gone,” Inciarte said. “That’s all I got. After I hit it, I knew. I was looking for that pitch up in the zone. I put a good swing on it and I was able to get it out.”

Teheran wasn’t nearly as impressive as he’d been in his previous two starts, and his streak of 23 innings without giving up an earned run vanished after he hit Erick Aybar with a pitch and then allowed Chacin and Manuel Margot to record consecutive RBI singles in the second inning. The Braves’ ace allowed the Padres to produce two baserunners in two of the next four innings, but he stranded two when he ended his 105-pitch night by striking out Austin Hedges in the sixth.

“We didn’t stay in the strike zone,” said Padres manager Andy Green. “The entire night, it was chasing him and his stuff. It’s frustrating to see. … I don’t think he was as sharp as he normally is. I’ve seen him much better. He was beatable tonight. We didn’t take advantage.”

In 20 years at Turner Field, both starting pitchers drove in runs in the same game only seven times. It’s already happened at SunTrust Park. Chacin plated the Padres’ first run when he legged out a two-out dribbler to third base in the second inning. Teheran notched his RBI in the fourth with an infield knock. Padres second baseman Yangervis Solarte made a nice backhand stop, but his throw was low, and Myers couldn’t pick it at first.
R.A. Dickey will match up against Clayton Richard when this four-game series resumes Saturday night at 6:10 p.m. CT. Dickey will be pitching with two extra days of rest and attempting to bounce back from the loss he took when a few defensive miscues marred his six-inning season debut in Pittsburgh.

The Oklahoma City Dodgers spoiled the first sellout of the 2017 season at First Tennessee Park with a 3-2 win over the Nashville Sounds in front of 10,717 fans Friday night.

With the score even at 1-1 in the eighth inning, Oklahoma City’s Alex Verdugo lifted a fly ball in the direction of Nashville’s Matt McBride. The ball glanced off the left fielder’s glove and allowed two runners to score on the E-7.

Bobby Wahl limited the damage to the two unearned runs, but it was enough for the Dodgers. Matt Olson launched a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth but the comeback fell short.

The starters controlled the game early as both held the opponent off the board for the first five innings. Nashville finally broke through against Jair Jurrjens in the fifth to put the game’s first run on the board.

Renato Nuñez doubled into the left field corner to start the rally. Jurrjens came back to get Olson and Bruce Maxwell on groundouts, but McBride came through with a two-out, RBI single up the middle to give the Sounds a 1-0 lead.

Cèsar Valdez cruised through the first five innings. He struck out a pair in the third, the side in the fourth, and added two more punch outs in the fifth.

Oklahoma City’s Tyler Holt began the sixth with a base hit to right-center, ending the night for Valdez. Josh Smith relieved Valdez and gave up a single to Chris Taylor to put runners at the corners. Oklahoma City evened the game at 1-1 when Cody Bellinger bounced into a 3-6 fielder’s choice.

Neither starter factored into the decision despite solid performances from both. Jurrjens allowed one run on five hits in six innings. Valdez allowed one run on five hits in five innings to go along with his seven strikeouts.

Nashville had a number of chances in the later innings but couldn’t come up with a big hit. They left runners in scoring position in the seventh and eighth innings, and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

Nuñez and McBride both had multi-hit games in the losing effort.
The Sounds welcome the Colorado Spring Sky Sox for a three-game series set to begin Saturday night at First Tennessee Park. Right-hander Paul Blackburn (0-1, 1.50) starts for Nashville against left-hander Brent Suter (0-0, 0.00) for Colorado Springs. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
The 2017 season is the Sounds’ 40th in franchise history and their third as the Oakland Athletics’ top affiliate. Season ticket memberships are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.

2017 CHS Soccer Seniors

Ten members of the Class of 2017 were recognized on Thursday night prior to the CHS soccer game.  The Coffee County Red Raider soccer team hosted Lawrence County on Senior Night at the Raider Soccer Field.  The Red Raiders were able to score early and late in an 8 to 1 win over the visiting Wildcats.

Senior Breyer Taylor got the 1^st Raider goal in the 2^nd minute to set the tone for the evening.  Senior Chase Harper followed that up in the 16^th minute as he pushed home a ball that was mishandled by the Lawrence County keeper.  Paco Barrera found the back of the net in the 19^th minute off an assist from Taylor to give Coffee County a 3 to 0 lead at the half.

In the 2^nd half, five different Red Raiders scored as Taylor got his second goal on an assist from Ben Reid.  Leo Botello got an unassisted goal and then scored an assist on Ethan Abplanalp’s goal in the 71^st minute.  Tyler Walker scored unassisted in the 73^rd minute and Felix Salinas gave Coffee County their final goal in the 75^th minute off an assist from Miguel Mendoza.

The Red Raiders return to the pitch on Monday night when they play host to Marshall County.  That match will kick off at 7 PM.