Category: Sports

D-backs right-hander Zack Greinke did a little bit of everything Monday night as he tossed eight quality innings and drove in a run, and J.D. Martinez introduced himself to Arizona with a massive home run in a 10-2 victory over the Braves at Chase Field.

The D-backs jumped on Braves starter R.A. Dickey for three runs in the second inning, the first of which came on Greinke’s line-drive double down the left-field line. Dickey (6-7) never seemed to be able to get command of his knuckleball, which he used to easily handle the D-backs 10 days ago, and turned in his shortest outing of the year at 3 2/3 innings.
“Pretty well-scripted day for us and it was all set up by Zack Greinke’s outing,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “Just a really, really nice effort. I think he probably made one, two mistakes and one of them was hit for a two-run home run, but other than that he was in command from start to finish. He gave us a chance to get our feet on the ground offensively.”
The lone damage against Greinke (12-4) came in the fifth when Johan Camargo doubled with two outs and pinch-hitter Sean Rodriguez hit his first home run since returning last week from a shoulder surgery that jeopardized his season. Rodriguez’s no-doubt shot traveled a projected 428 feet and had a 109 mph exit velocity per Statcast™.
That was not nearly enough on a night when the D-backs offense got two doubles, a homer and four RBIs from A.J. Pollock, with the recently acquired Martinez adding three RBIs on a homer to center field as part of a 13-hit attack.
“What can you say?” Lovullo said of his offense. “It was just one guy after another.”
Dickey completed at least five innings in his previous 19 starts this season and entered with a 1.80 ERA over his past six starts. But the 42-year-old veteran never got comfortable as he issued five walks and was charged with four wild pitches.
“I was fighting my body a lot tonight and I just didn’t feel great,” Dickey said. “Your body sometimes will choose the path of least resistance. Mechanically, my delivery wasn’t as repeatable as it’s been for the last month and a half.”
Making his second start since being acquired last week from the Tigers, Martinez — who was hit by a pitch on the left hand in his D-backs debut — collected his first hit in an Arizona uniform and it was a big one. Martinez smacked a three-run homer to straightaway center, projected to travel 427 feet by Statcast™, to help the D-backs put the game on ice in the sixth.
“I know that he wants to impress people,” Lovullo said. “That’s just the nature of the game and the nature of the moment. When you move teams you want to do everything you can to help out. Today was a great moment for him.” More >>
Pollock delivers: Following Greinke’s RBI double in the second, Dickey retired David Peralta and it appeared the knuckleballer might wiggle out of the second-and-third jam without any further damage. Pollock, though, came up with a double to left to score both runners and the lead became 3-0 as the D-backs started to roll.
“It’s been an area where we’ve had some concerns,” Lovullo said of hitting with runners in scoring position. “I think it was one of those moments where A.J. said, ‘I’m going to pick up my teammate right here and get the job done.’ It extended the lead and was a big boost to the moment and the dugout was excited. I think the guys started playing after that knowing that hey here we go we’ve got the ball rolling.”
The Braves were charged with six wild pitches, the most recorded by the club in a game since Phil Niekro produced this total himself Aug. 4, 1979, during a loss to the Astros. The four charged to Dickey matched Adam Ottavino and Trevor Cahill for the most in a Major League game this year.
Mike Foltynewicz will take the mound when this three-game series resumes Tuesday at 8:40 p.m. CT. Foltynewicz has posted a 2.95 ERA over his past six starts.

The Nashville Sounds were shutout 8-0 by the New Orleans Baby Cakes in a Monday matinee to wrap up an 11-game road trip. The Sounds mustered just four hits and only one batter reached scoring position in the ball game.

Nashville batters were no match for New Orleans starter Odrisamer Despaigne who tossed six scoreless innings. He was perfect through three innings before Jaff Decker opened up the fourth inning with a base hit. Decker’s single was one of just two base runners allowed by Despaigne in his six innings of work.

Making his second rehab appearance for the Sounds, starter Kendall Graveman was touched for seven runs on nine hits as he faced 21 batters in just three innings of work. The right-hander needed 30 pitches to get through the first inning and another 24 in the second.

New Orleans jumped Graveman early as eight batters came to the plate in the opening inning. Mike Aviles led off the game with a base hit through the right side of the infield. Then Graveman jammed Steve Lombardozzi in on the hands with a 94 miles per hour fastball but Lombardozzi muscled the pitch out to shallow left field and legged out a run scoring double to give the Baby Cakes an early lead. Two batters later Brandon Barnes knocked in a run with a single into right field followed by an RBI double from Cal Towey to make it 3-0 Baby Cakes.

Graveman looked to be out of the second inning unscathed but a throwing error by third baseman Renato Nuñez with two outs extended the frame and cost the Sounds dearly. Following the error Brian Anderson singled to left field on the first pitch he saw to load the bases then Graveman plunked Barnes to bring in a run. The next batter, Towey lofted a base hit into shallow center field to drive in a pair of runs and a third run came in to score as Yairo Muñoz took his time getting the ball back in.

Lou Trivino hurled a perfect fourth inning while Ryan Dull made his second rehab appearance for the Sounds and yielded one hit in 1 2/3 innings with a strikeout and a walk. Kyle Finnegan allowed one run on a sacrifice fly in 1 1/3 before handing the ball off to Patrick Schuster who fanned two batters in a scoreless eighth inning.

For the Sounds it was the second time this season they have been blanked in consecutive games. The first time was also against the Baby Cakes when the Sounds fell 6-0 in game two of a doubleheader on June 19 and 3-0 in game one of a doubleheader on June 20.

The Sounds have now played in 12 series since their last series victory at the beginning of June. They have a series record of 0-4-8 since taking three of four from the Iowa Cubs from June 1-4.

The Sounds begin a four game series Tuesday evening in Nashville at First Tennessee Park against the Las Vegas 51’s. Right-hander Jharel Cotton (2-0, 4.11) starts for the Sounds against right-hander Donovan Hand (2-4, 6.92) for the 51’s. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

The continued maturity of the Coffee County soccer team manifested itself on Friday and Saturday as the Lady Raiders finished strong at a team camp at Lee University.  With official practice beginning on Monday, Coffee County used the final week of summer conditioning to travel to Cleveland for the 4 day camp.  The varsity Lady Raiders finished play on Friday and Saturday with a win and a draw.

On Friday, the Lady Raiders captured a 4 to 1 win over Bradley Central behind 2 goals from Reagan Ellison.  Jenna Garretson and Allie Amado each added goals to power the ever evolving Coffee County offensive attack.  With the depth at the midfield position, Coach David Amado has begun to implement a 4-5-1 formation.  The Lady Raiders saw improved offensive flow in Saturday’s draw with Notre Dame as they dominated the time of possession, but failed to find the back of the net.  “Everything came together.  We dominated the match but could not get enough shots (on frame)” said Amado.

The highlight of the camp according to Amado was the outstanding play of senior keeper Ashley Woods.  “Ashley had a great camp, she has made herself into a good goalkeeper” added Amado.  Coach Amado also loved the effort and enthusiasm shown by his team while playing against a collection of high caliber teams.  “We had a great camp” said Amado.

The Lady Raiders open official practice this week as they will work with the Westwood Lady Rockets team in a skills camp.  Coach Amado wants to use the practice time in the coming 2 weeks to improve on passing and ball possession.  Defensively, Amado would like to see his defense improve on covering their spaces through better communication and teamwork.  The Lady Raiders will host a scrimmage play day on Saturday, August 5^th at the Raider Soccer Field and Carden-Jarrell Field.

As the fall sports season gets ready to crank up, Thunder Radio sports continues our series of previews for the fall prep sports teams.  Each day, we will spotlight a different team as we count down to the opening of practices and games of the upcoming season.  Today, we look at the Westwood cross country teams.

The Westwood cross country team prepares for its 4^th season with a full roster and major expectations.  Spring tryouts saw Coach Jim Dobson field complete varsity and JV squads for one of the most successful programs at Westwood.  After dominating most of the local meets last year, both the girls’ and boys’ teams return a handful of talented runners.  The Rockets will begin team workouts when school starts as they prepare for their 6 meet season.

The Westwood harriers will begin their season on Tuesday, August 22^nd in Unionville at Community.  That race is schedule to begin at 4 PM.  After meets at Warren County and Sewanee, the Rocket runners will compete in the Coffee County meet on September 12^th.

The CHS Lady Raider volleyball team finished off the Eagleville team camp with a record of 5 and 6 on Friday.  Coffee County won 3 games in Friday’s double elimination tournament format before bowing out in 6^th place.  The Lady Raiders got victories on Friday over Grundy County, Community and Middle Tennessee Christian in the tournament. Coffee County fell to elimination bracket with a loss to Summertown before being eliminated by Eagleville.

Coffee County will play host to a one day team camp on Wednesday.  The Lady Raiders will play host to a middle school scrimmage play day on Saturday beginning at 9 AM.  Both events will begin at 9 AM and both will be held at the Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gym.

Coach Andrew Taylor was a guest on Saturday’s Coffee Coaches Show talking about the camp and the upcoming season.  You can download a copy of that interview at: http://www.thunder1320.com/audio/CCS072217Podcast.mp3

 

The Dodgers rallied for a wild 5-4 walk-off win over the Braves on Sunday with Logan Forsythe’s one-out RBI single in the bottom of the 10th, overcoming the loss of MLB wins leader Clayton Kershaw after two innings to another lower back injury and closer Kenley Jansen’s first blown save of the year.

Forsythe’s bases-loaded hit up the middle past former Dodgers reliever Jim Johnson scored Corey Seager. Longtime Dodgers villain Matt Adams slugged a three-run homer off Jansen with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game at 4, after the Dodgers had taken a 4-1 lead on a three-run homer from Austin Barnes in the fourth inning and a solo shot by Cody Bellinger in the eighth.
Kershaw, who missed 2 1/2 months last year with a herniated disk, left with lower right back tightness. Atlanta starter Sean Newcomb (1-6) struck out nine but also issued five walks in six innings, two of them scoring ahead of the homer by Barnes inside the left-field foul pole on an 0-2 pitch.
Adams’ 15th homer since joining the Braves on May 20 cashed in two key singles by Freddie Freeman and former Dodger Matt Kemp that opened the inning. Adams hit a 95.1-mph cutter, Jansen’s fastest pitch of the game, according to Statcast™ .
Newcomb escaped a second-inning jam while the game was still scoreless. Forsythe doubled with one out, Enrique Hernandez walked and with two outs Joc Pederson walked to load the bases. But Trayce Thompson, pinch-hitting for Kershaw, struck out on three pitches.

The Nashville Sounds’ offense never got rolling in a 6-0 loss to the New Orleans Baby Cakes Sunday afternoon at Shrine on Airline in New Orleans.
Starter Scott Copeland tossed six shutout innings and two New Orleans relievers combined for the final three innings to send the Sounds to their ninth shutout loss of the year.
Timely hitting gave the Baby Cakes an early 1-0 lead in the second when Brandon Barnes’ two-out double was followed by a run-scoring base hit by Cal Towey.
Zach Neal started for the Sounds and went two innings in his first game back with the team since begin optioned by Oakland earlier this week. Three other right-handed pitchers who have started for the Sounds this year pitched in the game.
Chris Bassitt tossed a scoreless inning, Michael Brady allowed three runs in 2 2/3 innings, and Corey Walter allowed a pair of runs as he covered the final 2 1/3 frames.
Tomas Telis made it a 2-0 game when he launched a solo homer on the first pitch Brady threw. The Baby Cakes added a pair of runs in the inning and held a 4-0 lead after four.
The Sounds had six hits in the first five innings but never cashed in. The team had only three at bats with runners in scoring position and came away empty handed in all.
Matt McBride went 3-for-3 while Franklin Barreto and Renato Nunez had multi-hit games as well. The rest of the lineup went 0-for-22 with eight strikeouts.
The series finale is scheduled for Monday morning in New Orleans. Right-hander Kendall Graveman (0-0, 15.43) starts for the Sounds against right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne (1-4, 3.38) for the Baby Cakes. First pitch is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.

Corey Seager, Chase Utley and Chris Taylor homered Saturday night at Dodger Stadium as the Dodgers returned to their slugging and winning ways with a 6-2 victory over the Braves, snapping their two-game losing streak.

Dodgers starter Rich Hill (7-4) struck out eight in 6 1/3 innings and is 4-0 in his career against Atlanta. He is 4-1 with a 1.93 ERA since modifying his delivery six starts back. Braves starter Julio Teheran (7-8) is 0-6 in his career against the Dodgers.
Seager (No. 16) and Utley (No. 6) hit solo home runs in the first and third innings, respectively. Hill plunked Teheran with a 1-2 pitch to lead off the top of the fifth. Teheran was doubled to third by Johan Camargo and scored on Freddie Freeman’s groundout. Former Dodger Matt Kemp singled home Camargo to tie the game at 2. The Dodgers took the lead on Yasiel Puig’s two-out RBI infield single in the sixth inning. Taylor — a defensive replacement in the seventh inning — added a two-run triple in the eighth inning to his opposite-field homer in the seventh, his 12th on the season to go with a .310 average.

Saturday’s game between the Nashville Sounds and New Orleans Baby Cakes has been postponed due to rain at Shrine on Airline in New Orleans.
The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, September 2 when the Sounds return to New Orleans on the final weekend of the season. Game one of the doubleheader will start at 4:00 p.m. CST.
The two teams will continue the series Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. Right-hander Zach Neal (1-4, 4.09) is scheduled to start for Nashville against right-hander Scott Copeland (6-9, 6.00) for New Orleans.

Rumored Atlanta trade chip Jaime Garcia pitched seven solid innings and slugged a grand slam Friday night as the Braves handed former teammate Alex Wood his first loss of the year and the Dodgers their second loss in a row, a 12-3 rout at Dodger Stadium.

Garcia’s third career homer, on an 0-2 pitch, was the first slam by an Atlanta pitcher since 1966. It capped a five-run fifth inning and ended the night for Wood (11-1), whose ERA jumped from 1.56 to 2.17. Tyler Flowers slugged a three-run homer off reliever Grant Dayton in the sixth inning, also on an 0-2 pitch. Estimated by Statcast™ at 447 feet, it tied Brandon Phillips for the longest Braves home run of the year.
Atlanta has scored 18 runs in the two games against the Dodgers, and the 12 runs the Braves put up on Friday are the most they have scored at Dodger Stadium in franchise history.
“It’s baseball,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “You never know. We came off a really tough series at home, getting swept by the Cubs, and came out here and the guys kind of put that behind them, and we played two pretty good ballgames so far.”
On the mound, Garcia (4-7) allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out four with one walk. Wood allowed a pair of first-inning runs, dropped a Garcia popup in the fourth inning that allowed two unearned runs and served up Freddie Freeman’s 18th home run before Garcia’s slam. Wood walked four (one intentional) and struck out four in 4 2/3 innings, his shortest start since April 10.
“I would guess it probably wasn’t his best day,” Flowers said of Wood. “My at-bats, at least, he fell behind, so that makes you a little more susceptible to finding some barrels. We had a good approach obviously and took advantage of the mistakes when we got them.”
The Dodgers, who had won 31 of 35, have lost back-to-back games for the first time since June 5-6 to Washington, also at home.
“One of those days, and we haven’t had many of those,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “Jaime was good and he made pitches and he was comfortable. We’ve got to flush this one out and get ready for tomorrow.”
The Braves doubled their lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning on Wood’s error. With two out and runners on second and third, Garcia popped up a 1-2 pitch near the foul line between home and first base. First baseman Cody Bellinger lost sight of the ball and Wood camped under it, then dropped it for a two-run error.
“Cody just lost it, I think,” Wood said. “Dark sky and it can be tough at night, sometimes. I looked at the last second to see if anybody was coming, I heard [Yasmani Grandal] yelling my name. In retrospect, you won’t see me trying to catch a fly ball anymore.”
Wood had an unlucky first inning. Ender Inciarte led off with an infield single that shortstop Corey Seager was unable to barehand. Johan Camargo’s line drive cleared the head of a very shallow Enrique Hernandez in center field for a double, and when Inciarte tried to score on the play, he kicked the ball out of Grandal’s glove, which also allowed Camargo to advance to third. Camargo scored on a Flowers single that shot past third baseman Justin Turner, who had cheated toward the foul line just before the pitch.
Garcia’s grand slam was the first by a Braves pitcher since Tony Cloninger hit two in the same game on July 3, 1966, at San Francisco. He is the third pitcher in MLB to hit a slam on an 0-2 pitch since at least 1930 (per Baseball-Reference.com). The previous pitcher with a grand slam against the Dodgers was Philadelphia’s Jeff Juden in 1995 off John Cummings.
On Saturday, the Braves will give the ball to Julio Teheran, who owns a 2.53 road ERA, good for fifth in the National League. But the righty has struggled against the Dodgers in his career and is 0-5 with a 5.50 ERA in six starts vs. Los Angeles. First pitch is slated for 8:10 p.m. CT.