Category: Sports

Dillon Overton and Bruce Maxwell helped the Nashville Sounds snap a four-game skid with an 8-2 win over the New Orleans Zephyrs in front of 5,604 fans Sunday afternoon at First Tennessee Park.

With the win, Nashville heads into the Triple-A All-Star break with a 49-42 record and on top of the American Southern Division.

Overton was brilliant once again as the left-hander tallied his ninth consecutive win while pitching with Nashville. Since May 17, Overton has won every game he has taken the mound. He allowed two runs on eight hits over seven innings and improved his record to 10-4 on the season.

He retired the first 11 batters he faced before Xavier Scruggs reached on an infield single in the fourth. By that time the Sounds had built a sizeable lead for him to work with.

It started in the second when Joey Wendle reached on an infield single. After consecutive walks issued to Colin Walsh and Matt Olson, a sacrifice fly by Maxwell gave the Sounds a 1-0 lead.

Arismendy Alcantara followed with a single to right field that scored Walsh with the second run of the inning.

The rally continued in the third with a five-run outburst. New Orleans starter Asher Wojciechowski retired the first two batters of the inning before the wheels fell off.

He issued back-to-back walks to Renato Nunez and Wendle before four straight hits brought in five runs. The big hit came from Maxwell when he belted a two-run double high off the right field wall.

Maxwell chipped in another run with an RBI single in the fifth to make it an 8-1 game. He finished the day 2-for-3 and matched a career-high four RBI.

Isaac Galloway clubbed a solo homer in the top of the seventh to give New Orleans their final run of the game.

J.B. Wendelken and Ryan Brasier threw scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth to send the Sounds into the break on a high note.

Alcantara went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI and Walsh joined in with his second straight multi-hit game.

The Sounds have a three day break over the Triple-A All-Star break and resume play on Thursday, July 14. They head to El Paso, Texas for a four-game series with the Chihuahuas before going to Albuquerque for a four-game set with the Isotopes.

With Jose Quintana and Julio Teheran on the mound Saturday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field, the contest between the Braves and White Sox figured to be a low-scoring affair. Teheran had received the fewest amount of runs per game at 2.5 and Quintana ranked third at 2.9 among qualified pitchers.

But it was Todd Frazier and the White Sox offense that outlasted the Braves in a 5-4 victory to even the series at one game apiece and give the White Sox a chance for their sixth straight series win going into the All-Star break.
Frazier, who will be defending his crown in Monday’s T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Petco Park, hit his 25th homer and knocked an RBI double to pace Chicago’s attack against All-Star righty Teheran.
“I feel stronger, I feel more relaxed, a little quicker swing,” Frazier said. “For me, it’s hitting good pitches. I say this all the time, if I’m swinging outside the zone, I’m going to have some trouble. I feel really good at the plate right now.”

After suffering through a seven-game losing streak and a stretch of nine starts without a victory, Quintana won for a second straight time despite yielding four runs and three home runs over six innings, while striking out five.
Teheran allowed two runs in the second and three in the third, but settled down to pitch scoreless baseball over the next three. He struck out two and walked one. The contest marked the first in Major League history started by a pair of Colombian-born pitchers.
“I felt excited for that. Teheran is my friend, and we have a good relationship. I enjoyed this game, and I take the win,” Quintana said. “A lot of Colombians were here for this game. That’s never happened. That’s good for my country. I think we have better baseball now. That’s good for us. I’m really proud for that.”
“Both of them have great stuff, and I know there’s a lot of pride in Colombia about those guys both going out there,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “It was well-pitched.”
Nate Jones recorded a four-out save, striking out three, and stranding the bases loaded in the ninth after runners got to second and third with one out. Closer David Robertson was unavailable due to a high strain in his left leg.
Gordon Beckham, Freddie Freeman and Jeff Francoeur went deep for the Braves.
“We had some good at-bats today,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We just kept coming back at them. We gave ourselves a good chance. We had the go-ahead run at second base. We were just a hit away.”
Frazier put in a little Derby practice work Saturday with a two-run shot in the second. It marked the second straight day Frazier went deep, giving him 25 for the season. Frazier finished with three RBIs and took a hit away from A.J. Pierzynski — who entered after Tyler Flowers exited with an injury — to lead off the fifth.
After notching nine extra-base hits (including three homers against Chris Sale) on Friday, the Braves added three more home runs against Quintana. Beckham’s first-inning solo shot against his former team was his third homer within a span of 40 at-bats. Freeman’s sixth-inning solo shot was the seventh homer he’s totaled within his past 26 games. Before totaling six homers through the first two games against Chicago, Atlanta had not totaled more than three homers in a three-game series this season. Their previous series-high total was four, produced in a four-game set in Pittsburgh.
“We’ve been playing better baseball now for a month or month and a half,” Freeman said. “It’s nice to go into the All-Star break swinging the bats well. It was another close game today. It’s just unfortunate we didn’t come up with another run right there.”
The Braves had moved to within one run in the sixth against Quintana and had Nick Markakis on first with one out, but Brett Lawrie turned in an inning-ending web gem at second. Lawrie dove toward first on a grounder hit by Francoeur and got up to throw him out and cut short any further damage.
Teheran surrendered Frazier’s two-run homer, which was nearly prevented by Ender Inciarte, in the second and then allowed hits to five of the first six batters he faced during a three-run third inning. But the All-Star hurler then retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced during his six-inning, five-run effort. Teheran was pitching for the first time since being sent back to Atlanta earlier this week to undergo treatment for a right thigh infection.
“Whenever you give up five runs in the first three innings, you [want] to finish strong” Teheran said. “That’s what I was able to do. I made one mistake with the homer, and the other three runs, I think they hit good pitches.”
Atlanta and Chicago will conclude the first half of the season when they meet in the finale of this three-game series on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. CT. Chicago-area native Mike Foltynewicz will start for the Braves. Foltynewicz has made two starts since spending most of June sidelined because of a bone spur in his right elbow.  Thunder Radio will bring you coverage of the game on the Atlanta Braves Radio Network beginning at 12 PM with the pregame show..

A 14-hit outburst wasn’t enough for the Nashville Sounds in an 8-6 loss to the New Orleans Zephyrs in front of a sellout crowd of 10,018 fans Saturday night at First Tennessee Park.

Every Nashville player in the starting lineup had at least one hit while Jaycob Brugman and Colin Walsh had three apiece.

The offensive outburst went for naught when the Zephyrs erupted for six runs in the fifth inning. Starter Chris Smith was cruising and the Sounds held a 3-0 lead going into the top of the fifth before disaster struck.

RBI singles came from Brugman, Walsh and Arismendy Alcantara in the first three innings and Smith had allowed just one hit while racking up seven strikeouts through four frames.

Zephyrs’ third baseman Matt Juengel started the fifth with a double down the left field line. It was one of four extra base hits New Orleans would collect in the frame. Peter Mooney, Austin Nola and Destin Hood all knocked in a pair of runs in the inning.

The Sounds battled back and brought it to within a run late in the game. Walsh’s RBI double in the home half of the fifth cut the deficit to 6-4.

New Orleans tacked on another run in the sixth against Aaron Kurcz before Joey Wendle launched a two-run blast in the bottom of the seventh to make it a 7-6 game. It’s the eighth home run of the season for the Sounds’ second baseman.

Angel Castro delivered two scoreless innings of relief work in the seventh and eighth before the Zephyrs added an insurance run off Ryan Doolittle in the top of the ninth.

Max Muncy started the bottom of the ninth with a lead-off walk, but New Orleans closer Brian Ellington struck out the next three batters to close out the game.

Jeremy Guthrie picked up the win for New Orleans despite scattering 12 hits. Smith was tagged with the loss to send his record to 5-7.

The final game before the Sounds head into the Triple-A All-Star break is set for Sunday afternoon at First Tennessee Park. Left-hander Dillon Overton (9-4, 3.01) starts for the Sounds against right-hander Asher Wojciechowski (2-3, 6.30) for the Zephyrs. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

The 2016 season is the Sounds’ 19th year in the Pacific Coast League and their second as the Oakland Athletics’ top affiliate. Tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.

Chris Sale will be making his fifth straight All-Star appearance, and there’s a chance the White Sox ace could be named the American League starter. But the southpaw didn’t exactly strengthen his resume during an 11-8 loss to the Braves Friday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

“[Sale] wasn’t as sharp as he usually is,” Braves catcher and Sale’s former personal catcher Tyler Flowers said. “These are the kinds of days you hope to face guys of that caliber and just try to be ready for the mistake and take advantage of it.”
Sale tied his career-high by allowing eight earned runs on 10 hits over five innings. He struck out five and walked two, yielding three home runs and a career-high seven extra-base hits in a single start. He dropped to 14-3 with his ERA rising to 3.38. Since Sale suffered his first loss on May 24, after nine wins in nine starts, he has allowed 65 hits and 35 earned runs over 56 2/3 innings, with 61 strikeouts and 12 home runs.
“Velocity wise, tonight he looked mortal,” said White Sox manager Robin Ventura of Sale. “They got some good swings at him. There was some hard contact, a couple homers; it just looked like it wasn’t his best stuff. There was some velocity there you’d see every once in a while, but mostly if you’re missing in the middle, they’re going to hit it.”
Atlanta had 15 hits, including a career-high four from Adonis Garcia. Flowers, who caught every start Sale made for the White Sox in 2014 and 2015, homered and drove in three, while Gordon Beckham, another former Sale teammate in Chicago, had three hits. Every Braves’ starter but Erick Aybar had at least one hit.
“Pretty embarrassing. It’s about as bad as I possibly think I’ve been in awhile,” Sale said. “Stuff like this happens. You take the good with the bad, and this certainly was the bad.”
Matt Wisler earned the victory, although he gave up six runs on eight hits over five innings. Chris Withrow threw 1 2/3 perfect innings of relief. Adam Eaton and Todd Frazier homered for the White Sox.
“It was kind of a weird game to start off with, but ultimately, the good guys came out on top,” the Braves’ Freddie Freeman said. “We haven’t scored that many runs in a while, and then to get that many hits. It was good to come back in that game. It was definitely a weird game, but it was nice to win.”
For the third time this year, fourth if you count Cactus League play, the White Sox turned a triple play. The first two came at U.S. Cellular Field, as well, on April 22 against the Rangers and on May 18 against the Astros. This one took place in the third, after a Sale walk to Chase d’Arnaud and a Beckham single. Freeman hit a liner to short that Tim Anderson trapped, and with d’Arnaud going back to the base, he was able to tag him, step on second and throw to first to get Freeman.
“Everything has to go right with a triple play and that did,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “Chase was hung out there. He couldn’t do anything. The stars were aligned for that one. Freeman hit it right on the screws.”
After making multiple defensive mistakes during a three-run second inning that gave the White Sox a 4-3 lead, the Braves tied the game when Nick Markakis began the fourth inning with his third home run within a span of seven at-bats. Atlanta took the lead for good during a four-run fifth inning that included three consecutive two-out doubles recorded by Jeff Francoeur, Flowers and Garcia.
The White Sox had runners on second and third, two out and Eaton at the plate in the sixth inning against Joel De La Cruz, with the right fielder having worked the count full. Jose Abreu and Frazier followed in the lineup, waiting for an attempt to cut into an 11-6 deficit, but Eaton struck out swinging to end the frame.
Most of the damage Wisler incurred came during the three-run third inning that included Ender Inciarte making a wayward throw to second base and Markakis allowing J.B. Shuck’s RBI double to fall in front of him in shallow right field. Wisler added to the defensive woes when he opted to field Eaton’s squeeze bunt as it appeared to be going foul, allowing the run to score and Eaton to reach base.
“We never stopped playing,” Snitker said. “We never quit. How do you explain it? It’s baseball and those things happen.”
Sale’s eight runs represented a season-high allowed and his highest total since April 30, 2015, when he gave up nine (eight earned). The setback also snapped a five-start winning streak for Sale, who also won in each of his first nine starts.
Julio Teheran will take the mound when Atlanta and Chicago resume this three-game series on Saturday at 1:10 p.m. CT. Teheran will making his first start since undergoing treatment earlier this week for an infected right thigh. The All-Star hurler has allowed two earned runs or less in 10 of his past 14 starts.  Thunder Radio will bring you coverage of the game on the Atlanta Braves Radio Network beginning at 1 PM on Saturday.

The New Orleans Zephyrs sent the Nashville Sounds to their sixth straight home loss with a 5-1 setback in front of 7,444 fans Friday night at First Tennessee Park.

The two teams made it through six innings before severe weather forced the game to come to a halt.

Xavier Scruggs wasted little time getting New Orleans on the board in the top of the first inning. The first baseman belted a solo homer off Zach Neal – one of two he hit in the game – to make it 1-0.

He was at it again in the third when he launched his second of the night. After Robert Andino singled to right-center to put a runner on, Scruggs hit a 3-0 pitch from Neal into the left field seats to give the Zephyrs a 3-0 lead.

Nashville got a home run of their own when Rangel Ravelo hit the first pitch of the bottom of the third out to left-center off Dylan Axelrod. It was Ravelo’s fifth blast of the season and cut the deficit to 3-1.

New Orleans tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth. Scruggs knocked in his fourth run of the night with an RBI single to left field, and Destin Hood added another with a sacrifice fly.

Neal was charged with the loss after allowing all five runs (four earned). In two starts against the Zephyrs this season, the right-hander has allowed eight earned runs. In eight other PCL starts, he has allowed a total of 11.

The Sounds didn’t get anything going against Axelrod after the third. Following Ravelo’s homer, they loaded the bases with one out but Ryon Healy bounced into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

Axelrod retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced and picked up his sixth win of the season.

Game three of the four-game series is set for Saturday night at First Tennessee Park. Right-hander Chris Smith (5-6, 3.90) starts for Nashville against right-hander Jeremy Guthrie (5-5, 7.20) for New Orleans. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

The 2016 season is the Sounds’ 19th year in the Pacific Coast League and their second as the Oakland Athletics’ top affiliate. Tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.

The Cubs and Braves had to wait to play a makeup game on Thursday night because of rain back in April. Chicago’s bullpen was short-handed, and starter Kyle Hendricks was pressed into relief duty, so of course the game went extra innings. It’s been that kind of stretch for the Cubs.

Tyler Flowers smacked an RBI single with two outs in the 11th inning and Nick Markakis hit two home runs, including a game-tying homer in the ninth, to lift the Braves to a 4-3 victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs trailed, 2-0, in the eighth against Atlanta starter Lucas Harrell, who was lifted after he plunked Kris Bryant on the left knee with two outs. Hunter Cervenka then hit Anthony Rizzo with a pitch, and Ben Zobrist followed with an RBI double. Rookie Willson Contreras lined a pitch off Jim Johnson into center for a triple, allowing Rizzo and Zobrist to score and the Cubs to go ahead, 3-2.
But Markakis, who hit a two-run homer in the first, tied the score with a leadoff shot in the Atlanta ninth off Hector Rondon. One out later things got a little tense, as Jeff Francoeur and Contreras exchanged words after an inside pitch by Rondon. Both benches emptied, but no punches were thrown.
“I called a fastball in, and [Francoeur] didn’t appreciate that,” Contreras said. “After that he started talking to me, and I stood up in front of him. I care about my team. I tried to protect my pitcher.”
Cubs manager Joe Maddon wasn’t upset, because he felt the Braves pitchers were just missing when they hit his players.
“I don’t think anything was malicious on their part,” Maddon said. “Francoeur took exception, which he shouldn’t have.”
Spencer Patton walked Freddie Freeman to open the Braves’ 11th, and one out later, Freeman advanced on Adonis Garcia’s single to second baseman Javier Baez. One out later, Flowers lined a single to right to score Freeman and hand the Cubs their seventh loss in the last eight games.
“I think it’s just good to get a win, especially against a ballclub like that,” Markakis said after the Braves secured a split of the six-game season series. “In a ballpark like this, it’s tough to come in and win. Harrell gave us a great performance on the mound, and the bullpen came in and did a great job. It was just a great ballgame all the way around. I’m glad we came out on top.”
The game was originally scheduled for April 30 and postponed because of inclement weather. Rain interfered this time as well, delaying the start of the game one hour and 35 minutes. Both teams were in different situations on April 30. Fredi Gonzalez was Atlanta’s manager at that time, and the Cubs had yet to lose consecutive games.
Dario Alvarez, who has struck out 22 of the 40 batters he faced, recorded three strikeouts in a perfect 10th before surrendering consecutive singles to open the 11th. But with Arodys Vizcaino unavailable, the Braves turned to flamethrower Mauricio Cabrera, who got Addison Russell to hit into a double play and then used a changeup instead of his triple-digit fastball to end the game on Jeimer Candelario’s flyout.
“Being able to find the zone in that situation with his stuff is a great sign of maturity for a young guy like that,” Flowers said of Cabrera. “Then, even with the last pitch [changing] to a changeup right there, I thought that was pretty [brave] on his part. I liked it.”
Francoeur’s leadoff double in the second inning gave the Braves three hits through their first six at-bats, but they did not record another until Markakis opened the ninth with his game-tying solo shot. Markakis entered the game with just two homers and two previous multihomer games, the most recent having been recorded for the Orioles on Sept. 14, 2008.
Harrell retired the first eight batters he faced and then became an adept escape artist after allowing the Cubs to put the leadoff hitter on base during each of his final four full innings. The 31-year-old right-hander kept a shutout bid alive as he retired the first two batters he faced in the eighth, but he ended his 113-pitch night by hitting Bryant with a 1-2 changeup. Cervenka then hit Rizzo with a 3-0 fastball, setting the stage for Zobrist’s RBI double. Contreras’ go-ahead triple off Johnson had the makings of a game-tying single before the ball bounced over Ender Inciarte’s head in center field. Still, in sticking with Harrell into the eighth, Braves manager Brian Snitker showed he has gained quick confidence in the veteran hurler, who has impressed in two starts since getting an unexpected promotion from Triple-A Gwinnett.
“He followed up a good [start] with an even better one,” Snitker said. “I just liked how he attacks the strike zone and keeps the ball down. I can’t say enough about him. He’s been really, really good and aggressive. I like that. He made some big pitches when he got in trouble.”
Atlanta will remain in Chicago to begin a three-game series against the White Sox on Friday at 7:10 p.m. CT. The Braves will send Matt Wisler to the mound to match up against Chris Sale, who will be bidding for his 15th win. Wisler has allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his past four starts.  Thunder Radio will bring you the broadcast beginning with the pregame show at 6 PM on the Braves Radio Network.

The Nashville Sounds were held to five hits in a 1-0 loss to the New Orleans Zephyrs in front of 7,487 fans Thursday night at First Tennessee Park.

It’s the fourth time in the last six games the Sounds have been held to one run or less. Overall, Nashville has lost seven of their last eight games and is hitting just .207 as a team in the month of July.

Starter Jesse Hahn was dialed in from the beginning and turned in his first quality start since May 28 when he was with the Athletics.

The right-hander allowed one run on just three hits in six innings. Hahn walked one and struck out five in the tough-luck loss. The lone run he allowed was on Peter Mooney’s RBI single in the third inning.

New Orleans pitching was just a little bit better as four hurlers combined on the five-hit shutout. Starter Jose Urena worked 4 2/3 innings followed by Craig Breslow, Cody Ege and Brian Ellington combining to throw the final 4 1/3 frames.

Along with their five hits, the Sounds drew six walks and had a number of opportunities to score. They stranded a pair of runners in the first, second and seventh innings. They left a total of 10 runners on base and went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

In the seventh, Bruce Maxwell drew a one-out walk and moved to second on Arismendy Alcantara’s single to center. Both were left stranded when Chad Pinder was retired on a deep fly out to center and Max Muncy struck out.

Ryon Healy started the bottom of the eighth with a sharp single up the middle but was quickly erased on a double play.

Colin Walsh singled with one out in the ninth to put the tying run on base again. Jaycob Brugman entered as a pinch-runner but was left standing at second after Maxwell went down on strikes and Alcantara flied to center to end the game.

Breslow picked up the win in relief and Ellington earned the save. The four Zephyrs pitchers combined to rack up 13 strikeouts in the win.

Game two of the four-game series is scheduled for Friday night at First Tennessee Park. Right-hander Zach Neal (6-1, 2.61) starts for Nashville against right-hander Dylan Axelrod (5-4, 4.09) for New Orleans. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.

The first-place Nashville Sounds begin the final homestand prior to the All-Star break when they welcome the New Orleans Zephyrs to First Tennessee Park from July 7-10.

The four-game set against the Miami Marlins affiliate is the final series before the Pacific Coast League takes on the International League at the Triple-A All-Star Game on Wednesday, July 13 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Sounds begin play after the All-Star break on an eight-game road trip and do not return to First Tennessee Park until Friday, July 22.

Below is a preview for each game of the homestand:

Thursday, July 7 vs. New Orleans – 7:05 p.m.
• Gates open at 6:00 p.m.
• Sports Theme Night and Duffle Bag Giveaway presented by Middle Tennessee Hyundai Dealers – the first 2,000 fans in attendance will receive a Sounds Duffle Bag. Fans are encouraged to wear Sounds apparel or their favorite jersey.
• Throwback Thursday presented by iHeartMedia – the Sounds will wear throwback jerseys to commemorate the team’s original uniform style from 1978. Fans can purchase Coca-Cola fountain soda, domestic draft beers and 12oz. cans for $2 each. Bud and Bud Light 16oz. cans and import and craft draft beer can be purchased for $3 each.

Friday, July 8 vs. New Orleans – 7:05 p.m.
• Gates open at 6:00 p.m.
• FOX17 post-game fireworks presented by Koorsen Fire & Security.

Saturday, July 9 vs. New Orleans – 7:05 p.m.
• Gates open at 6:00 p.m.
• The Sounds will wear special State of Tennessee tri-star jerseys that will be auctioned during the game. Each bid winner will be allowed on the field after the game to receive their autographed jersey from a Sounds player.

Sunday, July 10 vs. New Orleans – 1:05 p.m.
• Gates open at 12:00 p.m.
• Help celebrate Booster’s Birthday Bash with the Booster Bank Giveaway presented by First Tennessee – the first 2,000 fans in attendance will receive a Booster Bank.
• Pre-game autograph session with select Sounds players from 12:15-12:30.
• Military Sunday presented by Piedmont Natural Gas, Tennessee 811 and WSMV Channel 4 – the Sounds will wear camouflage jerseys to honor active/veteran military men, women & families.
• Post-game Kids Run the Bases (12 & under) presented by First Tennessee.

The 2016 season is the Sounds’ 19th year in the Pacific Coast League and their second as the Oakland Athletics’ top affiliate. Tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.

The Phillies and Braves traded punches Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, but Freddy Galvis delivered the final blow in the Phillies’ 4-3 win.

His shot into the right-field seats gave the Phils their first lead of the game after playing catch-up for the first seven innings. Atlanta took leads of 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2, but Galvis got the last word as the Phillies swept the Braves to go 5-1 on their six-game homestand.
Jeremy Hellickson and Tyrell Jenkins traded and evaded jams, as each starter put runners in scoring position in three innings apiece, but both also exited the game with just one earned run each — and without factoring into the decision. Jenkins, filling in for Julio Teheran, was lifted after only 64 pitches and 4 2/3 innings in his first MLB start. He’d yet to allow a run when manager Brian Snitker pulled him, but Ian Krol immediately allowed an Odubel Herrera RBI double to score his inherited runner and tie the game at 1.
Hellickson continued to increase his trade value in what was likely his second-to-last home start before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline. Despite walking a pair in the third and surrendering four hits, Hellickson made it through six innings, allowing only one earned run.
Adonis Garcia was having his best game in a month before he stepped into the batter’s box in the eighth inning. He had singled and doubled in his last two at-bats. Then, he ripped a Hector Neris splitter down the left-field line to score Jeff Francoeur and give the Braves a momentary 3-2 lead. It was Garcia’s ninth career three-hit game and the first that included at least two extra-base hits.
Maikel Franco became the first Phillie to homer in four consecutive games since Ryan Howard did so in September 2012, taking Braves reliever Chris Withrow deep in the sixth inning. Franco has a chance to tie the record for most consecutive games with a home run on Thursday. Four different Phillies have hit homers in five straight games, and Chase Utley did so twice during the 2008 season.

The Braves will travel to Chicago for the final series before the All-Star break against the White Sox.  The Braves begin their visit to the Windy City with a single make up game with the Cubs on Thursday night.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM and you can hear the game here on Thunder Radio on the Atlanta Braves Radio Network.

The Memphis Redbirds and Michael McKenry’s walk-off home run provided the last laugh in a 7-6 win over the Nashville Sounds Wednesday night at AutoZone Park.

McKenry’s game-winning solo blast with two outs in the bottom of the ninth came just moments after Max Muncy tied the game with a two-run homer in the top of the ninth.

With the Sounds (48-39) trailing 6-4, Muncy was summoned as a pinch-hitter for Carson Blair. With Joey Wendle leading from second base, Muncy hit an opposite field shot to even the game at 6-6 with one out in the top of the ninth.

Ryan Brasier, who had pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth for the Sounds, came back out for the bottom of the ninth and quickly got back-to-back strikeouts to start the frame. On a 1-1 pitch, McKenry lifted a fly ball to left-center that carried over the wall to give the Redbirds (41-44) a game-winner.

Nashville took control early in the game when Jaycob Brugman belted an opposite field two-run homer off Memphis starter Mike Mayers in the top of the third inning. Brugman’s fourth blast of the season started the scoring in a game that saw multiple ties and lead changes.

It didn’t take long for the Redbirds to come back with runs of their own against Nashville starter Nick Tepesch.

A walk and back-to-back extra base hits by McKenry and Dean Anna knotted the game at 2-2 in the fourth. Memphis built their lead up to 4-2 before the Sounds came charging back in the seventh.

Rangel Ravelo’s RBI double trimmed the deficit to 4-3 and Blair’s infield single leveled the game at 4-4 heading to the eighth inning.

Again, the Redbirds answered with runs of their own. Two more extra base hits and a sacrifice fly off Sounds reliever Angel Castro gave Memphis a 6-4 lead.

It stayed that way until Muncy’s blast in the top of the ninth tied the game.

Brasier was charged with the loss to drop his record to 5-3. Dean Kiekhefer got the win after coming on in the ninth after the home run.

The Sounds return to First Tennessee Park Thursday night when they open a four-game series against the New Orleans Zephyrs. Right-hander Jesse Hahn (1-4, 3.92) starts for Nashville. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.