Category: Sports

Jon Lester got his second half off to a stellar start, flirting with a no-hitter even though neither he nor the 45,758 at Turner Field may have known about it.  The left-hander gave up two hits over 7 1/3 innings on Saturday night in the Cubs’ 4-0 victory over the Braves. In the Atlanta first, Lester had served up what was ruled an infield single by Nick Markakis, who reached after hitting a ball that bounced past third baseman Kris Bryant. It was the only hit off Lester heading into the top of the seventh, when official scorer Jack Wilkinson changed the call to an error on Bryant. That meant zero hits.
“That’s one of those plays that can go either way,” Lester said. “I wasn’t surprised to see a hit go up there. I was more surprised that it ended up getting changed.”
Lester had thrown 97 pitches, and A.J. Pierzynski then hit a clean single to right off Lester to lead off the eighth. One out later, Andrelton Simmons singled to chase the lefty. Atlanta’s Manny Banuelos took the loss, serving up two runs on RBI singles by Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro.
Pitching in his offseason hometown, Lester looked right at home. In his last seven starts with the Cubs, he now has given up 10 earned runs over 45 2/3 innings. It was his first win since May 16, ending a string of 10 straight winless outings. He was pulled after serving up a single to Simmons on his 110th pitch of the night. Lester spent the week at his Atlanta area home, fishing with his kids.
“It was a good break and now we’re back to business,” he said.
Just one day after Eury Perez had his game-winning hit against the Cubs in the eighth inning, he came close to having another opportunity. Perez was preparing to pinch-hit against Lester with runners on first and second and one out in the eighth, but when Chicago decided to pull Lester in favor of Hector Rondon, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez called Perez back and opted to go with the left-handed-hitting Kelly Johnson, who flied out to left. Jace Peterson followed up with his third strikeout of the game to end the eighth-inning threat.
“I thought Simmons had a nice at-bat to get [runners on] first and second,” Gonzalez said. “We had an opportunity, and we didn’t capitalize on it.”
Kid stuff: In an attempt to get Bryant back on track, Cubs manager Joe Maddon inserted the rookie ahead of Rizzo in the lineup. It worked in the third. With two outs, Bryant singled and reached third on an errant pickoff attempt by Banuelos before scoring on Rizzo’s single.
Anthony Rizzo singles to right field, driving in Kris Bryant to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the top of the 3rd inning
Brief Banuelos start: Banuelos lasted only 4 2/3 innings, exiting after walking Chris Denorfia to load the bases. While Banuelos has flashed promise in his short tenure with the Braves this season, the 24-year-old hasn’t managed to pitch longer than 5 2/3 innings in four Major League starts. He is on an innings limit after recovering from Tommy John surgery last season.
“Manny was OK. He wasn’t as bad as the numbers,” Gonzalez said. “The first run he threw the pickoff away and allowed a base hit instead of getting two hits to score that guy. But Manny was OK, he had a lot of deep counts and his pitch count was really way up there.”
Jason Frasor came on in relief in the top of the fifth for Atlanta. The right-hander is the 51st player used by the Braves this season, a franchise single-season record. Coincidentally, Frasor also wears No. 51 for Atlanta.
The win snapped the Cubs’ eight-game losing streak in Atlanta, which dated back to July 5, 2012.
Shelby Miller will close the Braves series against the Cubs on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. CT.  Miller is looking to bounce back from his worst start of the season before the All-Star break in Coors Field, where he allowed five earned runs. Miller has been the Braves’ best starter this season, posting a 2.38 ERA (the eighth-best in baseball) over 113 2/3 innings, but has just a 5-5 record to show for it.  Thunder Radio will bring you the broadcast beginning with the pregame show at 3:00 PM

For the second straight night, Niuman Romero led the Nashville Sounds to a strange 4-3 walk-off victory over the Omaha Storm Chasers at First Tennessee Park.

The night prior, Romero hit a blooper to center that Rey Fuentes booted allowing Anthony Aliotti to score from first to win the game. This time around, Romero was hit by a Louis Coleman pitch with the bases loaded and Jason Pridie scored to send the Nashville faithful home happy with an extra inning win.

Pridie carried the Sounds offense all night long, tallying his first four-hit game of the season. He helped jump start the attack in the bottom of the third after Ryan Roberts and Dayan Viciedo doubled. Pridie followed suit making it three doubles in a row, giving the Sounds a 2-0 lead.

Omaha spent little time cutting the deficit, tagging Sounds starter Cody Martin for a two-out run in the top of the fourth when Brett Eibner doubled in Balbino Fuenmayor. Fuenmayor would tie the game up the following inning, driving in Fuentes.

Martin pitched into the sixth inning, mixing his pitches effectively to strike out six batters in his home debut. He did make a mistake to Eibner that ultimately ended his game however. The outfielder jumped on Martin’s delivery crushing the pitch out of First Tennessee Park and giving the visiting team a 3-2 lead. Phil Coke made his Sounds debut in relief and fared well, pitching 1 2/3 innings surrendering a hit and registering a strikeout.

After previously being stranded at third twice earlier in the night, Pridie singled to advance Viciedo to third with no outs in the eighth inning. Troy Patton then quickly tallied two outs and suddenly it appeared the Sounds would once again leave a man in scoring position. Aliotti had other ideas however, singling home Viciedo to tie the game.

Like Martin, Aaron Kurcz also made his First Tennessee Park debut and he was masterful. The right-hander threw three scoreless innings of relief earning his first victory in a Sounds uniform.

The two teams will look to finish up their four-game set Sunday night at First Tennessee Park. Chris Bassitt will face off with Yohan Pino in a battle of right-handers with major league service time this season. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35.

Eury Perez smacked a tie-breaking two-run single with two outs in the eighth inning Friday night to lift the Braves to a 4-2 victory over the Cubs in the first game of the second half.

“He’s been swinging the bat well since he’s been up here,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “Big at-bat there, big situation, and you felt good that he was going to put the ball in play.”
The Cubs opened a 2-1 lead in the third on Jorge Soler’s two-run single, but the Braves tied the game in their half on Nick Markakis’ RBI double. Atlanta loaded the bases in the eighth, and Perez lined the first pitch from Pedro Strop to right for the game winner.
“I know he’s had some rough performances but I think this guy’s outstanding,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Strop. “Stuff-wise, he’s got premier stuff, there’s no doubt in my mind.”
Kyle Schwarber, the Cubs’ No. 2 prospect according to MLB.com who was promoted to the big leagues for the second time this season, went 3-for-4 in his first start at catcher, but also made two errors. He’s now 11-for-26 in seven big league games.
“He was awesome,” Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks said of Schwarber. “He’s very mature for a 22-year-old kid. He’s got some stuff to learn, but so do I.”
Just a few hours after talking about how Freddie Freeman was “the guy” for the Braves offense, Kelly Johnson proved to be the difference maker Friday, driving in Atlanta’s first run of the game on an RBI single and then setting up the decisive two-run eighth inning with a one-out double. Johnson finished the night 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI and is hitting .400 (12-for-30) in his last 10 games. More >
Julio Teheran extended his consecutive home scoreless inning streak to 16 innings before surrendering two runs in the third. He battled command of his fastball throughout the entire outing, which was the shortest start he has had this season at Turner Field. Teheran finished with 90 pitches — just 54 of them for strikes — and three walks over 4 2/3 innings.
“That’s something that I can’t control,” said Teheran about getting pulled in the fifth inning. “I’m not going to lie, obviously I was surprised because I was competing right there and that’s what I can do when I got in trouble like I did in the first inning. Just one mistake that I made, and you know how this game is, you pay for it.”
Julio Teheran strikes out Kris Bryant swinging in the top of the 1st inning
On a streak: Hendricks’ scoreless innings streak ended quickly. The right-hander entered with a 22 1/3-inning scoreless streak dating back to the fourth inning on June 24 against the Dodgers, and it was over in the Braves’ first when Johnson hit an RBI single. It was the longest scoreless streak by a Cubs pitcher since Ryan Dempster’s 33-inning run in June to July 2012, and the second-longest active streak behind the Dodgers’ Zack Greinke’s 35 2/3-inning stretch.
“I was just trying to get a win for the first one back,” Hendricks said, dismissing the scoreless inning streak. “It would’ve been nice to get this ‘W’ and get off on the right foot. It was a tough game, close game. We’ve had a lot of them.”
Kyle Hendricks pitches 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out five
The Cubs went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position in the first inning, stranding two. In the third, they loaded the bases with two outs, and Soler lined a single to center to drive in a pair. However, Soler was a little too aggressive on the base paths and easily thrown out at second base to end the inning.
“We did not take advantage of that [first inning],” Maddon said. “You never know what to expect immediately [after the break]. Sometimes it’s just about feel. It’s just one game. … We do have to become more offensive, there’s no question.”
Prior to the game, the Braves extended Gonzalez’s contract through the 2016 season with a club option for ’17. Gonzalez’s deal was to expire at the end of this season.
With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Braves pinch-hitter Jonny Gomes hit a grounder to shortstop Starlin Castro, who bobbled the ball briefly and then threw to first. Gomes was called safe, but Cubs manager Joe Maddon challenged the call and after a review, it was overturned. It worked in the Cubs’ favor as Jace Peterson followed with a double.
Starlin Castro bobbles a grounder but recovers to get Jonny Gomes at first base, following an overturned call in the 5th
In the bottom of the seventh, Peterson walked with one out and was called out after a pickoff throw from pitcher Hector Rondon. Atlanta challenged the call, and after a review, the call stood, and Peterson was out.
Atlanta will take on the Cubs in game 2 of the series on Saturday and will send rookie left-hander Manny Banuelos to the mound. Banuelos has posted a 0.75 ERA in his first three Major League starts. This could easily be his last start of the season though, as Banuelos is looking at an innings limit this season after recovering from Tommy John surgery and throwing just 76 1/3 innings in 2014. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 PM and Thunder Radio will have the broadcast beginning at 6:00 PM.

The Sounds secured a walk-off win in front of a sold out First Tennessee Park on Friday night, defeating the Storm Chasers 4-3 to snap a four-game losing skid.

After relinquishing the lead in the top of the ninth inning, the Sounds stole the contest on a bizarre walk-off play. Anthony Aliotti, who reached first base after Omaha failed to turn a double play due to a wild throw, stood at first base with two away. Niuman Romero, the nine-hole hitter, stepped in and with the defense playing deep to keep a batted ball in front of them, skied a high fly to the outfield. The sinking ball landed at the feet of centerfielder Rey Fuentes, who ended up kicking the ball in his rush to retrieve it. Aliotti busted it around the diamond, received the green light from Steve Scarsone at third base and got in under the tag of catcher Francisco Pena to give the Sounds their fourth walk-off victory of the season. It was Nashville’s first win in six games against Omaha in 2015.

The walk-off win took place in front of 10,688 fans, marking the third straight game First Tennessee Park has sold out. In 45 openings this summer, the Sounds have recorded 13 sellouts.

After the two teams combined for 27 hits in Thursday’s series opener, pitching took center stage to start the Friday night showdown. Zach Neal entered the game tied for fifth in the league with seven wins and continued his strong string of starts. The right-hander used his changeup all night to keep the Omaha bats out in front and off-balance. He held them to five hits and two runs, adding just one strikeout, in his seven-inning start. He took a no-decision, but pitched into the seventh inning for the sixth time in 11 starts.

Omaha right-hander Miguel Almonte was making his highly-anticipated Triple-A debut tonight and started the night the best way he knew how. The 22-year-old struck out the side to open the game and fanned six of the first nine batters he saw. He set a season high with eight strikeouts during his five innings but showed his youth by balking twice in one inning.

The balks were issued when the Sounds finally got to the right-hander in the fifth. Dayan Viciedo was hit by a pitch to lead off and moved to second when Almonte balked. Max Muncy followed with one of his two walks on the night and both runners moved up a base when the second balk was called. Aliotti put Nashville on the board with a sacrifice fly, his 29th RBI of the season, and the two teams were tied 1-1 after five.

The Sounds sent seven batters to the plate the next inning and walked away with the lead. Ryan Roberts and Jason Pridie drew back-to-back two-out walks and Viciedo delivered again. The designated hitter lined the ball through the middle, scoring Roberts from second. Muncy loaded the bases by drawing his second walk in the next at-bat, but the three runners were left stranded to end the frame.

It took little time for Omaha to respond to the run. The Storm Chasers got a lead-off triple from cleanup hitter Balbino Fuenmayor in the seventh and Cheslor Cuthbert recorded a run-scoring single to center. With seven innings in the books, the score stood 2-2.

Roberts and the Sounds added an exclamation point in the eighth. Making his first start of the season in the outfield, the 34-year-old blasted a solo shot to left field that caused the sold-out crowd at First Tennessee Park to erupt. It was Roberts’ first long ball at home and his fourth on the season.

Arnold Leon ended up getting his first win of the year. The right-hander tried to secure the save, but gave up a solo shot to Fuentes in the ninth. R.J. Alvarez also made an appearance in relief of Neal, striking out the side in the eighth on 10 pitches.

Game three of the four-game series gets underway at 6:35 p.m. on Saturday night at First Tennessee Park. Nashville right-hander Cody Martin (0-2, 14.21) will be making his home debut, while Omaha is scheduled to send out Yohan Pino (5-3, 5.16). The first 4,000 fans at the park will receive a Sounds tote bag presented by Vanderbilt University.

The much anticipated TSSAA Legislative Council meeting on Thursday provided drama and passion, but no complete separation of public and private high schools in Tennessee athletics.  After an impassioned plea from executive director Bernard Childress to allow the TSSAA staff to “let us as a staff create something within our bylaws” the vote to completely split public and private schools, which was presented by a proposal from Trousdale County and Lewis County, was rejected by a 5 to 4 vote.  The Council then voted unanimously to mandate that the TSSAA staff bring options for Bylaws regarding eligibility and fair play back to the Legislative Council prior to mid-September.  Additionally, the Council approved the proposal to add 3 members each to the Legislative Council and Board of Control.  These 3 members, one from each Grand Division of the state, shall be Independent School representatives and will be elected at the annual meeting of the schools of each Grand Division in November.

The CHS Volleyball team dropped a pair of games on Thursday in the Eagleville team camp to some old and respected foes. The Lady Raiders opened the day with a 2 set loss to district rival Lincoln County. The veteran Lady Falcons, who pushed Coffee County to a 5 set nail-biter in last season’s district final, dropped the young Lady Raiders 25-13 and 25-8. In the second match, Coffee County drew the always strong host Eagles of Eagleville falling 25-15 and 25-20. The Lady Raiders are back in action on Friday morning as they open the double elimination portion of the tournament at 10 AM at Community High School.

The Nashville Sounds lost 7-5 in 10 innings to the Omaha Storm Chasers in front of a sold out First Tennessee Park in their first game after the All-Star break.

Dayan Viciedo started the scoring for the Sounds, driving Joey Wendle in from first with an opposite field triple. The home team would then load the bases the following inning and tally another run, going up 2-0.

The game remained that way until the fourth inning when Barry Zito ran into trouble. Keyed by four hits and a costly error from Nate Freiman, Omaha sent all nine batters to the plate and opened up a 4-2 advantage over the Sounds.

Nashville sliced the lead in half in the fifth inning, posting four consecutive hits to start the frame. Wendle picked up his 39th RBI of the season, driving in Niuman Romero. Craig Gentry would tie the game up the following inning, bunting Carson Blair home to knot the game up at four and securing Zito a no-decision. The veteran southpaw surrendered just two earned runs over six innings, notching his team-leading 11th quality start of the season.

Brett Eibner started the top of the ninth with a double off of Sounds reliever Brock Huntzinger and was bunted over to third. He then scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Whit Merrifield.

The Sounds did not go down without a fight however. After Romero lined out, Gentry and Wendle registered base hits. Gentry would score on a wild pitch to tie the game. Wendle attempted to go to third when Francisco Pena’s throw went wide of pitcher Scott Alexander, but was thrown out by Balbino Fuenmayor.

Huntzinger struggled in the top of the tenth, walking the first two batters he faced. Ryan Cook came in and threw a wild pitch to Pena allowing the runners to advance and forcing Cook to intentionally walk the bases loaded. Cook would get Brett Eibner to strikeout, but then conceded a two-run single to Moises Sierra. The Sounds would go down in order in the tenth.

The Sounds and Storm Chasers will resume the series Friday night at First Tennessee Park. Sounds win-leader Zach Neal (7-3, 3.63) will be on the mound and will face Miguel Almonte who will make his Triple-A debut. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

In a followup to a story that Thunder Radio brought to you in June, a major shakeup could be in the works for high school athletics in Tennessee. The Legislative Council of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, or TSSAA, is meeting on Thursday in Murfreesboro to vote on a proposed change in the TSSAA Bylaws and Constitution. The first item on the agenda is the separation of public and private schools into separate divisions. Currently, any private school that offers tuition assistance is required to play in Division II. If the new proposed change to Article 1, Section 3 of the TSSAA Bylaws passes, ANY private school will move to Division II where they will compete for district, region and state titles with other private schools.
If that proposal, submitted by Trousdale County High School and Lewis County High School, is passed it would trigger a proposed change to Article III and Article IV of the TSSAA Constitution. A separate “Independent School” representative for each of the 3 Grand Divisions of the state would be added to the Board of Control and the Legislative Council. Additionally, a proposal for the addition of a “committee of Independent Heads of School” would be voted on. This committee, working with the TSSAA staff, would “establish the appropriate classification plan, Sports Calendar, and tournament format for independent schools within the Independent School Division.”
The TSSAA Legislative Council will meet at 1:00 PM on Thursday at the Doubletree Hotel in Murfreesboro. We will update you on the results via Facebook & Twitter on Thursday and summarize the meeting in Friday’s WMSR Sports reports

The CHS Volleyball team saw their first scrimmage action of the season on Wednesday as they took part in the Eagleville Team Camp. The Lady Raiders managed a 2 and 1 record on the day with wins over Middle Tennessee Christian and Columbia Academy. In the opening match, the Lady Raiders came from behind to get a 3 set win over MTCS 2 sets to 1. Set scores were: 22-25, 25-16, 15-12. In Match #2, Coffee County dropped a close 2 set decision to Stewarts Creek 18-25 and 22-25. Coach Andrew Taylor was pleased with the effort against the strong District 7 team remarking that “we got better despite the loss.” In the final match of the day, the Red & Black used a lot of reserves in getting a close 2-0 win over Columbia Academy. Set scores were 25-23 and 25-22. Coffee County returns to the team camp on Thursday with a pair of games at Community High School. The Lady Raiders will take on district rival Lincoln County at noon and a tough Central Magnet team at 1:30. The camp concludes on Friday with a double elimination tournament.

PLEASE SEE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT FOR CHANGE IN CHS SOFTBALL TRYOUTS
The Coffee County Central High School softball team will hold tryouts on will be held on Monday and Tuesday, July 20 & 21 at Terry Floyd Field. Those unable to attend those dates, there will be a makeup on July 27-28. Time for both sessions is 7 PM to – 9 PM. Student athletes will to bring with them their own softball equipment plus the completed & signed physical/consent forms are REQUIRED. You can download the forms at: http://images.pcmac.org/SiSFiles/Schools/TN/CoffeeCountySchools/CoffeeCountyCentralHighSchool/Uploads/Forms/tssaa_med_form.pdf
For more information, contact Steve Wilder at: 731-445-4896.