Final: Nashville 8, Albuquerque 4

Five Homers Power Sounds To 8-4 Win In Road Trip Opener
Halton Goes Yard Twice For Third Time In Career

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Nashville Sounds belted five home runs to beat the Albuquerque Isoptpes, 8-4, on Saturday night in the opener of a four-game series at Isotopes Park.

With homers in a season-high seven consecutive games, the five home runs set a season high for Nashville (31-45) and was one long ball shy of a franchise record.

The victory was Nashville's (31-45) fifth in the last seven contests overall first to begin a road trip this season (1-6).

First baseman Sean Halton hit a pair of home runs as part of a 3-for-5 evening for the Sounds. The two-homer effort by Halton was the third multiple-homer game of his four-year career and second two-homer effort by a Sound this season after outfielder Logan Schafer went yard twice last night against Oklahoma City.

Second baseman Eric Farris also had three hits and a run scored while outfielder Corey Patterson recorded his second multi-hit game in a row.

Nashville starter Mark Rogers (3-4) picked up the victory, allowing four runs on five hits with three strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. Reliever Donovan Hand ended the contest with 2 1/3 scoreless frames to extend his scoreless streak to 13 1/3 innings in the month of June.


Albuquerque took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on a bases loaded, two-run single by Matt Angle.

After Patterson lined a double to right field, Rogers helped his own cause by crushing a two-run homer to left. The long ball was the first of Rogers' professional career and first by a Sounds pitcher since Sam Narron went yard on August 23, 2010 at Iowa.

· AUDIO: Mark Rogers Game-Tying Homer

Nashville took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth inning thanks to an inning-opening walk by third baseman Andy Gonzalez, who moved to second based on the ensuing base hit by Sean Halton. Gonzalez would score two batters later on a Farris RBI base hit down the left field line.

Gonzalez extended the Nashville lead to 4-2 on the first pitch of the sixth inning from Albuquerque starter Michael Antonini. The big fly was Gonzalez's seventh of the season, which have all come in the month of June.

· AUDIO: Andy Gonzalez Goes Yard

Five pitches later, Halton went yard over the left field wall for back-to-back jacks, removing Antonini from the contest. It was the third time in 2012 that the Sounds have hit back-to-back homers and second occurance by the due of Gonzalez and Halton (June 4 vs. New Orleans).

· AUDIO: Sean Halton Goes Back-To-Back

Three batters later after Farris singled, Patterson lined the third homer of the inning over the right field wall for a 7-2 advantage. The home run was Patterson's fourth of the season.

· AUDIO: Corey Patterson Two-Run Home Run

Halton's second homer of the game was to the deepest part of the park to straightaway center, extending the lead to 8-2.

The Isotopes trimmed the lead to 8-4 in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a two-out, two run rally that spoiled the quality start for Rogers. Angle got things started with a two-out single and was followed by a pinch hit base hit by Brian Cavazos-Galvez that removed Rogers from the game. Former Sound Trent Oeltjen then cranked a two-run triple off the left field wall.

Antonini (1-6) was charged five runs on seven hits and three homers in five innings for the loss.

The Sounds and Isotopes continue their series at 7:05 pm CT on Sunday evening at Isotopes Park. Right-hander Brian Baker (1-3, 6.39) will start for Nashville against Albuquerque right-hander Fernando Nieve (3-5, 7.05).

Nashville Box Score
First a correction from my earlier post as tomorrow's starter will be the uninspiring Brian Baker. Jeff was extremely confused when Donovan Hand started warming up in the bullpen, but apparently in game strategy trumped the plan. The single with 2-out in the 7th didn't exactly chase Mark Rogers, something with his hand did. It looked like Dabney was just coming out for a talk and then Mark was promptly pulled. It's too bad Hand gave up the ensuing triple because Mark's line looked a heck of a lot better without the extra 2 ER. His final line was 6.2 IP, 5H, 4ER, 1BB, and 1HBP against 3SO throwing 58 of 92 pitches for strikes and posting an 8:6 ratio.

The offense was covered in the game story but Eric Farris did commit his 5th error of the season (fielding).

Nashville Play By Play
Rogers still has too many of these "A Ball" innings (that's been the description in my head forever) where he gives up unnecessary runs... A HBP and a walk to load the bases followed by a gimp single.
Albuquerque Bottom of the 2nd

Scott Van Slyke singles on a ground ball to center fielder Logan Schafer.
Luis Cruz pops out to shortstop Jeff Bianchi.
Jerry Sands hit by pitch. Scott Van Slyke to 2nd.
Tim Federowicz walks. Scott Van Slyke to 3rd. Jerry Sands to 2nd.
Matt Angle singles on a ground ball to left fielder Corey Patterson. Scott Van Slyke scores. Jerry Sands scores. Tim Federowicz out at 3rd on the throw, left fielder Corey Patterson to third baseman Andy Gonzalez.
Michael Antonini grounds out, shortstop Jeff Bianchi to first baseman Sean Halton.

The Isotopes 7th, I actually felt bad for Mark, outside of 4 hitters he pitched well, but the razor thin margins for error are part of the game.
Albuquerque Bottom of the 7th

Jerry Sands grounds out, third baseman Andy Gonzalez to first baseman Sean Halton.
Tim Federowicz flies out to center fielder Logan Schafer.
Matt Angle singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jordan Brown.
Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Brian Cavazos-Galvez replaces Blake Johnson.
Brian Cavazos-Galvez singles on a ground ball to right fielder Jordan Brown. Matt Angle to 2nd.
Pitcher Change: Donovan Hand replaces Mark Rogers, batting 9th.
Trent Oeltjen triples (4) on a fly ball to left fielder Corey Patterson. Matt Angle scores. Brian Cavazos-Galvez scores.
Alex Castellanos flies out to right fielder Jordan Brown.