The Nashville Sounds blew a late 4-1 lead and eventually lost to the El Paso Chihuahuas, 6-4, in front of 7,086 fans on Tuesday night at First Tennessee Park.
The Chihuahuas got a run-scoring fielder’s choice by Austin Allen and an RBI single by Seth Mejias-Brean in the top of the 10th inning to provide the difference.
Nashville starter Wes Benjamin turned in his best performance of the season but did not factor into the decision after the Sounds coughed up a lead. The southpaw tossed a season-high 6 2/3 innings and limited the Chihuahuas to one run on six hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out six.
The Sounds broke up a scoreless game with a three-spot in the bottom of the fourth inning. Nick Solak started the rally with a one-out single and Patrick Wisdom reached on a fielding error by El Paso.
Jose Trevino plated the first run of the game with a run-scoring double and Christian Lopesfollowed suit with another RBI double to make it a 2-0 game. Zack Granite knocked in the third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly and the Sounds took a 3-0 lead to the fifth.
The lone run Benjamin allowed was on Travis Jankowski‘s RBI single in the fifth. Nashville got the run right back in the sixth when Nick Solak belted a solo homer off the batter’s eye in center field. It was Solak’s fifth home run in 12 games with the Sounds and his 22nd overall in 2019.
Shane Carle took over on the mound for the Sounds in the eighth and ran into immediate trouble when Jankowski reached on an infield single. After Carle retired Michael Gettys for the first out, El Paso had consecutive run-scoring hits by Josh Naylor, Ty France and Austin Allen to even the game at 4-4.
Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for Wednesday night at First Tennessee Park. Right-hander Austin Bibens-Dirkx (0-3, 7.23) starts for Nashville against left-hander Logan Allen(4-3, 5.15) for El Paso. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Post-Game Notes
– With tonight’s 6-4 loss, the Sounds dropped to 44-62 in 2019.
– Wes Benjamin threw a season-high 6.2 innings (6.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K).
– Scott Heineman‘s single in the second inning extended his hitting streak to 10 games. During the streak, Heineman is hitting .390 (16-for-41) with 9 runs scored, 2 home runs and 6 RBI.
– With tonight’s loss, the Sounds are now 2-4 in extra-inning games.
The 2019 season is the 42nd in Nashville Sounds franchise history and first as the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Single-game tickets are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.
