​Nashville Sounds 6, Charlotte Knights 3
After a one-sided triumph on Tuesday, the Knights (47-42) couldn’t keep the momentum going as they fell to the red-hot Sounds (51-38), who evened the series in Charlotte. Rikuu Nishida began the bottom of the first with a single, and Munetaka Murakami followed with a deep-center double that put the Knights on top, 1-0. The Knights appeared to be picking up where they left off, but their lead was not long-lived.
Knights starter David Sandlin, 25, delivered a solid five-inning outing, working through some control issues to limit the damage to two runs. The Sounds tallied both of their runs off Sandlin in the second inning, when two singles and three walks forced in two runs. Sandlin recovered after that long, taxing frame to keep the game within reach. The score stayed 2-1 until the bottom of the sixth when Nishida reached base for the second time with a leadoff single. Nishida then swiped second, bringing his season total to 18-for-24 in stolen-base attempts in the minors (no majors attempts yet). Murakami popped out, but Edgar Quero followed with a single to bring Nishida home and tie the game.
Knights reliever Lucas Sims was tagged for a big sixth inning, giving up four runs on three hits and walking three while retiring only one batter, a rough outing that swung the momentum toward the Sounds. In the eighth, Knights outfielder Nolan Jones picked up an RBI single, but it was too little, too late as Nashville closed it out in the ninth.
Knights MVP: David Sandlin (RHSP) — 5 innings, 2 earned runs on 4 hits with 4 walks and 3 strikeouts. Javy Guerra (RHRP) — 1 2/3 innings, 0 runs, 2 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts. Nolan Jones (CF-LR) — 2-for-4, 1 RBI. Rikuu Nishida (RF) — 2-for-5, 1-for-1 stolen base.
Knights Cold Cat: Lucas Sims (RHRP) — 1/3 inning, 4 runs allowed on 2 hits with 3 walks and 1 strikeout. Korey Lee (C) — 0-for-3, 1 walk. Mario Camilletti (3B) — 0-for-4. Riley Unroe (SS) — 0-for-4, 2 strikeouts.
Columbus Clingstones 3, Birmingham Barons 2
In Columbus, the Barons (31-52) dropped another one-run decision to the Clingstones (37-41). Barons starter Juan Carela, 24, opened well, breezing through the first two frames without allowing a run. trouble arose in the third, however. With one out, Patrick Clohisy doubled and Luke Waddell lofted a two-run homer to give Columbus a 2-0 lead. Carela showed some positives—five strikeouts against just one walk—but that two-run blast proved costly in this tight contest.
The Barons finally got on the board in the top of the sixth when Jacob Burke started things with a one-out double, and Alec Briley followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit. Waddell and the Clingstones answered in the bottom of the sixth, though, with Waddell delivering a long homer off reliever Nick Altermatt to reclaim a two-run edge for Columbus. The seventh inning featured tense, late-inning drama as Birmingham activated two outs with no one on base, but Dylan Campbell kept the frame alive with a single, then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error, helping Birmingham mount a late push.
The Barons could not complete the comeback, as the Clingstones held on in a tight, low-scoring affair. The pitching duel and timely hits defined this one as both sides battled to the end, but Columbus prevailed, 3-2.