RedHawks Top Nashville with Ninth-Inning Heroics

Oklahoma City trailed by four runs early, but their offense came up big late to end the road trip with a win.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:20 pm

By: News On 6

RedHawks Top Nashville with Ninth-Inning Heroics

Originally Published: Apr 14, 2011 10:46 PM CDT

Gerald Goodridge
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Oklahoma City RedHawks overcame an early-game deficit and played small-ball in the ninth to claim a 6-5 win over the Nashville Sounds Thursday in the series finale.

Tied 5-5 in the top of the ninth, Collin DeLome reached on a bunt, despite J.B. Shuck being called out at second. Tommy Manzella came up next and singled to center, advancing DeLome to second, putting the go-ahead run in scoring position.

Pitcher Chase Wright walked Brian Bogusevic, putting DeLome on third and in the next at-bat, Koby Clemens grounded into a force out, but allowed DeLome to score.

Wright (0-1) was credited with his first loss for the season, after giving up one earned run and one hit in his three innings of service. Oklahoma City (3-5) reliever Casey Fien (1-0) was credited with the win, after striking out five Nashville (5-3) batters in his two innings of service.

Nashville jumped out to a big lead early thanks to their hot bats.

In the bottom of the first with one on and two outs, Brendan Katin homered to left field to take a two-run advantage out of the gate. Brandon Boggs went yard in the next at-bat to make it a 3-0 lead before the end of the first inning. A Mat Gamel RBI single to right field in the bottom of the second scored Andreson Machado and gave the Sounds a four-run lead.

Oklahoma City answered in the next half inning, Tommy Manzella knocked a ground-rule double to right field to score Jose Vallejo and Oswald Navarro to cut the margin to two runs. Clemens’ first homer of the seson game two innings later with two on base to give Oklahoma City a 5-4 lead.

The Sounds tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with a line-drive single from Martin Maldonado to bring Brett Carroll home from second.

With the season-opening road trip concluded, Oklahoma City will play its home opener at 7:05 p.m. Friday against Albuquerque Isotopes.