NASHVILLE — Nashville was blanked over the final five innings of the game and went 3-for-their-last-18 at-bats, dropping the series finale 3-2 to the Durham Bulls on Sunday at First Horizon Park. Eddys Leonard went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBI and added his 18th multi-hit of the season in the loss.
The Bulls jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first two innings of the game as Tyson Hardin issued a leadoff walk to open the game. A double by Jonny DeLuca put runners in scoring position and set up Logan Driscoll to ground out to Hardin and score the first run of the game for Durham. Hardin came out for the top of the second inning and got into trouble once again, allowing back-to-back singles and a walk to load the bases. A sacrifice fly by Connor Hujsak plated the second run for Durham through two innings of the game.
The Sounds cut into the Bulls lead as Eddys Leonard ripped his 10th homer of the season with a solo shot to left field in the bottom of the third inning. Nashville tied the game at 2-2 as back-to-back two-out singles by Tyler Black and Luis Matos put the pair on base. Leonard collected his second RBI of the day on a single to left field scoring Black in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hardin ended his day allowing two runs on three hits and striking out five hitters along the way in a no decision. Jared Koenig came in for an inning of relief in the top of the sixth but allowed a run to score as Durham regained a one-run lead.
Right-hander Will Childers entered the game for Koenig in the top of the seventh inning and worked around a leadoff single to get out of the frame. He returned for the eighth inning and issued a two-out single and was relieved by Lyon Richardson to get the final out of the frame and did so with a strikeout. After a 1-2-3 inning was dealt by Richardson in the top of the ninth inning, the Sounds had one last opportunity to steal the series with a potential walk-off. A two-out single by Leonard was all Nashville could muster as Ramón Rodríguez flew out to left field. Since Leonard's RBI-single in the bottom of the fourth inning, Sounds batters went 3-for-their-last-18 at-bats and stranded five runners on base.
With Monday off, the Sounds will wrap the first half of the season in Memphis and take on the Redbirds in a six-game series with significant playoff implications. First pitch is slated to begin at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday at AutoZone Park.
POSTGAME NOTES:
GOOD TIMES, HARD TIMES: Brewers no. 16-rated prospect Tyson Hardin finished strong in another solid outing with Nashville. The right-hander weathered the early storm allowing a pair of runs in the first two innings to retire 11 straight to end his outing. His five strikeouts over 5.0 IP give him 23 through 16.2 IP against the Bulls since his promotion to Nashville on May 17 across three starts. He finished the series with 16 strikeouts and six hits allowed and three runs. His 36 strikeouts since making his Sounds debut rank first in the Brewers farm system as does his 1.89 ERA and 33.1 IP through his first six Triple-A starts. The right-hander hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his first six Triple-A starts.
STEADY EDDYS: Eddys Leonard recorded three of Nashville's eight hits for the game in Sunday's series finale, going 3-for-4 with a home run and both Sounds RBI. It was his third 3-hit game this season and first since May 2 vs. Norfolk. Sunday was his 18th overall multi-hit performance and third of the series against the Bulls. He ended the series 8-for-14 (.571) with Sunday's home run, a triple, three RBI, two walks, and five runs scored. His 11 multi-RBI games this season are tied for the most on the team along with Jeferson Quero and his multi-RBI performance gave him the clubhouse lead (37), one more than Quero. His 10 home runs this season give him six straight 10+ home run seasons. With six-games remaining in the first half of the IL schedule, he ranks top five in the Brewers farm system in: OPS (3rd, .930), hits (T-3rd, 58), doubles (T-3rd, 12), XBH (4th, 24), total bases (4th, 104), SLG (4th, .545), HR (T-5th, 10), and AVG (5th, .304).
AINT NOTHING LUKE-Y ABOUT IT: With a 2-for-4 day at the plate on Sunday, Brewers no. 11-rated prospect is hitting .298 (14-for-47) with seven home runs, two doubles, and 11 RBI since beginning his minor league rehab assignment and making his return from injury that sidelined him for 42 games from April 15 - May 26. He's hitting .265 over his last 10 Triple-A games since rejoining the Sounds with four home runs and a double. Sunday marked his fourth multi-hit game of the season and second of the series after going 2-for-4 with a home run and double on Friday night. He extends his on-base streak to 18 straight games dating back to April 2, it's currently tied for the seventh-longest active on-base streak in the International League.
SIX GAMES: The Sounds turn their attention to Memphis with a six-game series looming against the Redbirds, who earned a win on Sunday. Memphis sits atop the International League standings with one week left before deciding who gets the first playoff berth of the season. Nashville will now need to win the series in Memphis sitting 2.0 GB after Sunday and get some help from Toledo in their series against Rochester as Memphis and Rochester enter the final week of the first half tied for first place.