Nashville, TN – The Nashville Sounds (7-8) jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings and never looked back as the Worcester Red Sox (10-5) dropped game one of a six-game series in the Music City by the final of 9-4 at First Horizon Park. The loss represents the WooSox’ first setback on the road in 2026.
The Sounds jumped on WooSox starter Patrick Sandoval right away in the bottom of the 1st inning. A single, walk and hit by pitch loaded the bases with nobody out for Jeferson Quero who walked to force in the first run of the game. Brock Wilken and Eddys Leonard then followed with sacrifice flies to left field to make it 3-0 Nashville.
In the bottom of the 2nd two more bases-loaded walks issued by Sandoval extended the Nashville lead to 5-0.
Jason Delay got Worcester on the board in the top of the 3rd against former WooSox lefty Shane Drohan with his first homer of the year, a solo shot down the left field line to make it 5-1.
With the WooSox trailing 6-1 in the top of the 4th Delay picked up his second RBI in as many innings, drawing a bases loaded walk to cut the Nashville advantage to 6-2.
The Sounds extended their lead to 8-2 in the bottom of the 5th inning on a two-run single by Jeferson Quero off WooSox reliever Tyler Uberstine, and then made it 9-3 in the 6th when Cooper Pratt scored from third base on an errant pick-off throw to first base by Uberstine.
In the top of the 7th the WooSox crept closer. Vinny Capra led off with a walk and back-to-back one-out singles by Nate Eaton and Kristian Campbell loaded the bases with one out for Mickey Gasper who walked to force in a run, making it 9-3. Anthony Seigler then drove in another with a groundout to second base to cut the Sounds lead to 9-4, but Mikey Romero struck out to with runners at second and third to end the rally.
The WooSox got just one baserunner in the final two innings, a two-out walk by Capra in the top of the 8th, and went down in order in the 9th to end the ballgame.
Sandoval (0-1) took the loss in his second rehab start with the WooSox allowing five runs on three hits over 2.0 innings while walking four and hitting three batters. Drohan (1-0) picked up the win against his former club, striking out eight over 5.1 innings of two-run ball.
Following their first road loss of 2026, the WooSox will look to even the series in game two on Wednesday night at First Horizon Park with first pitch at 7:35 pm ET. Left-hander Alec Gamboa (NR) will make his WooSox and Red Sox organizational debut in his first start of 2026, while right-hander Coleman Crow (2-0, 4.02) makes his third start of the season for Nashville. Pregame coverage begins at 7:15 pm on the WooSox Radio Network.