Sounds hold on after early scare, bullpen locks down late innings
At First Horizon Park on Sunday, the Nashville Sounds beat the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 8-4, paced by a four-RBI performance from outfielder Luis Matos. The victory completed the series for Nashville and gave the club a boost as it continues its summer stretch of games in Middle Tennessee.
The Sounds opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Jett Williams reached on a leadoff single and, after swiping his 20th and 21st stolen bases of the season, positioned himself to score when Matos ripped an RBI double that also drove in Luis Lara.
"The bullpen held the Jumbo Shrimp scoreless for the final five innings of the game."
Jacksonville chipped away with a sacrifice fly from Gage Miller, but Nashville answered in the second inning when Eduardo Garcia and Williams recorded consecutive two-out hits. Lara followed with a three-run homer to left field for his ninth home run of the season, swelling the lead to 5-1.
- Luis Matos: four RBIs, key RBI double in first inning
- Thomas Pannone: earned his third win of the year; worked into the sixth inning
- Mark Manfredi: notched his second save for the Sounds this season
Jacksonville continued to threaten with solo home runs from Matthew Etzel and Deyvision De Los Santos, trimming the margin to 5-3. Nashville extended the lead in the third when Brock Wilken and Ethan Murray drew walks and Greg Jones singled to load the bases; a fielder’s choice allowed Wilken to score, making it 6-3.
Rece Hinds hit a leadoff solo homer for the Jumbo Shrimp in the fourth, keeping the visitors within two runs. Pannone, who started for Nashville, surrendered early runs but settled in, tossing scoreless frames in the fifth and sixth. Lyon Richardson relieved in the seventh and, despite allowing consecutive singles in that inning, escaped without additional damage and then navigated a pair of walks in the eighth to preserve the lead.
What this means for the Sounds
The win showcased Nashville's balance between timely offense and a bullpen that kept Jacksonville from mounting a comeback in the late innings. Matos' multi-RBI night and Lara's three-run homer were decisive on a humid afternoon at First Horizon Park, and the back-end bullpen work—capped by Manfredi's second save—provided insurance down the stretch.
| Player | Key stat |
|---|---|
| Thomas Pannone | 3rd win of the season |
| Mark Manfredi | 2nd save of the season |
| Luis Lara | 3-run homer (9th of season) |
Fans in Nashville can expect the club to lean on similar contributions both at the plate and from the bullpen as the season progresses. The team will look to carry this momentum into upcoming home dates at First Horizon Park, where the crowd has routinely supported the Sounds through a busy summer schedule.
Boxscore details and pitching lines were reported following the game at First Horizon Park on Sunday.
