Walk Off!

Redhawks vs. Nashville Sounds 6/20/09

After an atrocious display of pitching by the Redhawks, it was a different story tonight. Bryan Corey, the ex-Red Sox reliever who the Redhawks are converting to starter has been getting better and better in his new role and has been going deeper into games. Tonight saw him go 7 innings, allowing 4 runs on 8 hits and he struck out 4. Mike Burn had an extremely similar line of 7.1 IP, 3 R, 1 ER, 10 H, 2 BB, 4 K. So the night after a 14-3 blow-out, Corey and Burns put up a nice pitching duel.

But neither of them would figure in the decision as the Sounds would take a 4-3 lead into the ninth after Willie Eyre would begin a major league rehab assignment withe the Hawks by pitching one scoreless inning, followed by a scoreless inning by Brian Gordon. R. J. Swindle relieved Burns for the Sounds, coming into the game with one on and one out in the eighth. He got two quick outs to end the eighth.

But in the ninth, he gave up a one out base hit to Joaquin Arias, who went 4 for 5 with two infield hits. he then struck out Esteban German, bringing 0 for 4 Max Ramirez to the plate. Max had not hit a home run since May. But he would play the hero tonight, hitting a long home run to right center.

The Redhawks have taken a 2-1 advantage in this series against Nashville who they play again tomorrow and they are 3-3 on the home stand.