Sound-ly beaten Stingers head to Tacoma

Nashville capped off a four-game sweep of the Stingers on Thursday night with an 8-2 victory. It was the sixth-straight loss at Franklin Covey Field for Salt Lake (63-55), which now hopes the phrase "there's no place like home" rings true as it travels to Tacoma.

Normally, the Stingers and Rainiers would play four games, but a doubleheader was set for Sunday to make up for rainout earlier in the season. The extra game means one of the two teams will walk away with the series win and possibly the Pacific Coast League Northern Division lead despite recent woes. Salt Lake has dropped nine of its last 10 games but holds a one-game lead over the Rainiers, who have lost five in a row.

"One game up, five going in their yard, this is going to be what we've played for all year," said Stingers manager Dino Ebel. "Both teams are scuffling. it's a whole new series starting tomorrow."

The Sounds scored three in the first, while bringing eight batters to the plate. Dallas McPherson put Salt Lake within a run after a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning. Stingers hurler Eric Cyr gave up a run in the second and third, but put up goose eggs over the next three innings to keep the lead within reach at 5-2. Salt Lake failed to take advantage of two leadoff hits in the second and a pair of walks to lead off the sixth.

The Salt Lake hitters struck out a combined 13 times in the game.

"From the first inning on we were flat with the bats," Ebel said.

"We've got to go out and make it happen. Sooner or later we're going to break through this. Hopefully it starts tomorrow."

NOTES: Stingers shortstop Brian Specht saw his 17-game hitting streak snapped after going 0-for-3 at the plate. Salt Lake's six straight home losses tied the franchise record reached in 1994 and earlier this year.