Norfolk Tides vs Nashville Sounds

The game resumed with Nashville leading 2-0 through five innings after Saturday night's suspension. The Sounds had scored both runs in the top of the fifth — shortstop Ethan Murray launched a solo home run (his fifth of the season) off Tides starter Michael Forret, and Blake Burke followed with an RBI single.

Brandon Sproat started the resumed portion and worked three perfect innings (3.0 IP, 0 H, 5 K, 0 BB), striking out five of the nine batters he faced on 40 pitches. Tate Kuehner (W, 2-2) closed with four scoreless frames, allowing no hits while striking out four and walking one. Kuehner retired the final six Norfolk batters in order.

Norfolk's best scoring chance came in the bottom of the seventh when Heston Kjerstad led off with a hit-by-pitch and Rece Hinds drew a walk, but Kuehner stranded both runners by retiring the next three hitters — a flyout, a popout and a strikeout.

Sal Frelick, on a MLB rehab assignment from the Milwaukee Brewers, went 1-for-4 with a double for Nashville.

The moment the no-hiter became real came in the sixth inning, when Kuehner entered after Sproat's three perfect innings and immediately retired the side on 10 pitches. Norfolk never put a ball in the outfield with authority after that. The Tides went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left only two men on base all game.

Brandon Sproat (Nashville) — 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K, game score 63. The 23-year-old right-hander has now struck out 18 batters across 12 innings at Triple-A since his promotion.

Tate Kuehner (Nashville, W, 2-2) — 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HBP. Earned the win with a 55-pitch relief appearance, retiring 10 of the 14 batters he faced.

Ethan Murray (Nashville) — 1-for-3, HR (5), RBI, R. His solo shot in the fifth inning proved the decisive blow.

Michael Forret (Norfolk, L, 1-3) — 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR. Despite the loss, struck out five and allowed only the two-run fifth inning.

Player of the match: Tate Kuehner.

The box score tells a story of one-sided dominance: Nashville's five hits to Norfolk's zero, a 9-7 strikeout advantage, and a 2-0 final that undersells the pitching gap. Norfolk's .000 batting average (0-for-21) was matched by a .087 on-base percentage, with only two baserunners reaching all game. The Tides never advanced a runner past second base. Nashville, meanwhile, left five runners on but produced the two runs they needed in one compact inning.

The win moves Nashville to 67-57, keeping them solidly above .500 in the International League West. Norfolk drops to 45-77, last in the IL East. The two teams were scheduled to play a second game (Game 2 of the doubleheader) later on Sunday, with Norfolk's Trace Bright (1-8, 6.98 ERA) lined up to start. Official results for Game 2 were not available at time of publication.

Norfolk's next home game is scheduled against the Gwinnett Stripers, while Nashville returns to First Horizon Park for their next series.

A combined no-hitter is rare at any level, and this one had a peculiar shape — a resumption of a suspended game on a disrupted weather weekend. Sproat and Kuehner were flawless over seven innings, turning a rain-soaked doubleheader day into a milestone for the Sounds organisation.