SL1 Knoxville Smokies

Smokies break out of slump with 8-6 win

Published on April 28, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release


Sevierville, TN - The Tennessee Smokies were in danger of losing their seventh game in a row on Monday night. Instead of folding up their tents and heading out to Jacksonville, the Smokies gritted out a hard fought 8-6 win over the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx in front of 1,792 fans who braved the cold weather and late game rain.

The Smokies used a total of six pitchers on the night and banged out eleven hits offensively on the evening. Tennessee took the early lead, scoring three runs in the first two innings to gain an advantage. Matt Camp led the first inning off with a single to center field, then stole second base. Camp came around to score on a Ryan Harvey RBI single to center field to take a 1-0 lead. The Smokies increased their lead to 3-0 without the benefit of an RBI hit in the 2nd inning. With the bases loaded, Camp and Joe Simokaitis walked on consecutive at bats to score two runs off Diamond Jaxx starter Ryan Ketchner.

The rest of the game was a seesaw battle, with both teams taking leads at different points in the game. Things really got interesting in the eighth inning with the Smokies up 4-3. The Diamond Jaxx took their first lead of the game by plating two runs off Smokies reliever Chris Shaver. A Mark Kiger RBI single along with a Shawn Garrett RBI single did the damage to give West Tennessee a 5-4 lead going into the bottom of the eighth.

As the rain started to come down, the Smokies bats finally came alive in this series. Kyle Reynolds led off the eighth with his second home run of the year, a laser shot to right center field. Chris Robinson then ripped a single to right field and advanced to second on a fielding error by Prentice Redman. With the score tied and Robinson at third base, newly acquired second baseman Matt Matulia delivered a key RBI single to give the Smokies the lead for good. Tennessee added another two runs in the inning to take a commanding 8-5 lead into the ninth.

West Tennessee did not go quietly however, with Redman leading off the inning with a towering home run to pull the Diamond Jaxx to within 8-6. Jesse Estrada came on in relief of Rocky Roquet (1-0) to seal the deal for Tennessee by retiring the last two batters to earn his first save of the season.

The Smokies take to the road for their longest stretch of the season, playing the next five games in Jacksonville and then five more in Chattanooga. Tennessee will return home to Smokies Park on Saturday May 10th for a five-game series against the Huntsville Stars.

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Southern League Stories from April 28, 2008


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