SL1 Knoxville Smokies

Balks Lead to Smokies 3-2 Win

Published on June 19, 2010 under Southern League (SL1)
Knoxville Smokies News Release


MOBILE, Ala. - Costly balks by Mobile BayBears reliever Daniel Stange allowed Tennessee's Tony Campana to score the winning run for the Smokies in a tight contest on Friday night at Mobile's Hank Aaron Stadium.

With Campana at third base and two outs, Stange balked for the second time in the inning to score Campana, and reliever David Cales earned his seventh save in 2010 by blanking the BayBears in the bottom of the ninth to get Tennessee a win away from the postseason.

With the victory, the Smokies are a win or a West Tenn loss from clinching the first half North Division championship. The "magic number" is now set at one. The win also ensures that the Smokies will at least force a one-game playoff against West Tenn if the two teams end up tied at the end of the half.

The start of the game was delayed by hour and twenty-seven minutes after rain showers passed through Mobile. The BayBears took a quick lead in the bottom of the first on a Collin Cowgill RBI double to go ahead 1-0.

The Smokies first run came in the top of the fifth as Ty Wright singled in Tennessee pitcher Craig Muschko to tie the game at one. Tennessee would take their first lead of the night in the top of the sixth, thanks to an RBI single by Tony Thomas as the Smokies went ahead 2-1.

The BayBears would answer in the bottom of the frame, as a Taylor Harbin RBI single tied the game back at two runs apiece.

Muschko lasted five and a third innings on the mound, where he gave up two runs on six hits with five strikeouts as he took a no decision.

Tennessee's bullpen helped the Smokies hang onto the 2-2 tie. In the bottom of the eighth, the bases were loaded for Mobile with Luke Sommer on the mound for Tennessee. For the eighth straight Smokies appearance, Sommer didn't allow a run as he forced Jacob Elmore to fly out to center field to keep the game knotted at two.

After Campana scored the go-ahead run to give Tennessee a 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth, Stange was ejected from the ballgame. Mobile reliever Josh Ellis took over on the mound, and he nearly gave up another Tennessee run on Russ Canzler's double, but Wright was tagged out at home plate to end the frame.

Sommer earned the win in the contest, with Cales collecting his seventh save in the past four series.

The Smokies will attempt to clinch the division in the fourth game of the series on Saturday night at Hank Aaron Stadium. Reigning Southern League pitcher of the week Chris Carpenter (5-2, 3.40 ERA) will pitch for the Smokies against Mobile's Barry Enright (4-1, 2.94 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m., and fans can listen to the game on the Smokies Radio Network.

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Southern League Stories from June 19, 2010


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