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Tennessee Smokies

Smokies Slam Lookouts in 16-10 Slugfest

April 25, 2015 - Southern League (SL1)
Tennessee Smokies News Release


KODAK - Smokies first baseman and reigning Southern League Player of the Week Dan Vogelbach recorded three hits, including a home run, and drove in three runs, while Tennessee second baseman Stephen Bruno smashed the first grand slam of his professional career to top the Chattanooga Lookouts in a wild 16-10 series opening win on Saturday night at Smokies Stadium in front of a season-high 5,117 fans.

With the win, the Smokies maintain their lead in the Southern League's North Division and own a 9-5 mark in 2015. The defeat drops Chattanooga below .500 to 7-8 thus far.

Vogelbach (3-3, 3 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB) reached base all five times he came to the plate, recording three hits, three RBI and two walks to lead the club, while Bruno's grand slam was his first in the 25-year-old's professional career. Smokies LF Pin-Chieh Chen (3-5, 3 R) also recorded three hits in the contest, while RF Albert Almora Jr. (2-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB) and DH Willson Contreras (2-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB) each tallied multi-hit efforts. Chattanooga 2B Levi Michael led all Lookouts batters with three hits, while CF Byron Buxton (2-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI) and SS Jorge Polanco (2-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI) each homered and accumulated two base knocks.

The two teams combined for 26 runs, 27 hits and five home runs, as well as five lead changes in the roller coaster affair. All nine Smokies hitters in the batting order, as well as eight of nine Lookouts batters, recorded at least one hit, while eight of nine Smokies also scored at least one run.

Tennessee and Chattanooga combined for 18 runs in the middle three frames alone, with the Smokies taking the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Trailing 10-9, SS Elliot Soto and Chen began the rally by reaching base via errors, before Almora Jr. singled to load the bases. The game would draw even when Soto scored on a wild pitch, while Chen then came across on an RBI groundout to push Tennessee's advantage to 10-9. Vogelbach would then drive in his third RBI of the contest by slapping a base hit to center to plate Almora Jr.

Vogelbach also drove in his first run in the opening frame via his solo shot to right in the first, his third big fly of the season, though Chattanooga would roar back thanks to roundtrippers of their own. Lookouts 1B DJ Hicks began the fourth with a solo homer to right, while Buxton blasted a three-run longball to left as part of a five-run inning that launched the Lookouts ahead 6-3.

The Smokies, however, answered right back with a big six-run fifth, highlighted by Bruno's grand slam. Almora Jr. started the scoring in the inning with a sacrifice fly and Vogelbach brought home a tally with an RBI single to cut Tennessee's deficit to one before DH Willson Contreras walked to load the bases for Bruno. The second baseman crushed the first pitch of the at bat to deep center, clearing the bases and sending the crowd into a frenzy as Tennessee took a 9-6 advantage.

That lead would be short-lived, however, as the Lookouts came right back with a four-spot in the top of the sixth. RF Max Kepler started things with a walk, stole second and then took third on a wild pitch before coming plateward on 2B Levi Michael's run-scoring double. After Michael was sent in via Buxton's RBI base knock, Polanco pulverized the 0-1 offer over the right field fence to push Chattanooga ahead again 10-9. The Smokies, however, would plate seven unanswered tallies to seize control of the contest for good.

The left-handed slugging Vogelbach has gotten off to one of the best starts in the Minor Leagues this season, and after tonight's effort owns a .460 batting average (23-50), adding 11 runs, seven doubles, thre homers and 12 RBI in 14 contests. The reigning Southern League Player of the Week has reached base in each game this season, in addition to recording hits in all but one of those contests thus far, and ranks among the top three in most of the circuit's offensive categories.

Tennessee reliever Fernando Cruz (2.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO) earned his first win of the season, while C.J. Edwards (2.0 IP, 2 BB, 3 SO) and P.J. Francescon (1.0 IP, 1 H) finished the job by tossing the final three shutout frames. Lookouts relief man Jake Reed (1.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 2 SO) suffered his second loss of the season to fall to 0-2 in 2015. Neither Smokies starter Rob Zastryzny (3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO), nor Lookouts righty Alex Wimmers (4.1 IP, 10 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO) factored in the final decisions.

The two teams are set to face off again Sunday afternoon for the second game of their five-game set, with first pitch scheduled for 2:05 p.m. ET. Tennessee is expected to give the ball to RHP Frank Batista (1-0, 0.84), while Chattanooga is anticipated to counter with RHP Tyler Duffey (0-1, 1.74).

Kids will want to arrive early, as the Smokies will be holding their annual Youth Baseball Clinic prior to Sunday's contest. Children wearing their Little League uniforms will be able to receive free instruction from the club's players and coaches, with gates opening at 11:30 a.m., and the clinic running from noon until 1:00 p.m. In addition it's also a U.S. Cellular Family FUNday, with families able to receive four ticket vouchers, four meal vouchers and two Kids Zone wristbands for only $48. Fans are also encouraged to dress up for the Smokies' Halfway to Halloween celebration, with Trick or Treat stations set up throughout the concourse at the stadium. There will also be a Costume Contest for the best costumes at the stadium.

Tickets for that afternoon's contest, and all other remaining Smokies home games are still available, and can be purchased online by clicking here, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at (865) 286-2300.

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Southern League Stories from April 25, 2015


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